Porsche 911 GT3 R Finishes Second in Thrilling Suzuka 1000km Race

Porsche's 911 GT3 R narrowly missed out on victory at the Suzuka 1000km endurance race, securing a strong second-place finish overall. The race, held on the iconic Japanese Formula 1 circuit, saw intense competition over six and a half hours.

Key Takeaways

• Absolute Racing's #7 Porsche 911 GT3 R, driven by Kévin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor, and Patrick Pilet, finished second overall.

• Another Porsche 911 GT3 R from Absolute Racing clinched victory in the Bronze Cup.

• Origine Motorsport's #6 Porsche 911 GT3 R, despite early promise and running in second, suffered underfloor damage and finished fifth.

• Porsche leads the manufacturers' standings heading into the season finale at Indianapolis.

A Close Contention for the Win

The #7 Porsche 911 GT3 R, entered by Absolute Racing and sporting the "New Man" livery, delivered a near-perfect performance. Factory drivers Kévin Estre and Laurens Vanthoor, alongside Patrick Pilet, were just 13.647 seconds behind the winning BMW at the checkered flag. "We delivered a strong race, but ultimately the performance wasn’t quite enough to take the win," commented Kévin Estre. "The BMW was simply too strong today."

Mixed Fortunes for Other Porsche Entries

While Absolute Racing celebrated a strong overall result and a Bronze Cup win with the #10 car, other Porsche teams faced challenges. Origine Motorsport's #6 entry, featuring Laurin Heinrich, Alessio Picariello, and Bastian Buus, showed strong pace early on, running in second place. However, damage to the underfloor sustained on the high-speed Suzuka layout significantly impacted their performance, relegating them to fifth place. Klaus Bachler, driving the #23 Porsche 911 GT3 R, finished eighth, citing refuelling delays and subsequent traffic as major hindrances.

Porsche's Strong Presence and Championship Hopes

Porsche had a significant presence at Suzuka with eleven 911 GT3 R entries, more than any other manufacturer. All eleven cars successfully completed the demanding race. Sebastian Golz, Project Manager Porsche 911 GT3 R, praised the teams' efforts: "Absolute Racing did a tremendous job: P2 overall and a win in Bronze. It was wonderful to finally be back racing in Japan. I’m proud to be part of IGTC – lining up with eleven Porsche 911 GT3 R, more than any other manufacturer."

Following the Suzuka round, Porsche holds second place in the manufacturers' standings with a chance to contend for the title at the season finale, an eight-hour race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on October 18.