Porsche secure WEC title in Shanghai as Mark and his teammates take fourth consecutive win
By taking the fifth victory in a row Porsche has made itself a World Champion in Shanghai. One race before the season’s finale no one can take away the constructors’ title in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) from the young team from Weissach. In China the winning drivers were Timo Bernhard (DE), Brendon Hartley (NZ) and Mark Webber (AU) in a six-hour race of which two thirds were held on a wet track. The sister car of Romain Dumas (FR), Neel Jani (CH) and Marc Lieb (DE) finished second and hence the season’s fourth one-two victory for the Porsche team.
Porsche has won the title with 308 points ahead of Audi (238) and Toyota (137). For Porsche it is the 13th constructors’ World Championship title in endurance racing and the first since 1986. Between 1964 and 1986 Porsche took twelve constructors’ titles in the then Sports Car World Championship.
The drivers’ world championship title will be decided at the season’s finale in Bahrain on November 21. Porsche drivers Bernhard/Hartley/Webber are leading with 155 points ahead of three Audi drivers who have scored 143 points.
How the race went for car number 17:
After the start behind the safety car the race goes green at the end of lap four and pole-setter Brendon Hartley stays in front. After 33 laps he comes in for refuelling and takes another set of rain tyres. The team uses the third of several full course yellow periods for the next pit stop and Timo Bernhard takes over after 52 laps. The conditions still only suitable for rain tyres. The lead is temporarily lost to the number 8 Audi and on lap 57 the number 7 Audi also overtakes Bernhard. On lap 61 the sister Porsche with Neel Jani at the wheel passes Bernhard as well. As the Audis pit, Bernhard lies second behind Jani. The following Porsche pit stop doesn’t change the order. Bernhard comes in for fuel only after 84 laps and then reduces the gap to Jani. On lap 101 the two Porsche 919 Hybrids swap positions because the number 17 car is the faster one at that point of time. Bernhard hands over the leading car to Mark Webber after 115 laps, and now slick intermediate tyres are the call. After 132 laps Webber changes to pure slick tyres and continues to lead the race. At the end of lap 154 Webber comes for his last refuelling stop and gets another set of slick tyres. He then drives directly behind Romain Dumas until the sister car has to refuel – and number 17’s way to victory is clear.
“What this team has done in such a short period of time is just incredible,” said Mark after the race. “I have been involved in some pretty professional motor sports projects and I must say it is impressive to come to this level and have this results this year. It’s really hard to produce these cars and this top performance week after week. The constructors’ title is great for Porsche and everyone was working hard. Racing for these guys is amazing.”
Race result 6 hours of Shanghai (CN):
1. Bernhard/Hartley/Webber (DE/NZ/AU), Porsche 919 Hybrid, 169 laps
2. Dumas/Jani/Lieb (FR/CH/DE), Porsche 919 Hybrid, + 26.294 seconds
3. Fässler/Lotterer/Tréluyer (CH/DE/FR), Audi R18 e-tron quattro, + 30.311 sec
4. Di Grassi/Duval/Jarvis (BR/FR/GB), Audi R18 e-tron quattro, + 50.906 sec
5. Wurz/Sarrazin/Conway (AT/FR/GB), Toyota TS040 Hybrid, 4 laps behind
6. Davidson/Buemi/Nakajima (GB/CH/JP), Toyota TS040 Hybrid, 5 laps behind
FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), points after 7 of 8 rounds,
Drivers:
1. Bernhard/Hartley/Webber (DE/NZ/AUS), Porsche 155
2. Lotterer/Tréluyer/Fässler (DE/FR/CH), Audi, 143
3. Dumas/Jani/Lieb (FR/CH/DE), Porsche, 113,5
4. Di Grassi/Duval/Jarvis (BR/FR/GB), Audi, 91
5. Davidson/Buemi (GB/CH), Toyota, 67
6. Tandy (GB), Porsche & Oreca, 66,5
7. Bamber/Hülkenberg (NZ/DE), Porsche, 58
8. Nakajima (JP), Toyota, 55
Manufacturers:
1. Porsche, 308
2. Audi, 238
3. Toyota, 137
6 Comments
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Pat
on November 1, 2015Mark, congrats for U and Your team.
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Petra
on November 2, 2015Hi Mark, great result .congrats to you and the team. So happy for you!
Such an achievement in such a short time… Awesome !!!
Big hug from Germany -
Sheila Baker
on November 3, 2015Great result Mark for you and the Team. Porsche all the way to the World Championship. Well deserved – miss seeing you in a Red Bull but this must be just as enthralling.
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david g jordan
on November 10, 2015Mark , nice one! keep on at Button to tell F1,ect to!!!!!!!!. Please!
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Peter Steining
on November 10, 2015Hi Mark, im so happy to see that success has provided you with a smile on your face for doing this. It s inspiring to see how you swapped motor sport categories in the space of 1 year and found yourself achieving this great result, go aussie grit, do it again next year and win this years drivers title.
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Carol Tutchener
on November 11, 2015Congratulations to you and the team winning the Constructors Championship in such a short time! Miss seeing you in F1as only people who can afford pay TV can watch WEC in Australia, but we follow you as best we can via reports on the internet. You have always been a champion as far as we are concerned but now is the time to make it official. Wishing you lots of luck for further success in winning the drivers championship.
