Pfaff Porsche ended podium pursuit: WeatherTech Racing’s bid for a podium finish at the GT Challenge at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) was shattered after a collision with the Pfaff Motorsports Porsche. The incident resulted in WeatherTech Racing’s Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO2 finishing last in the GTD Pro category, further damaging their standings in the GTD Pro season race.
The #79 WeatherTech Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO2 of Jules Gounon crashed during the race’s final pit stop. Klaus Bachler of Pfaff Motorsports was driving the #9 Porsche 911 GT3.R when Gounon’s Mercedes-AMG hit the left rear. The accident scraped bodywork across the tire, smoking it and requiring an unplanned pit stop for repairs.
“It was a crazy attempt with no room to make the pass. Unfortunately, our race was ruined. I thought we at least had a podium,” said a frustrated Jules Gounon.
Daniel Juncadella, Gounon’s teammate, qualified the Mercedes-AMG on the front row with a time of 1:44.876, missing the pole position by under one-hundredth of a second behind Jack Hawksworth’s Lexus RC F GT3. This impressive qualifying position raised hopes for the WeatherTech Racing team, especially after their last win at Laguna Seca and the 24 Hours of Daytona earlier in the year.
However, as the race unfolded, their fortunes took a turn for the worse. Madison Snow in the Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 overtook Juncadella, and the team lost significant ground. The incident has had a detrimental impact on WeatherTech Racing’s season standings in the GTD Pro category. They have now lost their third-place standing to the #9 Pfaff Motorsports Porsche, who finished in a P3 position at VIR.
“Come race day, everyone seems to find more pace. I think we were racing for a P3 today. Let’s see if our luck can improve at Indy next month,” commented Daniel Juncadella.
The #79 WeatherTech Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO2, managed by Proton Competition personnel, had to undergo four-and-a-half minutes of repair, resulting in a loss of two laps to the leader. The poor result at VIR now puts more pressure on the team as they look toward their next race: The Battle of the Bricks at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
WeatherTech Racing had been on a positive trajectory before the event at VIR. The last win for the #79 crew came at Laguna Seca, following a victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona in January. The team was also using a Mercedes-AMG GT3 that had been rebuilt after a fire during FP1. This makes the setback at VIR all the more disappointing for a team that had been displaying a strong performance this season.
Corvette Racing defeated Vasser Sullivan at VIR, and Hawksworth won the VIR qualifying pole. These factors provide background for a race that has drastically impacted the GTD Pro standings, upsetting what looks to be an exciting season finale. WeatherTech Racing will look to restore their podium slot at the Battle of the Bricks. Fans and players will expect a good performance to turn around a suddenly shaky season.
