CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS - 2015

YOUNG LIONS

Earl Bamber

Meet the young stars who are changing the face of sports car racing

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THEYOUNGLIONS

Clockwise from top left: Ricky Taylor, Jordan Taylor, Jann Mardenborough, Colin Braun, John Edwards, Dane Cameron, Earl Bamber,

Hall of Fame driver and BMW Team

RLL leader Bobby Rahal recalls a time

when older, veteran drivers were especially

valuable as they provided the only means

of communicating to a crew just what a

race car was doing on the track.

The development of data recorders,

telemetry, simulators and even video games

has dramatically changed that model.

So too have training programs,

coaches, development series and increased

manufacturer scouting for talent. The result

is many more opportunities for drivers

to earn prime rides much earlier in their

careers.

The prowess of the ‘young lions’ was

on full global display this past June as

Porsche’s Earl Bamber (now 25), Nick

Tandy (30) and F1’s Nico Hülkenberg (28)

celebrated atop the podium as the overall

winners of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Tandy

had contested the event once before, but

for his co-drivers, the overall race win came

in their first entry at Le Mans.

Joining them on the Le Mans podium

was their teammate Brendon Hartley of

New Zealand, age 25, who finished second

overall aboard a Porsche 919 co-driving

with former F1 ace Mark Webber.

At Road America in August, Bamber

was given his first opportunity to qualify

the Porsche North America 911 RSR at a

TUDOR United SportsCar Championship

event.

Rain washed out most of the Friday

practice, giving Bamber just four laps

in the dry on Saturday morning before

heading out to qualify.

Two laps later he was on the GTLM class

pole having broken the track class record

by 1.4 seconds on a track he had never

previously seen.

Entrusting million dollar cars and entire

programs to a young driver was once

unthinkable, but rather than thrashing

around in old, uncompetitive equipment to

gain experience, today’s promising young

drivers find top rides.

The TUDOR Championship has an

especially impressive group of talented

young shoes already winning races,

championships and setting records.

Florida based Wayne Taylor Racing’s

Jordan Taylor (24) won the 2013 GRAND–

AM Rolex Series Prototype Championship.

He and older brother Ricky Taylor (26)

were the TUDOR Championship runners-up

last year.

At Action Express, Georgia’s Dane

Cameron (26) won the 2014 GTD TUDOR

Championship. He moved up to the Whelen

Engineering car in the Prototype class for

2015 to team with Eric Curran. They already

have a pair of race wins.

Cincinnati’s John Edwards (24) has

climbed the ladder from the Star Mazda

championship in 2008, to the Formula

Atlantic title in 2009. He has a BMW Team

RLL factory drive and a pair of TUDOR

Championship GTLM class wins already in

his pocket.

Texan Colin Braun, of CORE autosport, is

already a four time IMSA Series champion

and co-drives with team owner Jon Bennett

in the PC class. Braun, who now lives in

Charlotte, turns 27 next week.

How did these young drivers get to be

so good, so fast? Drivers start sooner in

organized karting or video gaming. They

get seat time in progressively faster cars

and there are more good cars available.

Where in Rahal’s early years the drivers

were the human data recorders, modern

cars are so heavily instrumented that it

takes teams days after a race to analyze

all the data. Bamber and Tandy’s Le Mans

winning Porsche transmitted 13.5 gigabytes

of data to the pits during the race.

The priority is on pure speed, the ability

to trust and help the engineers, and to be

mature enough to keep bringing the car

back intact for the engineers to sort.

Drivers must be able to deal with

traffic, increasingly complex displays and

steering wheels that look and, and in some

ways are, like video game consoles loaded

with the multiple electronic features and

programs.

Nissan has filled several seats, including

factory prototypes, with drivers whose

careers started in video games. In fact,

Nissan has established a formal program

called the Nissan GT Academy to identify

and develop top gamers and put them into

various cars. The most promising is Jann

“The Mann” Mardenborough, a winner of

GT Academy. He marked his 24th birthday

last week.

Youth in sports cars is no longer wasted

on the young.

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If a victory in one of the world’s premier endurance races makes the season a success, the Corvette Racing team is having a triple.

The Michigan based factory team reeled off consecutive 2015 class victories in the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans to claim the endurance racing Triple Crown.

Jan Magnussen, Antonio Garcia and Ryan Briscoe took their Corvette C7.R to victory in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship opening round at Daytona in January and followed that up with the win at Sebring in March.

Teammates Oliver Gavin, Tommy Milner and Jordan Taylor then delivered the goods at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June. Three majors. Three wins.

You may think that those three victories would satisfy the Corvette Racing team and the legendary Corvette Nation. You would be wrong.

The Corvette Racing team and drivers arrive at each race focused on the win.

Their preparation, race set ups, strategies, pit work and consistency lap after lap have built a stunning record of success that includes eight wins at Le Mans, nine at Sebring and eight at Petit Le Mans. They want more.

With just two races, Lone Star Le Mans and Petit Le Mans, remaining in the 2015 TUDOR Championship, the driver, team and manufacturer titles are very much in play. That makes every point critical in the hyper-competitive GTLM class.

After Corvette claimed victories in the first two events of the 2015 TUDOR Championship, BMW Team RLL leapt to the front with victories at Long Beach and Monterey.

Since then it has been all Porsche with the Falken Porsche team claiming the win at Watkins Glen International and the Porsche North America factory team vaulting to the lead by dominating the last three races.

Will Porsche continue its streak? Will BMW Team RLL regain the top of the podium? Will the Houston based Risi Competizione Ferrari squad, podium finishers in the last two events, take a home win? Or, will Corvette Racing end the season on high notes to bookend the start?

Corvette’striple play

Watch us now on FOX

Don’t miss the 2015 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship and the FIA World Endurance Championship as they compete at the Circuit of The Americas.

TUDOR Championship

Qualifying Friday, September 18 (All times EDT) 4:45 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. IMSA.com (Live), IMSA App

Race Saturday, September 19 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. FOX Sports 2 (Live)

Sunday, September 20 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. FOX Sports 1 (Re-air)

FIA World Endurance Championship

Qualifying Friday, September 18 (All times EDT) 6:45 p.m. – 7:35 p.m. WEC App

Race Saturday, September 19 6:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. FOX Sports 2 (Live), FOX Sports Go, WEC App

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FAN FAVORITES

25Auberlen/Werner BMW Team RLL • BMW Z4 GTEGT Le Mans Michelin

5 490Fittipaldi/BarbosaAction Express Racing • Corvette DPPrototype Continental

Westbrook/Valiante VisitFlorida.com Racing • Corvette DPPrototype Continental

Gavin/MilnerCorvette Racing • Chevrolet Corvette C7.RGT Le Mans Michelin

01 6210R. Taylor/J. Taylor Wayne Taylor Racing • Corvette DPPrototype Continental

Pruett/HandChip Ganassi Racing • Ford Riley DP Prototype Continental

Fisichella/Kaffer Risi Competizione • Ferrari F458 ItaliaGT Le Mans Michelin

9110760Pew/Negri Jr. Michael Shank Racing • Ligier JS P2 Prototype Continental

Long/MillerMazda Motorsports • Mazda Prototype Continental

Tandy/PiletPorsche North America • Porsche 911 RSRGT Le Mans Michelin

Michelin North America, Inc • One Parkway South, • Greenville, SC 29615 • TEL: 1-800-458-5000 • www.michelin.com • Printed in USA, August 5, 2015 • Volume 9, Issue 9No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior permission of the publisher. • Copyright © 2015 Michelin North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Printed on recycled paper • 10% Total Recovered Fiber • All Post-Consumed Fiber

Race 24 Hours of Le Mans

Car No. 19 Porsche 919 Hybrid

Weight 870 kg / 1918 lbs

Powertrain PorscheV4 + Hybrid

Top speed in race 211.4 mph

Fastest race lap 154.4 mph

Race average speed 139.3 mph

Pit stops 30 pit stops

Fuel usage 500.87 gallons

Tires 10 sets / Michelin

Total Distance 3,452.3 miles

Qualifying Speed 154.846 mph

Circuit length 8.47 miles

Race Rolex 24 At Daytona

Car No. 02 Ford EcoBoost Riley DP

Weight 1038.727 kg / 2290 lbs

Powertrain Twin-turbo 3.5 Liter Ford EcoBoost V6

Top speed in race 195.9 mph

Fastest race lap 128.49 mph

Race average speed 109.693 mph

Pit stops 34 pit stops

Fuel usage 546 gallons

Tires 30 sets / Continental

Total Distance 2,634.4 miles

Qualifying Speed 129.061 mph

Circuit length 3.56 miles

Porsche 919 Hybrid

Ford ECOBOOST RILEY DP

WINNER: Rolex 24 At Daytona

WINNER: 24 Hours of Le Mans

Race 24 Hours of Le Mans

Car No. 19 Porsche 919 Hybrid

Weight 870 kg / 1918 lbs

Powertrain PorscheV4 + Hybrid

Top speed in race 211.4 mph

Fastest race lap 154.4 mph

Race average speed 139.3 mph

Pit stops 30 pit stops

Fuel usage 500.87 gallons

Tires 10 sets / Michelin

Total Distance 3,452.3 miles

Qualifying Speed 154.846 mph

Circuit length 8.47 miles

Race Rolex 24 At Daytona

Car No. 02 Ford EcoBoost Riley DP

Weight 1038.727 kg / 2290 lbs

Powertrain Twin-turbo 3.5 Liter Ford EcoBoost V6

Top speed in race 195.9 mph

Fastest race lap 128.49 mph

Race average speed 109.693 mph

Pit stops 34 pit stops

Fuel usage 546 gallons

Tires 30 sets / Continental

Total Distance 2,634.4 miles

Qualifying Speed 129.061 mph

Circuit length 3.56 miles

Porsche 919 Hybrid

Ford ECOBOOST RILEY DP

WINNER: Rolex 24 At Daytona

WINNER: 24 Hours of Le Mans

1Davidson/Buemi/Nakajima Toyota Racing • Toyota TS040 - HybridLM P1 Michelin

FAN FAVORITES

18Dumas/Jani/Lieb Porsche Team • Porsche 919 HybridLM P1 Michelin

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8Duval/di Grassi/JarvisAudi Sport Team Joest • Audi R18 e-tron quattroLM P1 Michelin

Rusinov/Canal/Bird G-Drive Racing • Ligier JS P2 - NissanLM P2 Dunlop

Bruni/VilanderAF Corse • Ferrari F458 ItaliaGTE-Pro Michelin

30 91Sharp/Dalziel/Heinemeier HanssonExtreme Speed Motorsports • Ligier JS P2 - HPDLM P2 Dunlop

Lietz/Christensen Porsche Team Manthey • Porsche 911 RSRGTE-Pro Michelin

974712Prost/Beche/Heidfeld Rebellion Racing • Rebellion R-One - AER LM P1 Michelin

Howson/Bradley/LapierreKCMG • Oreca 05 - Nissan LM P2 Dunlop

Turner/Mucke/AdamAston Martin Racing • Aston Martin Vantage V8GTE-Pro Michelin

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The PATRICKShow

FAN FAVORITES

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His popular television character was written out of the show’s script earlier this year, but Patrick Dempsey starred in a different show this summer. Dempsey realized his racing dream by finishing on the podium at the fabled 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Dempsey’s well-earned second place finish at Le Mans in the popular GTE-AM class, which combines Pro and Amateur drivers, was the result of his own long running sports car racing program. Dempsey has spent the past decade building his racing skills and experience here in North America and on the international stage.

He was joined aboard a Porsche 911 RSR by fellow American and Porsche factory ace Patrick Long and Germany’s Marco Seefried, as his Dempsey–Proton

Racing team took on Aston Martin, Porsche, Ferrari and Corvette rivals in the class.

“It’s hard to put into words what this means,” an emotional Dempsey told Eurosport Television at Le Mans.

After running in contention for podiums at Le Mans in both 2013, when they led midway and finished fourth, and again with a fifth place finish in 2014, Dempsey shifted his racing focus to the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).

“This is my third Le Mans attempt with Patrick

(Dempsey) and we’ve always dreamed of climbing the podium together. Now this dream has come true,” said Long at Le Mans.

The two Americans and Seefried arrive at the WEC’s sole North American stop, The Lone Star Le Mans, fresh from a fourth place class finish at the Nurburgring.

They are ranked fourth in the GTE-AM class championship as the second half of the 2015 WEC series begins.

A podium in the six-hour WEC race here in Texas would be a nice plot twist.

The PATRICKShow

Friday, September 18, 2015

8:00 am - 8:50 am Race #2 - Lamborghini

9:10 am -10:10 am Practice #3 - TUDOR (All Classes)

10:30 am - 11:30 am Practice #3 - FIA WEC

12:40 pm - 3:10 pm Race - CTSC

3:45 pm - 4:00 pm Qualifying - TUDOR (GTD)

4:10 pm - 4:25 pm Qualifying - TUDOR (GTLM)

4:35 pm - 4:50 pm Qualifying - TUDOR (PC)

5:00 pm - 5:15 pm Qualifying - TUDOR (P)

5:45 pm - 6:05 pm Qualifying - FIA WEC (LMGTE PRO / AM)

6:15 pm - 6:35 pm Qualifying - FIA WEC (LMP1 / LMP2)

7:00 pm - 7:45 pm Race #2 - GT3 CUP

Saturday, September 19, 2015

8:00 am - 8:20 am Warm Up - TUDOR (All Classes)

9:15 am -10:00 am TUDOR Autograph Session

11:35 am - 2:15 pm Race - Lone Star Le Mans for the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship

4:20 pm - 4:33 pm Grid Walk - FIA WEC

5:00 pm - 11:00 pm Race - FIA WEC - 6 Hours

Circuit of The Americas

Schedule

There comes a time in nearly every race, season or career where a driver’s talent and experience comes together in a magical blend of speed, consistency, discipline and creativity.

Drivers in the zone seem to consistently optimize a car, a situation or their performance. For some that zone is fleeting, while others seem to set up residency.

In a Lone Star Le Mans paddock filled with top factory shoes in both the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), virtually every Pro class seat is filled by a young lion, a proven winner or a prime time player.

Dan Binks, crew chief for the 2015 Rolex 24 At Daytona and Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring GTLM class winning No. 3 Corvette calls that special time in a driver’s career, “the sweet spot.”

It is that point, usually in their late 20s to mid-30s, when a driver’s skills, focus and results are at their absolute peak. Poles, wins, fastest race laps and

championships are not simply possible, but expected.

Here are some who may be best known to North American fans:

Nick Tandy, a factory driver for Porsche Racing, is the hottest new prime time player. In the past two years, Tandy, now 30, has posted victories at Petit Le Mans, the Rolex 24 At Daytona and the biggest prize, the overall win at the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans.

He was also aboard the LMP2 class winning car at the most recent WEC race at the Nurburgring in Germany.

He and fellow Porsche factory team prime timer Patrick Pilet (33)

(pictured left) arrive with three consecutive TUDOR Championship GTLM class wins, taking victories in Canada, at Road America

and most recently at VIRginia International Raceway.

Audi’s formidable trio of Andre Lotterer (33), Benoit Treluyer (38) and

Marcel Fassler (39) (pictured below) have been the winning combination

for three overall victories at Le Mans and a WEC

championship. They currently lead the

2015 WEC championship heading into Circuit of The Americas (COTA).

Corvette Racing’s Exhibit A is “rock star” Antonio

Garcia (35). The quiet but ruthlessly efficient Spaniard now has three Le Mans wins and an American Le Mans Series (ALMS) championship.

He and co-driver Jan Magnussen have posted six TUDOR Championship GTLM class victories in the last 16 races.

Garcia’s Corvette Racing teammate, Tommy Milner (29) (pictured right), is certainly in that prime zone.

Since joining the team in 2011, Milner has a pair of GTE Pro class wins at Le Mans, including this past June when he teamed with veteran Oliver Gavin and young lion (see page 2) Jordan Taylor.

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Milner and Gavin also claimed the 2012 ALMS GT Championship.

With young drivers, teams look for talent, speed, the ability to learn and periodic flashes of brilliance.

As a driver gains seat time and experience, the expectations are raised. Mistakes are no longer tolerated and the driver is in the car for the most difficult conditions and tactical situations.

Porsche has a deep roster of proven winners. Former ALMS and Le Mans champions Romain Dumas (37) and Timo Bernhard (34) have been key players in the Porsche factory line up.

Mark Webber (39) (pictured right) and Brendon Hartley (25) teamed with Bernhard aboard a Porsche 919 Hybrid prototype for the overall win at the Nurburgring. Dumas, Neel Jani (31) and Marc Lieb (35) finished second.

Their Porsche Manthey Racing counterparts in WEC, Richard Lietz (32) and Michael Christensen (25) led a 1-2 finish in the GTE-Pro class at the Nurburgring over teammates Pilet and Frederic Makowiecki (34).

Ferrari’s Gianmaria (Gimmi) Bruni (34) (pictured right) has three GT class wins at Le Mans and the 2013 FIA WEC championship to his credit.

BMW’s Lucas Luhr (36) has a record 49 career ALMS wins.

Joey Hand (36) is a past winner at Daytona and Sebring and a former

ALMS GT champion. He is currently paired with Scott Pruett in a Chip Ganassi Racing Ford EcoBoost Riley Prototype. The CGR Ford firmament will soon expand

as the team gears up to field a total of four Ford GTs

with pairs in both the 2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the FIA WEC.

At some point, drivers reach their peak, but some special drivers can remain there for a long time.

Corvette’s Jan Magnussen (pictured right) and Oliver Gavin, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Pruett, BMW’s Bill Auberlen, Risi Competizione Ferrari’s Giancarlo Fisichella and Porsche’s Jörg Bergmeister are virtually ageless, seemingly retaining all of their speed and prowess while ignoring the calendar.

Almost imperceptibly, others gradually lose a tenth of a second or two and get in trouble by forcing situations.

Prime timers are often the hidden leaders in their respective teams as the mechanics, engineers and co-drivers look to them to be the ultimate difference makers in incredibly close competition. For them the look in the eyes of their teammates in victory is the ultimate praise and reward.

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CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS - 2015

PRIME TIME

Nick Tandy

The world’s finest sports car drivers in their prime do battle in Texas