Rutronik Racing Secures Runner-Up Spot in 24-Hour Thriller

In a thrilling 24-hour endurance race, Porsche customer team Rutronik Racing secured a remarkable second-place finish, narrowly missing overall victory. The event, held in Belgium's Ardennes, saw intense competition and strategic masterstrokes, culminating in a nail-biting finish that highlighted the prowess of Porsche's customer teams and their 911 GT3 R cars.

Rutronik Racing's Near Victory

Rutronik Racing's #96 Porsche 911 GT3 R, piloted by Sven Müller, Patric Niederhauser, and Alessio Picariello, demonstrated exceptional performance throughout the 24-hour race. A crucial full-course yellow period around 12:30 pm allowed for a significant time gain during a routine pit stop, propelling them back into contention. The team also benefited from well-timed pit stops in the final hours, setting the stage for a direct battle with the leading Lamborghini.

• The race intensified in the final eight hours, with track temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius.

• A strategic pit stop during a full-course yellow proved pivotal for Rutronik Racing.

• The team engaged in a heated neck-and-neck duel with the #63 Lamborghini in the closing stages.

• Despite a valiant effort, the Lamborghini maintained a one-second lead after its final fuel stop, sealing Rutronik Racing's second-place finish.

• In the Intercontinental GT Challenge standings, Porsche and the Rutronik Racing driver trio secured first place.

Other Notable Porsche Customer Team Performances

Several other Porsche customer teams delivered strong performances across various categories:

• Wright Motorsport (Gold Cup): In their European debut, the US-based team finished 16th overall and fourth in the Gold Cup class, showcasing a flawless performance against 73 other GT3 cars.

• Lionspeed GP (Bronze Cup): Starting from 45th, the #80 911 GT3 R made a remarkable charge through the field, climbing as high as 13th overall and leading the Bronze Cup before a collision and penalty dropped them to 21st overall and fourth in class.

• AV Racing by Car Collection Motorsport (Pro-Am): This team clinched victory in the Pro-Am class, starting from 61st and driving a steady, incident-free race to finish 31st overall.

Driver Reactions and Team Pride

Drivers and team management expressed a mix of pride and slight disappointment at narrowly missing the top spot, while celebrating the overall achievements.

• Alessio Picariello (#96 Porsche 913 GT3 R): Expressed mixed feelings, proud of the team's flawless performance but heartbroken to finish second after such a hard-fought battle.

• Adam Adelson (#120 Porsche 913 GT3 R): Acknowledged the race's difficulty and expressed pride in the team's effort, despite just missing a class podium.

• Ricardo Feller (#80 Porsche 913 GT3 R): Completed his first 24-hour race in the Porsche 911, feeling exhausted but satisfied with the car's performance, though disappointed to miss the podium.

• Noam Abramczyk (#29 Porsche 913 GT3 R): Celebrated his first GT3 victory in the Pro-Am class, highlighting the strategic challenges overcome.

Sebastian Golz, Project Manager Porsche 911 GT3 R, commended Rutronik Racing's fight for overall victory and highlighted the Pro-Am class win, expressing pride in Porsche's achievements across recent 24-hour races.