Shanghai: Webber/Hartley/Bernhard win again

Miserable conditions in Shanghai

By taking the fifth consecutive race win this season, in Shanghai (China), Porsche has won the constructors' title in the World Endurance Championship with its innovative 919 Hybrid today. Now having 308 points, the sports car manufacturer from Stuttgart can't be beaten, despite one championship race to go. Audi has 238 points and Toyota 137. For Porsche it is the 13th constructors' World Championship title in endurance racing and the first since 1986. Between 1964 and 1986 Porsche took twelve constructors' titles in the then Sports Car World Championship.

The seventh of eight rounds of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) was held as a six-hour race at the Formula One circuit of Shanghai. The winning drivers who shared the Porsche prototype were Timo Bernhard (Germany), Brendon Hartley (New Zealand) and former Formula One driver Mark Webber from Australia. The sister Porsche 919 Hybrid of Romain Dumas (France), Neel Jani (Switzerland) and Marc Lieb (Germany) crossed the finish line just behind them and made it the fourth one-two victory this season for Le Mans record winners Porsche.

[adinserter name="GOOGLE AD"]This year's double victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 14 and the world championship title came a lot earlier than expected. Porsche only returned to top-level motorsports in 2014, when it was the only German car manufacturer and the only sports car manufacturer worldwide who had three premium plug-in-hybrid cars on the market (918 Spyder, Cayenne, Panamera). Porsche was attracted by the WEC's revolutionary efficiency regulations, which requires high performance hybrid technology from the manufacturers' prototypes and strictly limits their energy consumption. Within a very short period of time, an entirely new infrastructure at Porsche's R&D center in Weissach was set up and a team of 230 experts employed.

Porsche had to overcome a strong challenge from Audi over the course of a race that ran for much of its six-hour duration in wet and then drying conditions.

Audi is keeping the most thrilling title race the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) has seen in its four-year history to date open until the finale. In China, Fassler/Lotterer/Treluyer achieved third place and, as a result, continue to maintain second place in the drivers' world championship before the finale. In rain, Audi was running in front in round seven of the season in China at times.

Lucas di Grassi/Loic Duval/Oliver Jarvis (BR/F/GB) were leading the race just like their teammates Marcel Fassler/Andre Lotterer/Benoit Treluyer (CH/D/F) during the third hour. In constant rain, the Audi R18 e-tron quattro car was completely in its element. The Audi drivers set good lap times although the special track at Shanghai favors race cars with more powerful hybrid systems.

The winning #17 Porsche got a good fight from Audi

"We showed that we were able to even more than compensate for this disadvantage in certain conditions," said Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. "On a dry track, our drivers were strong as well. ‘Thank you' to the whole squad for postponing the title decision to the very last race."

When the 5.451-kilometer track began to dry, Audi Sport Team Joest, in the final stage, switched to slicks early on both cars, putting its rivals under pressure. Second place was within in reach but, due to a full-course yellow period, was no longer possible in the end.

Ultimately, Fassler/Lotterer/Treluyer achieved third place, finishing on the podium for the seventh time in succession this season.

"As a result, we scored 15 points and continue to maintain second place in the drivers' classification," said André Lotterer, speaking for his two teammates, on seeing the checkered flag. The German also set the fastest race lap after his fellow driver Loïc Duval in the sister car had managed posting the best single time at Fuji in the previous race. Duval crossed the finish line in fourth place at Shanghai.

"It was a tough battle up to the end in which my teammates and I gave the maximum," said the Frenchman. Bernhard said: "I still remember the first roll-out [of the original 919] in 2013, and we could barely manage 5km and now we are sitting here having won a world championship for Porsche.

"We decided to leave the rain tires on and that won us the race, because we were able to pull a gap."

The #92 Porsche won GTE Pro honors

The second Audi took fourth in the hands of Lucas di Grassi, Loic Duval and Oliver Jarvis, who finished 20s back on their team-mates.

Toyota again took fifth and sixth positions after being unable to exploit the wet conditions in the same way as it had done at the Fuji WEC round last month.

Porsche dominated in GTE Pro, Richard Lietz and Michael Christensen taking victory aboard their Manthey 911 RSR.

GTE Am honors went to the AF Ferrari 458 Italia shared by Emmanuel Collard, Rui Aguas and Francois Perrodo.

Quotes after the race:

Frtiz Enzinger

Fritz Enzinger, Vice President LMP1: "For sure it will take some time until it really sinks in what we have achieved today. In what is only our second year in the WEC, we first won Le Mans and then took the World Championship title – it is difficult to believe this has happened. Due to the changing weather conditions this six hours here were extremely tense for us. Thanks to everybody who has worked hard for this success, at our home base in Weissach and generally at Porsche. Now we will try to secure the drivers' title, too."

Andreas Seidl, Team Principal: "First of all I want to thank everyone at home in the work shop in Weissach and here on site. This title really belongs to all of them. After an already difficult race in Fuji, I think today was another strategic master piece. We could rely on our Michelin tires every moment and under all circumstances. We stayed focused despite any problems we had, especially regarding our number 18 car. Those drivers fought their way back from being last to first in an unbelievable manner. Crew number 17 is on a great run at the moment and it continued here, they well deserved that win. Our mechanics today were the best in the pit lane."

Alexander Hitzinger, Technical Director: "We have won Le Mans in our second year and now the constructors' world championship, plus we have dominated every single qualifying – you cannot ask for more. I am really proud on this team. We have been aggressive in our development and didn't accept any compromise when it was about performance but we accepted the risks of that as well. Nevertheless we have managed to get the Porsche 919 Hybrid reliable too."

Drivers Porsche 919 Hybrid number 17
Timo Bernhard (34, Germany): "It was an action packed race. When I jumped in the car the track was really very wet. A full course yellow was on and I drove between the two Audis in a lot of spray. Actually I had to familiarize myself with the conditions because I didn't do a single lap in the wet before and didn't want to take too much of a risk. The car was fast. When the track was drying, it definitely was the fastest of all. I had nice battles with the Audis and with Neel. In the end I could take the lead and we have reached our great target today."

[adinserter name="GOOGLE AD"]Brendon Hartley (25, New Zealand): "It wasn't a bad start and my two stints in the early race went smoothly. The conditions weren't easy, especially when the rain got stronger. That was around lap 45. Visibility was very poor and there was aquaplaning too. I obviously had to push because there was pressure from the Audis but I managed it with zero mistakes and handed over a leading car to Timo."

Mark Webber (39, Australia): "What this team has done in such a short period of time is just incredible. I have been involved in some pretty professional motor sports projects and I must say it is impressive to come to this level and have this results this year. It's really hard to produce these cars and this top performance week after week. The constructors' title is great for Porsche and everyone was working hard. Racing for these guys is amazing."

FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), points after 7 of 8 rounds,
Drivers:
1. Bernhard/Hartley/Webber (DE/NZ/AUS), Porsche 155
2. Lotterer/Treluyer/Fässler (DE/FR/CH), Audi, 143
3. Dumas/Jani/Lieb (FR/CH/DE), Porsche, 113,5
4. Di Grassi/Duval/Jarvis (BR/FR/GB), Audi, 91
5. Davidson/Buemi (GB/CH), Toyota, 67
6. Tandy (GB), Porsche & Oreca, 66,5
7. Bamber/Hülkenberg (NZ/DE), Porsche, 58
8. Nakajima (JP), Toyota, 55

Manufacturers:
1. Porsche, 308
2. Audi, 238
3. Toyota, 137

RESULTS – 6 Hours: