Last
year Romain Dumas and his co-driver Timo Bernhard scored the first overall win
for Porsche here with the new generation RS Spyder. This year they equalled
the feat in the finest fashion with pole position, fastest lap and first place!From the first turn of the wheels in the first practice on Thursday upto the chequered flag on Saturday afternoon, it was an impressive, faultless performance. Throughout the practice sessions and thanks to the work of the whole team, the two men of the moment in the American Le Mans Series were able to overcome the slight handicap of not having done any testing at the Mid-Ohio track. It was this work that allowed Timo Bernhard to set pole position and to start the race in first place the following day.
The two team-mates each drove a masterful race, doing just exactly what was needed in terms of race strategy in each of their stints. Neither put a wheel out of place and carefully conserved their tyres and fuel, and the excellent pitwork allowed Romain to be in the lead after the final fuel stop.
Their
target was first in class but circumstances and their careful work in all areas
gave the No 7 car outright victory. Romain was also able to contain the late
challenge from his Penske team-mate, Ryan Briscoe in the sister car. Ryan could
find no way past and then Romain was able to secure the win by setting ever
faster laps, until he set the fastest lap of the race on the very last lap of
the race! A masterful exploit which could not have failed to impress his opponents.The rise of the team’s performance is now almost magisterial. A perfect weekend and a perfect race. Romain Dumas and Timo Bernhard have increased their lead in the championship and now have 127 points, 13 ahead of their team-mates Ryan Briscoe and Sacha Maassen.
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