The Porsche Supercup: a new challenge for DAMS

In motor sport, more than anywhere else, moving forward and exploring new avenues are of crucial importance. In this context the DAMS team has added a new string to its bow with an entry for this season’s top-level, highly-competitive Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. The team’s policy of development and diversification began last year when it threw its hat into the ring in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series, and is continuing with a 2-car entry for this Supercup devoted to the legendary Porsche 911. This involvement in GT category is a long-term strategy with endurance as the ultimate aim.

With races held as curtain-raisers to all the European Formula 1 Grand Prix and Abu Dhabi, the Porsche Supercup dovetails perfectly with the company’s policy. The Supercup has achieved a very high profile in the last 20 years, and it provides a superb marketing platform thanks to the media coverage surrounding it. In terms of both teams and drivers it is a first-rate championship, in which experience is one of the most important criteria. However, the arrival of a brand-new version of the 911 this season may help DAMS to compensate for its lack of familiarity with the Supercup.

The French squad will entrust its two cars to a brace of young highly-skilled drivers: Dane, Michael Christensen (22) who comes from single-seaters, winner of a race in the 2012 German Porsche Cup, and Richie Stanaway (21) from New Zealand, 2011 German F3 Champion, who raced in the 2012 Formula Renault 3.5 Series until a serious accident at Spa brought his season to a premature end. DAMS are approaching their debut season in a humble frame of mind, but with the determination to learn and make rapid progress to fight at the front as quickly as possible.

Jean-Paul Driot, DAMS president: “It’s an honour for DAMS to make our debut in this historically-charged championship that’s completely new to us. I’d like to thank Porsche Motorsport for their fantastic welcome who showed immediate interest in our project. Despite our proven know-how in other branches of motor sport we’re coming in with the humility of new arrivals – but not without ambition! We’re going to try and apply our slightly different working methods, and also our French touch, to acknowledged German quality. We can also count on two young drivers who are among the most gifted of their generation, Michael Christensen and Richie Stanaway. Michael is part of the Porsche Motorsport Junior Programme and we’d like to thank Porsche Motorsport for entrusting us with this very promising youngster. We can’t wait to start off this season that’ll be full of rich discoveries for us.”

Michael Christensen: “I’m very happy to be a part of DAMS this season! They are a team who are extremely professional, and have great ambitions. It will be a Rookie season for the team, and for me in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. That just makes it very exciting, and I am sure we can deliver a great result together! I can’t wait to get in the new car, and start working with the team.”

Richie Stanaway: “I’m very pleased to be joining DAMS for the 2013 Porsche Supercup championship, It’s a challenge that I’m really looking forward to. It will be interesting to experience GT racing for the first time in such a competitive series. I’m very grateful to have been given the chance to race in this championship with DAMS and I will be giving 100% to make the most of this opportunity.”

Preparatory tests: 8th-9th April Barcelona, 25th-26th April Monza
First race: 11th-12th May Barcelona