Latest news with #GTDPro
Belfast Telegraph
16 hours ago
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Dan Harper on why this could be his year at the ‘big one' after years of bad luck
The Hillsborough driver is making his fourth start at the twice-around-the-clock race with his regular German co-driver Max Hesse, and one-off team-mate, Austrian Philipp Eng. There is a real sense that this could finally be Harper's year as he has had to endure bitter disappointment on his three previous visits. Back in 2022, his silverware hunt was banished by a puncture, with the same fate befalling him last year, while in 2023, the car Harper was sharing had to be retired after it got caught up in an incident during the night. Only last Sunday, Harper and Hesse scored a first GTD Pro victory in the America IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at the Six Hours of Watkins Glen International in New York State. A day earlier, Rowe Racing triumphed at the Nürburgring 24 Hours to take BMW's total victory count around the famous 'Green Hell', in Germany, to 21 from all starts. Eng, meanwhile, has an enviable Spa record and is one of the most decorated drivers in the history of the Ardennes classic having won there three times, twice with Rowe Racing. 'I'm looking forward to the big one this weekend,' said Harper, who is being reunited with Rowe Racing for the first time since the World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup title decider in Saudi Arabia last December. 'We have had some bad luck at Spa these the last few years; on every occasion, we have been in contention for a podium, including 2024 we were fighting for the victory right up until the end only for a puncture before the last pit stop to deny us. 'We are competitive there which is encouraging, the BMW has been very strong there, and Rowe Racing are a fantastic and well-organised team who do very well in the longer endurance races, as they demonstrated at the Nürburgring last weekend with their win. 'Everyone in the team is naturally in good spirits, and myself and Max arrive at Spa on the back of our first win in IMSA, so yeah, I am really looking forward to it,' continued the 24-year-old. 'Having Philipp onboard is a boost, too. He has a great record a Spa with three victories, most recently in 2023, so I'm very excited to be sharing the car with him for the first time.' A 75-car field featuring machinery from 10 manufacturers such as Aston Martin, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG, Ferrari, Ford, Lamborghini and Porsche will line up for the 77th instalment of the 24 Hours of Spa, which begins on Saturday afternoon at 3.30pm UK time.
NBC Sports
6 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Harper, Hesse victorious in GTD Pro at the Glen
Dan Harper and Max Hesse recap their up-and-down day at Watkins Glen and how they worked pit strategy to climb to the front and win the Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen in GTD Pro.
Belfast Telegraph
21-06-2025
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Dan Harper reveals what he must do to get back in SportsCar Championship fight
Hopes of solid points-scoring finishes at the previous two rounds at Laguna Seca and Detroit were scuppered when the BMW M4 GT3 Evo Harper co-drives with Max Hesse incurred drive-through time penalties. Those setbacks have left the Paul Miller Racing team-mates on the backfoot in the GTD Pro class and find themselves having to play catch-up in the title fight. After four rounds, they are sixth in the standings (1,128 points) — 170 shy of AO Racing Porsche's Klaus Bachler and Laurin Heinrich. A recent test at Saturday's 3.41-mile, 11-turn venue, has given Harper cause to be optimistic. 'It is a really cool track and one I immediately enjoyed as I got to grips with it,' reflected Harper. 'The way the BMW felt at the test, I really think the track should suit the car this weekend — we seemed to be quite competitive compared to all the other teams that were out there. 'Fingers crossed it will be a good weekend for us because after Laguna Seca and Detroit, we need to get back on the right path in the Championship by finishing on the podium again. 'We need to go out and score some big points,' continued the 24-year-old. 'We have fallen behind a bit, so we really need a good run of results in the next few races.' A total of 56 cars are entered – and in the case of GTD Pro, Harper and Hesse make up a 10-strong field. 'I have been enjoying the challenge of IMSA,' said Harper. 'We have been a competitive force from the start, but have had some bad luck and made a couple of small mistakes so far. We need to move on from those and have a clean second half of the year.'
Belfast Telegraph
02-06-2025
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Dan Harper admits his disappointment as drive-through penalty dents Detroit Grand Prix challenge
The reprimand in the closing stages of the series' Fourth Round – the Detroit Grand Prix – meant Harper and his Paul Miller Racing team-mate Max Hesse crossed the line seventh. It was meted out by stewards after Hesse was deemed to have made contact with one of the Fords as he attempted to find a way past, with the penalty costing them valuable time. Despite struggling to get their BMW M4 GT3 in the right operating window on the low-grip, street-based circuit, they still managed to bag a second-row start for the 100-minute race. That laid the foundations for a potential high points haul and even a silverware challenge – and Harper started in positive fashion as he moved ahead of the sister Paul Miller Racing car when the lights went out. He maintained the position throughout his stint before he handed the reins to Hesse, who kept up his push for a spot in the winners' enclosure. However, the coming-together with the Ford saw both drivers' good work come to nought and leave them provisionally sixth in the standings on 1128 points after four rounds – 170 in arrears of AO Racing Porche duo Klaus Bachler and Laurin Heinrich who lead the table. 'It was a disappointing race to end a tricky few days in Detroit,' reflected the Hillsborough man. 'We struggled through free practice on Friday as we tried to get the car in the right window on the low-grip circuit and could not quite match the pace of our GTD Pro rivals. 'Qualifying in fourth was better than we expected, we were happy with that, and the race started well, getting into the top three, but unfortunately, it slowly unravelled from there. 'Quicker cars were able to jump ahead on pit stop strategy, and then a small mistake from Max led to contact and a penalty. We salvaged some points with seventh, though, and we will push for more next time out,' added Harper, who is next in action across the Atlantic later in June at the 3.4-mile Watkins Glen International circuit in the state of New York. In their own backyard, Ford was handed a popular GTD Pro triumph thanks to the No.46 crew of Seb Priaulx and Mike Rockenfeller. They steered their Multimatic Motorsports-run Mustang GT3 to a 1.623-second win from the No.3 Corvette Racing and Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R co-driven by Antonio Garcia and Alexander Sims. Pfaff Motorsports' Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 was the last of the podium finishers.
NBC Sports
31-05-2025
- Automotive
- NBC Sports
Rockenfeller anchors Ford's GTD Pro win in Detroit
Mike Rockenfeller and Sebastian Priaulx share the significance of delivering Ford a GTD Pro win on the streets of Detroit.
