FIA World Endurance Championship

Porsche Closes Out Manufacturers Championship At FIA WEC Shanghai (06.11.16)

Porsche sealed the 2016 FIA World Endurance Manufacturers Championship at the 6 Hours of Shanghai with victory for the #1 Porsche 919 Hybrid driven by Timo Bernhard, Mark Webber and Brendon Hartley and fourth place for the #2 car driven by Romain Dumas, Neel Jani and Marc Lieb.

Toyota Gazoo Racing continued its run of podium successes with a well-earned second and third place in China. The #6 Toyota TS050 with the driver line-up of Stéphane Sarrazin, Mike Conway and Kamui Kobayashi crossed the line in second position, Kobayashi at the wheel for the final stint. The #5 car, piloted by Anthony Davidson, Sébastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima finshed third with Davidson taking the chequered flag.

Porsche’s victory and fourth place places it on 300 points in the Manufacturers’ Championship and, with Audi Sport team Joest on 222, Porsche secure the title.

In LMP2, G-Drive Racing, managed by Jota Sport, in the #26 Nissan-powered ORECA 05, continued the winning form it showed in Japan with the win in class. Alex Brundle took the first stint and put the car in the class lead allowing Roman Rusinov and Will Stevens to then dominate from the front with Stevens taking the chequered flag. Second in class was the #30 Extreme Speed Motorsports Ligier JS P2 with the driver line-up of Antonio Giovinazzi, Tom Blomqvist and Sean Galael, Blomqvist bringing the car home.

Taking the final podium spot was the #43 RGR Sport by Morand Ligier JS P2 piloted by Ricardo González, Filipe Albuquerque and Bruno Senna.

Signatech Alpine, on 183 points, now cannot be beaten for the 2016 FIA Endurance Trophy for LMP2 teams. However only 12 points separates second and third place with the #43 RGR Sport by Morand Ligier JS P2 on 151 points and the victorious #26 G-Drive Racing ORECA 05 on 139. The final round of the 2016 FIA World Endurance Championship will be a tense affair in the LMP2 class.

Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK enjoyed a lock-out of the top two steps of the podium after 6 hours of racing with the #67 Ford GT piloted by Andy Priaulx and Harry Tincknell taking a second victory following success in Fuji last time out. The #66 car, driven by Stefan Mücke and Olivier Pla finished second, just over 50 seconds behind its sister car. Tincknell is on a run of form currently with victory and the 2016 European Le Mans Series Championship tile with G-Drive Racing secured in Estoril on October 23.

The #51 AF Corse Ferrari F488 GTE, piloted by Gianmaria Bruni and James Calado, completed the podium places .

The 2016 FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGTE Pro teams could not be closer. The #95 Aston Martin Racing Vantage V8 leads the standings on 131 points, just two points ahead of the #67 Ford Chip Ganassi Racing Ford GT. The #66 Ford Chip Ganassi Racing entry is in third place, just eight points behind its sister car.

In LMGTE Am victory went to the #98 Aston Martin Racing Vantage V8 driven by Paul Dalla Lana, Pedro Lamy and Mathias Lauda, Lauda taking the final stint. Second, just under 52 seconds behind was the #78 KCMG Porsche 911 RSR piloted by Christian Ried, Wolf Henzler and Joël Camathias. Taking the final podium spot was the #83 AF Corse Ferrari F4589 Italia with François Perrodo, Emmanuel Collard and Rui Aguas sharing the driving duties.

The #83 AF Corse F458 Italia retains the lead in the Endurance Trophy For LMGTE Am teams but with a narrower gap. ADF Corse currently sits in the lead on 170 points, followed by the #98 Aston Martin Racing Vantage V8 on 148 points.

The next, and final, round of the 2016 FIA World Endurance Championship is the 6 Hours of Bahrain on Saturday November 19.