DAVISON CONFIRMED FOR WEC SUPER SEASON
Sports car ace Alex Davison will return to international Porsche duties this season after confirmation the Australian will contest the 2018/19 FIA World Endurance Championship ‘Super Season’.
Davison has joined the LMGTE Am classified team Gulf Racing for the eight round season, which spans across 2018 and 2019 and includes two 24 Hours of Le Mans events. Davison will team with former Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia runner Ben Barker and team owner Mike Wainwright in the Porsche entry.
Davison will couple his FIA WEC duties with a part-time 2018 Carrera Cup Australia campaign, which he begins at next weekend’s second round at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix.
The announcement marks a decade since Davison last competed in a European series. After a stint in Porsche Carrera Cup Germany and Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, Davison raced in the 2008 European Le Mans Series, placing second in the GT2 Class alongside co-driver Marc Lieb.
A decade later, Davison is excited to return to international competition.
“There are very few opportunities in your career where the phone rings and such an opportunity arises. The call-up to race in the WEC was very much out of the blue and it’s literally a dream come true. I never truly thought I’d have the chance to race in Europe or at Le Mans again and now it’s becoming a reality,” said Davison.
Davison had his first taste of the new Porsche 911 RSR at a recent pre-season test at Vallelunga, Italy, which was the reason for his absence from the opening round of the 2018 Carrera Cup Australia season at the Adelaide 500. Davison will also miss the Carrera Cup round in Darwin, which clashes with the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans.
“The new Porsche 911 RSR is incredible; it’s amazing how the cars have progressed over the past decade. The 2008 911 RSR was amazing, but the current RSR just feels like much more of a purpose built race car.
“While much of the Vallelunga test was wet, it was valuable experience in the new RSR. The car has loads of downforce and you could really push it through the high-speed sections of the circuit, even compared to the GT3 R, which meant I really had to recalibrate my brain. It was also odd seeing a 911 without the engine sitting in the back.”
Davison’s next outing with the team will be at the FIA WEC Prologue, held at Circuit Paul Ricard, France, on April 6-7, before the FIA WEC season starts at Spa-Francorchamps on May 5.
“It’s going to be an exceptionally busy season for me, between my FIA WEC and Carrera Cup commitments. Gulf Racing is a new team to me, but I know Ben already and Mike has been great. I have experience on many of the WEC circuits and also the longer distance formats. It will now be up to me to adapt to the new surroundings for what will be a hugely exciting season.”
Davison will be one of two Carrera Cup Australia champions competing in the FIA WEC, with 2016 champion and Porsche Young Professional Matt Campbell entered in the LMGTE Am class with Dempsey-Proton Racing.
2018/19 FIA World Endurance Championship
Round 1, WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium – May 5, 2018
Round 2, 24 Hours of Le Mans, France – June 16-17, 2018
Round 3, 6 Hours of Silverstone, Great Britain – August 19, 2018
Round 4, 6 Hours of Fuji, Japan – October 14, 2018
Round 5, 6 Hours of Shanghai, China – November 18, 2018
Round 6, 12 Hours of Sebring, USA – March 16-17, 2019
Round 7, WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium – May 4, 2019
Round 8, 24 Hours of Le Mans, France – June 15-16, 2019
Source. Porsche/Photo. John Patterson
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