Photo : D.R. - Porsche AG

 

Starting drivers Dumas (P2) and Webber (P3) lost ground in the early stages of the race. They were running fifth and sixth when they came in for their first pit stops. After the first 100 minutes rain set in. On a track that was suddenly flooded half a dozen cars spun off, car number 20 with Timo Bernhard at the wheel was one of them. The race was red flagged and stopped for 45 minutes. At the restart behind the safety car Jani was at the wheel of car number 14, and was third in the race on slick intermediate tyres. He soon took the lead, and after 105 laps handed over to Lieb who went out on slicks. After the final stop for fuel after 133 laps a loss of engine power forced him to drop back to fourth. Bernhard in the number 20 sister car was able to continue after the red flag and after he had been rescued from the gravel on full wet tyres, but soon changed to slick intermediate tyres as well. On lap 90 he was lying fourth and handed over to Hartley. For the last 30 minutes Webber returned to the car and finally crossed the line in fifth.

Romain Dumas (Driver Porsche 919 Hybrid #14): “In the beginning we suffered a bit because of the high temperatures of over 30 degrees Celsius. On a clear lap it was good, but in traffic we had too much understeer.”

Neel Jani (Driver Porsche 919 Hybrid #14): “When the rain set in it was completely crazy. Initially it was only wet in one corner, but then suddenly the circuit was flooded everywhere. I came uphill and then just slid away – through a gravel bed, onto the grass and back on track. The decision to restart on slick intermediate tyres paid off. I was leading by more than half a minute when I handed the car over.”

Marc Lieb (Driver Porsche 919 Hybrid #14): “This was a tough fight. Romain and Neel did a great job. After my pit stop the engine suddenly lost power and, therefore, I couldn’t defend the lead in the end. The team did a great job in preparing the car, we really deserved a podium.”

Timo Bernhard (Driver Porsche 919 Hybrid #20): “It wasn’t my day today. I went for slick intermediate tyres but when I left the pit lane it suddenly became heavy rain. I found myself floating, I was just a passenger. Then for the restart behind the safety car we went on the safe side and took full wet tyres, but this was a disadvantage. Later with the slick intermediate tyres it was all fine. However, that’s racing.”

Brendon Hartley (Driver Porsche 919 Hybrid #20): “When I took over from Timo we were already one lap down. I enjoyed driving both in the day and night. At some point I hit a big part of debris on the track, which compromised the car’s aerodynamics a bit.”

Mark Webber (Driver Porsche 919 Hybrid #20): “In the beginning it was a good battle with the Audi, but they have clearly been more comfortable in traffic. We have definitely learnt a lot in the high temperatures of the early part of the race.”

(Based upon Porsche press information)

Photo : AUSTIN (TEXAS, USA), COTA, 6 HOURS OF THE CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS, SATURDAY SEPTEMBRE 20, 2014, RACE. The #14 and 20 919 Hybrid finished 4th and 5th respectively.