Team Car Collection says goodbye to the 2023 motorsport season with a class victory at the Gulf 12 Hours as part of the Intercontinental GT Challenge in Abu Dhabi. The Porsche 911 GT3 R with the #21 and drivers Dustin Blattner, Constantin Dressler and Joel Sturm won the AM class and finished in an excellent fifth place overall in the high-class field. The sister car with the #12 and the drivers “Hash”, Alex Fontana, Yannick Mettler and Stefano Costantini, on the other hand, was unable to take part in the race due to an accident in qualifying.
After a long 2023 season, the Gulf 12 Hours on the Formula 1 circuit in Abu Dhabi was another highlight for Team Car Collection. Peter Schmidt and his team took part in the final round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC) with two Porsche 911 GT3 Rs. The Porsche with starting number 12, designed in a striking desert outfit, was driven by drivers Hash, Alex Fontana, Yannick Mettler and Stefano Costantini and competed in the Pro-AM classification. Unfortunately, the Italian Costantini had an accident in qualifying. Fortunately, the driver was uninjured, but the Porsche suffered such severe damage that the car could not be repaired on site and was therefore withdrawn from the start by the team management.
Hopes now rested on starting number 21, which was driven by American newcomer Dustin Blattner and the two experienced Germans Constantin Dressler and Joel Sturm. And these hopes were not disappointed, as the three drivers impressed in the free practice sessions and took pole position in the AM class in qualifying.
In the 12-hour race on the Yas Marina Circuit, where the Formula 1 season finale took place two weeks ago, the #21 was able to stay out of trouble and put a spotless race on the asphalt. The pit crew also did their job flawlessly and quickly, allowing the driver trio to work their way up the overall standings. This enabled the final driver, Joel Sturm, who was in sixth place overall, to make up a lot of time on those in front of him with excellent lap times and make up another place. In the end, the #21 was just over a second short of gaining another place and crossed the finish line in a very good fifth place overall. Car Collection took the victory in the AM class by a clear margin of two laps over the runner-up.
Peter Schmidt, Team Principal: “It feels very good to finish this long season with such a great result, although I am very sorry for the drivers of our #12 that they were unable to tackle this race. On the other hand, the #21 race went perfectly right from the start. Once again, our team worked like clockwork. I would therefore like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all the team members who have done a really great job this season!”
Text: Christopher Otto, Bilder: Gruppe C
