Proton Competition rise to Sebring challenge with sixth-place finish

The second round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship on 15 March proved to be a tough task for Proton Competition. In temperatures of up to 32 degrees, Neel Jani, Tristan Vautier and Nicolás Pino were called upon to pilot their #5 Porsche 963 in a top-quality GTP field. Despite the challenging conditions at Sebring International Raceway, the trio performed excellently to cross the line in sixth position. In GTD Pro, the #20 Porsche came home in eighth.

The 12 Hours of Sebring is world-renowned as one of the most severe tests of driver and machine on the international motorsport calendar. The 73rd edition of the famous race was no exception, either. The formidable track surface and blistering temperatures weren’t the only challenges for Proton Competition though: The GTP class was packed full of top-quality entries too. However, Jani, Vautier and Pino were left completely unfazed by the difficult conditions, starting the race from fifth and staying in touch with the lead group for long stretches of the 12-hour distance.

Consistency and precision from both the drivers and the pit crew were the key to ensuring that the #5 Mustang Sampling Porsche remained at the sharp end of the field in the opening stages. However, with works-supported competitors not putting a foot wrong either, Jani, Vautier and Pino slipped out of the top 8 as the race progressed. “We were lacking a bit of pace during the day when it was hot, but the car was really fast when the night came,” said Vautier. Some clever strategic calls put the team in a great position in the second half of the race, with the #5 Porsche making its way into the top 5 at times.

“We stayed out when the others came in, and managed to catch back up on the lead lap,” Vautier added. “But then it was a little tough, because we had to deal with some lapped cars that were not getting out of the way. That brought us back in contention, but unfortunately we had a puncture that put us off sequence and ultimately cost us a finish in the top 5.” In the end, the #5 car crossed the line in sixth position, gathering some important points for the Michelin Endurance Cup.

The sister Proton Competition entry also managed to take the chequered flag after twelve hours of hard-fought racing, with Claudio Schiavoni, Matteo Cressoni and Richard Lietz finishing in eighth position in class in the #20 Porsche 911 GT3 R. Starting right at the back of the GTD Pro grid, it was a tough task for the trio to make their way through the field within the tight confines of Sebring International Raceway. Nevertheless the #20 squad showed great fight and perseverance to bring the car home.

Michael and Christian Ried’s team will be back in action in just three weeks’ time with the season-opening round of the European Le Mans Series at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya from 4 to 6 April.

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All pictures are free for editorial use. Copyright: Copyright: Proton Competition (José Mário Dias / Lenssen Photo)