Team Project 1 Withdraws Remaining Porsche after Crash

Team Project 1 has withdrawn its No. 56 Porsche 911 RSR-19 from the Total 6 Hours of Spa due to damage sustained in a crash for Egidio Perfetti during qualifying on Friday.

A team spokesperson told Sportscar365 that a decision was made to pull the car from the race after late-night attempts to make repairs on the car which went off at Raidillon.

Perfetti, who walked away from the accident, was due to share the No. 56 with Riccardo Pera and Matteo Cairoli, who had been one of the quickest GTE-Am drivers in the build-up to this afternoon’s Spa race.

It means that neither of Project 1’s GTE-Am Porsches will contest the FIA World Endurance Championship season-opener.

The German squad’s No. 46 car that was due to be driven by Anders Bucardt, Axcil Jefferies and Dennis Olsen was withdrawn after an accident during the Prologue test.

Buchardt’s crash came between Les Combes and Bruxelles while fellow Norwegian racer Perfetti went off at the crest of the Raidillon hill, spinning into the right-side barriers.

Perfetti’s accident was a near-repeat of an off for Dempsey-Proton Racing Porsche driver Christian Ried in the same GTE qualifying session, however it’s understood that the No. 77 Proton car has been repaired in time to take the 1:30 p.m. CEST race start.

“We worked hard and tried everything, but the bottom line is: No. 56 is not participating in the 6H Spa,” said Project 1 team principal Axel Funke.

“Spa is an unforgiving track and this year it was unforgiving at its best.

“To lose both cars within a week is a hard pill to swallow for everyone. Next one on the calendar is Portimao – full focus on this event to be there with two cars as competitive as we were in Spa.”