Holzmeyer: New 911 Cup, Pirelli Combo Producing Record Results

Photo: Jessica Johnk/Porsche

The new Porsche 911 Cup and Pirelli tire were “very well received” in the first race weekend of the season for Porsche Carrera Cup North America according to Porsche Motorsport North America President and CEO Volker Holzmeyer.

The sixth season of the North American single-make series kicked off last month at Sebring International Raceway, with both the new Type-992.2 Porsche race car and Pirelli P Zero DHG compound tire making its series debuts.

Holzmeyer said the weekend, swept by Topp Racing’s Tyler Maxson, went without a hitch.

“The updated 992.2 worked out very well,” he told Sportscar365. “There were close to no technical issues at all. Overall, over the weekend, we produced record lap times over all classes.

“Of course, now, that’s the combination of car and tire. It’s hard to figure out what contributed what.

“Especially the front aero change on the car is highly appreciated, the air conditioning as well, and the car was sorted out before, so we had a very good platform.

“It was very well received with good, clean racing, especially Race 1 saw a good mix-up of competition.

“We had some expectations from last year’s competitors and now we’ve had a few new ones come in, so it’s always interesting to see how it shakes out.

“It was also awesome to see Sabre Cook was within the top ten and was running P5 lap times in Race 1. That’s a super gain.

“It also shows how drivers react to the new car and tire and how teams react to the new setup and how much preparation went into this.”

PMNA Conducted Tire Evaluations Before Deciding on Pirelli

While the new car was a somewhat proven commodity, having had a successful global launch one week earlier in the the Carrera Cup Asia season opener in Shangahi, Sebring marked the first race with the new Pirelli rubber, after two seasons previously running Yokohamas.

Holzmeyer revealed that a significant effort was made late last year in selecting this year’s tire brand and was not just financially driven.

“We had tire tests before the tire tender was decided,” he said. “The financials are just the final thing. We put Pros, Pro-Ams and Masters drivers with the new Pirelli tire with the car and let it run against other manufacturer tires.

“The tire has to be liked by the driver. We also want to have a quick and consistent tire. The tire testing is a big part of how we make a decision. Then the financials come on top of it.

“The tire showed good and very consistent pace because most of the fastest laps were late in the race. When the tire is new, it’s a sticker and you have it for the first three or four laps. It’s good.”

Holzmeyer: More Cars Expected Over Course of Season

While the opening rounds of the season featured 27-car fields, PMNA was initially allocated 35 of the new 911 Cups, which is expected to see grid expansion, potentially as early as the next round on the streets of Long Beach.

“We have some put aside for special occasions, if something happens or if a special person wants to enter different races, so we always keep a few on the side in case we need them,” he said.

“We’ll have a few more drivers coming in for different races. It will be a good season ahead.”

Looking ahead to Long Beach, which will mark Carrera Cup’s return to the Southern California street circuit after two years away, Holzmeyer said being back at the event comes as a boost to the series.

“I think it’s just a fantastic event because you see the variety of cars, from the Stadium Super Trucks to IndyCar to the IMSA paddock, the Falken Drift Show… I think it’s a cool event in the middle of Los Angeles.

“Carrera Cup is a very good addition to that. Our drivers like and enjoy it. It’s also a place they bring guests and family because it’s a huge event within Los Angeles. It’s one of my favorite events in the U.S. anyways but also the drivers like it.”

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John