Magnus Completes First Test of Porsche GT America

Taking the first delivery of the all-new Porsche 911 GT America just over one week ago, Magnus Racing and Porsche Motorsport completed a successful two-day test at Sebring International Raceway in preparation for the 2014 TUDOR United Sports Car Championship.

“We managed to accomplish all of the things we set out to do in Sebring, so we’re very pleased with our first run,” stated Magnus Racing team owner John Potter. “The car made a great first impression. It’s very different from the cars we’ve been running, but the potential is clearly there.”

Working closely with Porsche Motorsport, the team ran a two-day test at the famed Sebring International Raceway on Thursday and Friday. Using the first day to work on systems checks and setup, the team ran a 12-hour simulation on Friday, experiencing only minimal problems in their efforts to prepare for the season-opening Rolex 24 at Daytona.

“This will definitely be a strong car for the 2014 GTD season,” stated co-driver Andy Lally, who drove with Potter and factory driver Patrick Long throughout the test. “It’s interesting to drive a Porsche GT car with paddle shift, and definitely a progressive step forward. The car proved pretty reliable for effectively being a completely new design, and once we start concentrating on setup I think we’ll be right where we need to be.”

Running a Porsche-designed test regimen throughout the two days, the team will now return to their headquarters as they prepare for the first series-sanctioned tests in two weeks’ time.

“I guess the ‘break’ is officially over,” stated Potter. “The guys really haven’t taken any time off from the last season, and I really appreciate the effort everyone made to take in the new car and get it turned around just days later for the test.”

Magnus Racing will return to Sebring on November 16th and 17th, followed by Daytona International Speedway two days later, to take part in a historic series-sanctioned test to evaluate the various merged categories taking to the course together.