Montaplast by Land-Motorsport Second in GTD Class at Daytona 24 hour Race

Montaplast by Land-Motorsport is ranked second in the world’s biggest sports car race after 24 hours, with 0.293 seconds behind him with Connor De Phillippi (USA), Jeffrey Schmidt (SUI), Jules Gounon (FRA) and Christopher Mies (DEU).

Successful racing champions for the team from the Westerwald with the Audi R8 LMS GT3 in the class of the GT3 vehicles, which is filled with 27 cars by seven automobile manufacturers.

“This is the biggest success in our team history after the championships in the ADAC GT Masters 2016,” says Team chief Wolfgang Land for second place in the class GTD in Daytona. “Of course we would have liked to win, but after 24 hours with only 0.293 sec or two wagon distance to finish a 24-hour race on second place is a success and not a defeat. We congratulate Porsche on the win and can look back on a fair 24-hour race.

Daytona has been the largest American sports car race since the 1960s. The race will be held at the Daytona International Speedway in Florida. The almost 5.7 kilometer course consists of the typical American oval race track and a cornering track in the infield. “For us an absolute premiere, while almost all the other teams here already have ample experience,” says Wolfgang Land, before it goes to the qualifying session on Thursday. “In only 15 minutes, the starting position has to be carried out in this time training. From sixth place of the GT3 class, Montaplast by Land-Motorsport will then go to the 24-hour race on Saturday at 2:30 pm local time.

With a strong initial phase, Land-Motorsport and its drivers are already struggling for class leadership after just a few hours. In the early evening, a ten-hour rain front over Daytona Beach, which the American weather frogs call “interesting” in their report. “But it could also be called an ice cold and rather a German winter weather,” says Marion Land to the places only six degrees during the night. “I had imagined the ‘winter’ in Florida differently.”

Relatively easily the crew comes through the Florida-typical long night with almost twelve hours of darkness. “It only brought us a tire damage and a small problem with braking service cost us a round,” describes Junior chief Christian Land the technical situation. A collision with an opponent brings a little excitement, but no consequences. The Audi is slightly tattered, but runs perfectly. “Do not give up. Such minor destiny serves at most as a motivation aid.

“In a yellow phase, we were able to get back into the round of the leaders,” says the country team. “In these neutralizations of the races in the US, you can be unlucky or lucky, you can get past or disappear in the depths of the result lists. This is typical of American racing. “We were lucky,” Christian Land shines, when he starts the Montaplast Audi R8 with the start no. Back to fourth place.

Three hours before the race, Land Motorsport is once again in the top group of the GT3 class. “And what came then was really nothing for the faint of heart,” said Wolfgang Land. “Continuously changing the lead and two hours before the finish was clear, the last laps would be the most exciting in the over 50-year history of the 24 Hours of Daytona. “Our drivers and our crew at the box gave everything to win, but against Michael Christensen in the Porsche we were powerless. “I’ve fought to the point of drowning,” says Christopher Mies, the last hour at the wheel of the Land-Audi, “even drove two cars in the steep wall curve, but I was hopeless against the rushing Porsche.”

Only 0.293 seconds, a 24-hour eyelash stroke and some 3,600 kilometers traveled, are missing in the end to the big triumph, which would have been a sensation for a newcomer team in the USA. “We are flying home with a lot of pride, because we had not really expected this ranking as absolute newcomers in the USA,” says Wolfgang Land, also pleased about the role of the best-placed Audi in the complete starter field. “America, we’ll be back,” he promises. “In mid-March, another highlight in American racing will be in Sebring, Florida. “We’ll be back at the start of the 12 Hours of Sebring.”