Perfect qualifying and leading laps at COTA

The sixth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship saw Proton Competition race in front of Ford’s home crowd at the Lone Star Le Mans in Austin, Texas, on 7 September. The team certainly made the most of the occasions, progressing into Hyperpole with all three cars, celebrating their first ever pole position in the LMGT3 category and leading through key phases of the six-hour race.

Proton Competition began the weekend on the front foot with a flawless qualifying performance on Saturday. Not only did both Ford Mustang LMGT3 make it through to the top-10 Hyperpole shootout, the pair finished first and second fastest to lock out the front row. Pole went to the #88 car of Stefano Gattuso, Giammarco Levorato and Dennis Olsen, with the #77 machine of Bernardo Sousa, Ben Tuck and Ben Barker starting the race from second.

To cap off the performance in LMGT3, the team’s third entry – the #99 Porsche 963 of Neel Jani, Nicolas Pino and Nicolás Varrone – topped the time sheets in Hypercar qualifying to advance to Hyperpole for the first time this year. Varrone’s effort ultimately earned the car a third-row start.

Damp weather affected Saturday’s action, but that was nothing compared to the race-day deluge. Heavy rain resulted in the race starting behind the safety car before being suspended for an hour. Despite the tricky conditions, the drivers of the #77 and #88 cars were looking to capitalise on their excellent grid positions and manage the situation as best they could.

Both cars performed well throughout the race, but it was the #77 Ford Mustang LMGT3 that emerged as the favourite towards the end of the race, leading for much of the second half of the race. Opting to stay on used wets in the final stint as others switched to fresh rubber, Barker fought valiantly but just lacked the good fortune necessary for the strategy to pay off, crossing the line in sixth. The sister car came home in eighth.

“We were confident that our Mustang LMGT3 were on pace from the first free practice, and we improved each session,” said Sousa, who also picked up the Goodyear Wingfoot Award for the fastest stint average. “Sometimes we win, and sometimes we learn. We can take a lot of positives from this weekend and ideas for the future. We know that we can be fast.”

After a great start from fifth on the grid, the #99 crew were looking to go on the offensive and secure a solid finish and even target a podium. However, hopes were dashed after a spin caused by standing water, leading to the car losing a lap. Jani, Pino and Varrone battled hard to bring the car home in thirteenth overall.

The FIA World Endurance Championship heads to Japan for the next round of the season, the 6 Hours of Fuji (26 to 28 September). Proton Competition’s next race is the penultimate round of the European Le Mans Series at Silverstone on the weekend of 12 to 14 September.

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Copyright: Proton Competition (Paola Depalmas)