Gianmaria Bruni Talks 911 RSR & Racing at Watkins Glen
On 2 July in Upstate New York, Italian racer will contest his first race for Porsche with the 911 RSR in the IMSA SportsCar Championship.
The long awaited ultimate goal of famed Italian race car driver Gianmaria Bruni may soon be realized. On July 2 in Watkins Glen, New York, the 36-year-old driver will contest his first race for Porsche with the 911 RSR in the International Motorsports Association SportsCar Championship.
Sure, the IMSA Sportscar Championship is a big deal that would make any less skilled racer nervous, but considering how well Bruni has done in other high-profile races over recent years, this one seems like another shoe-in win. After all, some of his greatest recent successes include victories at the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2014, the Sports Car World Endurance Championship WEC in 2014 and 2013, and winning the title in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup in 2012 and 2011 and the International GT Open in 2012.
‘Although I’ve never competed on the very demanding Watkins Glen racetrack, I’m very pleased that we get to race with Porsche.’
“It’s a big challenge for me to switch in the middle of the season to such a strongly supported series like the IMSA SportsCar Championship with a new car,” says Bruni about his latest upcoming challenge. After securing victories and titles for Ferrari over the past few years, he now joins forces with Belgian driver Laurens Vanthoor to tackle North America’s premier sports car championship for Porsche.
“There are many things I’ll have to get used to, but I’m very grateful for this chance and I’ll do everything to achieve successes with Porsche as soon as possible,” he says in a new interview with Porsche.
PORSCHE: So far, you’ve only tested the new 911 RSR. How much are you looking forward to your maiden race with Porsche?
BRUNI GIANMARIA: I’m very excited of course. Although I’ve never competed on the very demanding Watkins Glen racetrack, I’m very pleased that we finally get to race with Porsche.
You tested the 911 RSR at Road America. What was your main focus?
For me it was important to gather as much information as possible and to see how the car responds under different conditions — for example, with worn and fresh tires, in low and high track temperatures. The insights I gained during this short time were very informative.
What was your first impression of the new 911 RSR?
My first encounter with the 911 RSR was very impressive. Even before you climb into the cockpit, you can see just how much potential the car has. However, the handling is completely different to the cars I’ve driven in the past. In this respect it will take me a while to familiarise myself with the 911 RSR so that I’m really fast. But for a racing driver there’s no better challenge.
Have you been able to settle in to the Porsche GT Team?
The reception was fantastic. When I got into the plane in the U.S. I didn’t really know what was coming, but my expectations were exceeded. I’ve received a very warm welcome from everyone and I immediately felt at home. Although I’ve only experienced the team during the short tests at Road America, I was very impressed by the professional way the guys worked there. And my new teammate Laurens and I clicked immediately. So this makes me all the more excited for the first race at
Watkins Glen and for the rest of the season.
What are your goals?
It’s been seven years since I contested a full season in the U.S. The races there have their own rules, they’re difficult to gauge. The many safety car phases can turn everything upside down at any time. Until you’ve crossed the finish line, you can never know where you’ll end up. This is completely different to, say, the WEC, but it’s still a wonderful challenge. My goal for the rest of the season is to learn as much as possible about the new 911 RSR so that I can go for the championship title well
prepared with Porsche in 2018, regardless of the race series. I’m already looking forward to this.
