Laurens Vanthoor: “Only Daytona is missing from my list of victories”

A victory in GTLM on Sunday in Florida would undoubtedly allow Laurens Vanthoor to go a little further into the motorsport history books.

Already winner of the 24 Hours of Spa and the Nürburgring in the GT3 category with Audi Sport and Team WRT, the Belgian, a recent father, won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in GTE Pro at the wheel of the 911 RSR “Cochon Rose” shared with Kévin Estre and Michael Christensen. Enough to add a major line to his already well-stocked list of achievements, but the native of Hasselt aims further.

“My dream is to win the four major 24-hour world races, says Vanthoor. I accomplished this at Le Mans, the Nürburgring and Spa-Francorchamps. Only Daytona is missing from my list of victories. I would like to check this box. »

For this, the official Weissach driver will be able to count on a 911 RSR which he will share with his great accomplice on and off the track Earl Bamber, with Mathieu Jaminet completing the trio for the events. Endurance en IMSA.

Victorious at Petit Le Mans at the end of the 2018 campaign with the Makowiecki – Pilet – Tandy trio (entered in the 24 Hours of Daytona in the no. 911 911 RSR), the Porsche 911 has not been established in Florida since 2014.

“We have unfinished business at Daytona from last year, admits Pascal Zurlinden, head of Porsche's GT program. We won every other major race except the 24 Hours of Daytona. This must change in 2019.

Our goal is to win. Our car has been perfected and tested, the team and drivers are the best. We have therefore taken all the necessary measures to obtain this performance. »

For this we will have to face BMW, Corvette, Ferrari and Ford, other brands entered in GTLM in IMSA, Ford remaining on two consecutive victories on the Florida track.