Imola, Italy: WEC 6H of Imola 2024
After Porsche’s initial victory in the FIA World Endurance Championship in the previous race in Qatar, in the Hypercar category with the 963, Porsche factory driver Andre Lotterer expressed his satisfaction. Lotterer, a three-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, stated: “We can see the progress from the past. The team has made significant improvements in terms of personnel, and we are reaping the benefits of these changes. Now we arrive better prepared, with well-thought-out plans, rather than just experimenting. We are ready.”
However, Lotterer did not display excessive confidence regarding the upcoming race in Imola. He acknowledged the challenges they faced during testing on the track and recognized the competitiveness of other teams. Lotterer commented: “It would be nice to repeat our success, but it will be tough here. We realize that Imola is quite different from Qatar. We have made adjustments and the car is much better, but others are equally fast, if not faster. The Balance of Performance adjustment may also play a role, although it is uncertain. We do not expect to be in the lead, but who knows? If we perform well, we may surprise ourselves.”
Lotterer attributed his reserved response to the characteristics of the track. He explained that the 963 was more suited to Qatar due to understanding the tires and seeking the ideal setup. However, bumpy tracks like Imola posed challenges for Porsche, especially in terms of aerodynamics. Lotterer admitted: “Smooth tracks allow us to extract more performance from our aerodynamics, but circuits like Imola are tougher for us. It’s not necessarily a disadvantage, but maybe we are not as strong as others. It’s a bit more challenging for us to find the right balance.”
In the first free practice session, Porsche finished in seventh and eighth places. The race is scheduled for Sunday, April 21, starting at 1:00 PM local time.
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