| Car Collection Motorsport will field a Porsche 911 GT3 R at the season finale of the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup in Portimão. The team will also be competing at the Nürburgring. Car Collection Motorsport returns to the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup in Portimão, Portugal (16–17 October). At the championship’s season finale, the team will field a Porsche 911 GT3 R and compete in the Bronze Cup. Following their participation in the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa in June, this marks the Walluf-based team’s second outing in the prestigious SRO championship this year. The Car Collection Motorsport driver line-up is led by Porsche works driver Joel Sturm. Joining the fast German driver will be Canadian Reinhold Krahn and Italian rising star Pietro Armanni. Whilst Sturm and Krahn have already driven for the team at the 24 Hours of Spa, Armanni is making his debut in the championship. This year, he has successfully competed in the International GT Open, where he has secured three overall victories so far. With four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen on the starting grid, the event on the Algarve coast is attracting particular interest from the motorsport world. The GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup will hold a three-hour race on Saturday evening, starting at 6.00 pm German time. The race, as well as the practice and qualifying sessions, can be watched via the official livestream on YouTube. SKY Sport F1 will also broadcast the race live on pay-TV. Porsche contracted driver Joel Sturm ahead of his race on the Algarve coast: “It’s really cool to be back on the grid with Car Collection Motorsport, following our strong performance together at this year’s 24 Hours of Spa. I’m delighted to be getting behind the wheel again this year in the GT World Challenge Europe. Our line-up is very strong and I hope we can spring a few surprises.” “I’m really looking forward to taking part in my first race in the GT World Challenge Europe, having spent a year gaining experience with the Porsche 911 GT3 R in the International GT Open, where Alex Fontana and I are currently battling for the title. In my opinion, the GT World Challenge Europe is the most competitive and high-calibre GT championship there is. For this race, the aim is quite simply to deliver a strong performance together with the team, improve my driving skills and make the most of every aspect of the car to extract as much pace as possible – all whilst avoiding mistakes and driving as consistently as possible,” said 21-year-old Italian Pietro Armanni. Reinhold Krahn, ahead of his second outing with Car Collection Motorsport in the SRO Championship: “I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Purpose Investments, my main sponsor. I’m absolutely delighted to be part of the team and am grateful that Car Collection Motorsport is giving me the chance to compete against some of the best Bronze-class drivers in the GT world and, of course, against the best driver in the world.” As well as competing at Portimão, Car Collection Motorsport will also be taking part in the ADAC Racing Weekend at the Nürburgring at the same time. Oliver Menzel will line up for the team in a Porsche 911 GT3 R (992 generation) in the STT, marking his debut in the latest generation of Porsche’s GT3 racing car. He will also compete in the Porsche Club Historic Challenge with his well-known 997-generation Porsche 911 GT3 R, which features the legendary Falken Motorsports livery. The partnership between Menzel and Car Collection Motorsport began most recently at the Tourenwagen Legenden in Hockenheim, where he won both races. “We are delighted to have the opportunity at short notice to compete once again in the GT World Challenge Europe; it’s also great that Pietro will be racing for us for the first time, having put in impressive performances in the International GT Open. Together with him, Joel and Reinhold, we aim to fight for a strong result in the Bronze Cup. We’re also delighted that, following the strong start to our partnership, we’ll be competing in further races with Oliver and taking part in the STT and the PCHC at the Nürburgring,” said team manager Romina Schmidt. |
