Preview, FIA World Endurance Championship WEC, Round 2, Portimão (Portugal).

13-04-2023 22:58 -

A round of the FIA ​​World Endurance Championship WEC will take place in Portimão next weekend for the second time after 2021. The Autódromo Internacional do Algarve offers the stage for the European debut of the new Porsche 963. After the solid performance at the 1000-mile race in Sebring, USA, the Porsche Penske Motorsport works team has set itself the goal of a podium result for the second race of the season. The Mannheim-based WEC team knows the course from extensive test drives in the recent past. Driver crews, engineers and mechanics are therefore well prepared for the 6-hour race. Due to its many inclines and declines as well as fast curves, the "roller coaster in the Algarve" promises exciting action.

In the FIA ​​WEC, the Porsche Penske Motorsport works team will field two LMDh prototypes in the hypercar class. According to the current Balance of Performance (BoP) adjustment, their drive power is 516 kW (702 hp). Dane Cameron from the USA, Frenchman Frédéric Makowiecki and Michael Christensen from Denmark alternate in the cockpit of the number 5. The number 6 sister car is shared by Kévin Estre (France), André Lotterer (Germany) and Laurens Vanthoor (Belgium). The Porsche customer teams field six examples of the approximately 378 kW (515 hp) 911 RSR in the GTE-Am category. Iron Dames is the only all-female team in the WEC. The pink 911 with the number 85 will be driven by Sarah Bovy from Belgium, Michelle Gatting from Denmark and Rahel Frey from Switzerland. The Italians Claudio Schiavoni and Matteo Cressoni as well as Alessio Picariello from Belgium act under the Iron Lynx banner in the number 60 sister car. Team owner Christian Ried from Schöneburg drives the number 77 of Dempsey-Proton Racing together with Mikkel Pedersen from Denmark and former Porsche Junior Julien Andlauer from France. American Ryan Hardwick, Zacharie Robichon from Canada and Briton Harry Tincknell with the number 88 will start the race in the 911 from Proton Competition. The 911 RSR from Project 1 – AO with starting number 56 will be driven by the two Portuguese Guilherme de Oliveira and Miguel Ramos as well as Matteo Cairoli. The Italian was also part of the Porsche junior squad.

The schedule (local time, CEST -1 hour)
Friday, 14.04.
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: free practice 1
3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.: free practice 2

Saturday, April 15th
11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.: Free Practice 3
3:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.: Qualifying GTE-Am
4:20 p.m. – 4:35 p.m.: Qualifying Hypercar

Sunday, April 16th
12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.: Race