TEAM WRT TAKES BACK-TO-BACK INDY 8 HOUR VICTORY, CHARLES WEERTS CROWNED IGTC DRIVER CHAMPION

TEAM WRT TAKES BACK-TO-BACK INDY 8 HOUR VICTORY, CHARLES WEERTS CROWNED IGTC DRIVER CHAMPION

06/10/2024

Team WRT once again claimed victory in a dramatic and strategic showdown at the 8 Hours of Indianapolis, the final round of the 2024 Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC). In true American endurance fashion, the race was shaped by strategy and survival amidst a flurry of safety cars. The BMW M4 GT3 #31, driven by Dries Vanthoor, Sheldon van der Linde, and Charles Weerts, dominated the early stages of the race, building leads of up to 30 seconds over its closest rivals. Yet, time and again, those hard-earned gaps were wiped out by the relentless safety cars, forcing the team to reset their strategy each time.

The turning point came when the Porsche #120 made a daring call during one of the neutralizations, choosing not to pit and taking the lead just before the end of the fifth hour. However, a perfectly timed safety car gave the Porsche a lifeline, allowing it to rejoin the pack and setting the stage for a tense showdown against the BMW #31, which had led much of the race.

As the final hours ticked down, and with a 5-seconds penalty for the Porsche #120 after a last pitstop regulation violation, the battle for victory intensified. The BMW #31 and Porsche #120 were virtually neck-and-neck, but it was the #31 that emerged victorious in a heart-stopping sprint to the finish line, winning by a mere 260 milliseconds. With this victory, Charles Weerts not only secured the race victory but also clinched the 2024 IGTC Drivers' Championship.

Despite great pace and running on P2, the second BMW M4 GT3 of the Belgian Team, driven by Augusto Farfus, Dan Harper, and Max Hesse, was forced to retire following a collision requiring lengthy repairs to its rear diffuser mounts. A devastating blow for a car that had started from the pit lane due to an engine change before the start of the race.

RACE RESULTS:

1. van der Linde - Vanthoor - Weerts (BMW M4 GT3) 321 laps
2. Adelson - Heinrich - Skeer (Porsche 992 GT3 R) + 0.260s
3. Engel - Gounon - Grenier (Mercedes-AMG GT3) + 20.886s
4. Chaves - Mars - Veach (Acua NSX GT3 Evo22) + 53.149s
5. Milner - Sims - Udell (Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3) + 1.09.880
18. Farfus - Harper - Hesse (BMW M4 GT3) + 40 laps

QUOTES:

Vincent VOSSE, Team WRT Team Principal: “That was a close one! This exceptional victory marks our first win in IGTC this year, and the team did a fantastic job. Unfortunately, car #33’s issues with the rear diffuser ruined our chances to compete for the manufacturers' championship. Still, I’m thrilled for the team and for Charles, who secured the drivers’ championship. Now, onto the next one!”

Sheldon, VAN DER LINDE, driver #31: “Amazing way to end the weekend with back-to-back wins at Indy. Securing the championship for Charles was the most important achievement this weekend, and we managed to get it done. The only thing missing was the manufacturers' title, but I’m really happy with the result overall. We ran a near-flawless race despite a few penalties that didn’t impact the outcome. Big thanks to my teammates and the team!”

Dries VANTHOOR, driver #31: “I’m super happy to win at Indy for the second year in a row. We gave it everything. The team executed a great strategy. It’s unfortunate that we couldn’t clinch the manufacturers' title for BMW, but otherwise, I’m really pleased, especially for Charles, who won the IGTC drivers’ championship.”

Charles WEERTS, driver #31: “This is huge! I’m overjoyed to win the drivers’ championship, and to do it with a victory here feels incredible. We knew the Porsche would be fast, but we ran a flawless race. I’m very proud, not only for myself but also for Team WRT. This success is thanks to BMW and the incredible effort by Team WRT at Bathurst (even though that wasn’t great), Spa, Indy, and Team RMG at the Nürburgring. I want to thank all my teammates—Dries, Sheldon, Max, and Dan—who supported me in the title fight. Huge thanks to everyone involved, and of course, to BMW for providing us with an amazing car and teams!”

Max HESSE, driver #33: "We were unlucky that our car arrived late because the container was affected by a strike. So we started the weekend on the back foot. But we fought our way through well. After our solid qualifying, we changed the engine and had to start from the very back. However, we had a very good pace, were in the top 3 after two hours, and fought for second place the entire time. Unfortunately, with two hours remaining, we had a technical defect and therefore couldn't support BMW M Motorsport in winning the manufacturers' title. That hurts a lot, especially for the team, who worked night shifts to get the car ready. They did a great job. Thanks to the team."