Hartley called Red Bull’s Marko after learning of Porsche LMP1 exit

By Oct 19, 2017, 4:45 PM EDT
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Brendon Hartley has revealed he pitched himself to Red Bull Formula 1 advisor Helmut Marko after learning of Porsche’s plans to close its LMP1 program at the end of 2018, leading to his surprise grand prix debut with Toro Rosso this weekend.

Hartley was part of Red Bull’s junior program until 2010 when he was dropped by the energy drink giant, prompting him to shift focus to sports car racing.

Hartley joined Porsche’s new LMP1 program in 2014 to race in the FIA World Endurance Championship, winning the drivers’ title in 2015 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans earlier this year.

Porsche announced back in July it would be quitting LMP1 at the end of 2017 in order to turn attention to Formula E, leaving Hartley without a full-time drive.

The New Zealander was confirmed to be making his F1 debut in this weekend’s United States Grand Prix after Pierre Gasly was ruled out due to a clash with Super Formula, coming as a surprise to the racing world.

However, Hartley has revealed he was quick to call Marko, a key decision-maker for Red Bull’s motorsport interests, after finding out about Porsche’s plans to quit LMP1.

“When it was announced Porsche would stop Endurance racing in LMP1 for next year, I called Helmut Marko and I said: ‘I’m a different driver, I’ve learned a lot and if there’s ever an opportunity I’m ready’,” Hartley said.

“He didn’t say much. He just said he got the message and three months later I got the call and this happened very quickly.

“I didn’t know about it much sooner than the press did so it’s been quite a whirlwind of a couple of weeks to arrive here. I’m pretty relaxed at the moment, all things considered.

“Obviously I’ve had quite a bit of time to chat to the engineers and go through some data, little bit of time in the sim and looking forward to Free Practice 1 and seeing how comfortable I feel, and looking forward to the race now on Sunday which is important for me.”

Hartley had been poised to make a switch back to single-seaters for 2018 with Chip Ganassi Racing in the Verizon IndyCar Series, but his Toro Rosso debut has fuelled speculation he could be in the running for a full-time F1 drive next year.

For now, Hartley is only confirmed for the USGP weekend, and is not thinking much about any further run-outs beyond that.

“I’m just focussed on the weekend to see how it goes and what comes from it,” Hartley said.

While there are no clashes between F1 and WEC between now and the end of the season, it would create a brutal run of seven straight race weekends for Hartley were he to be kept on by Toro Rosso through to Abu Dhabi.

Ford Mustang GT3 test has Austin Cindric dreaming of Daytona: ‘I want to drive that car’

By Mar 22, 2023, 2:30 PM EDT
Cindric Ford GT3 test
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Austin Cindric wasn’t the “mystery” test driver behind the wheel of the new Ford Mustang GT3 at Sebring International Raceway, but the Team Penske driver desperately wanted to be.

Ford CEO Jim Farley, an amateur sports car driver himself, made the big reveal via a Tuesday tweet that provided the first video evidence of the GT3 Mustang on track.

“I’ve watched the video in question about a million times,” Cindric said Wednesday during a Ford Performance Zoom news conference to promote NASCAR’s first road course weekend of the season at Circuit of the Americas. “Definitely exciting times for sure. I want to drive that car. It suits my experience level and also the relationships that I have.”

Ford will enter the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship next season with its GT3 Mustang, entering a two-car factory effort (that will be managed by Multimatic) in GTD Pro and making customer cars available in the GT Daytona category.

That increases the likelihood of seeing more NASCAR drivers crossing over to IMSA. Cindric has been the only full-time Cup driver in the Rolex 24 at Daytona the past two years, but Ford Performance global director Mark Rushbrook has said the GT3 Mustang will provide more opportunities.

Ford has used its GT4 Mustang as a NASCAR driver development tool in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge with Harrison Burton and Zane Smith combining to win the season opener at Daytona International Speedway in January.

“We’re excited about the Next Gen car and the new architecture there and the similarities between that car and GT3 and even GT4 cars,” Rushbrook said at the announcement of the Ford GT3 program in January 2022 at Daytona. “We think it’s a great opportunity and to do be able to do that in a 24-hour race and get NASCAR drivers even more time is something we need to consider taking advantage of that opportunity.”

Given his sports car background, Cindric probably still would be in the Rolex 24 regardless. He has eight IMSA starts since the 2017 season opener at Daytona, racing a Lexus RCF GT3 and Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the GT category. The 2022 Daytona 500 winner made his second LMP2 start this year with Rick Ware Racing.

But Cindric’s preference naturally would be in a Ford, particularly with sports car racing enjoying convergence and crossovers in both GT and prototype racing.

“It’s an exciting time in GT racing, just as it is now for prototype racing with a lot of new regulations and manufacturers building new GT3 cars,” he said. “And also the opportunity with WEC (the World Endurance Championship) and Le Mans and how that all lines up for that category of car. It’s definitely an exciting time. I want to be as much of a part of that as possible.”

Though those odds seemingly will increase with multiple Ford entries in the Rolex 24 field next year, Cindric said NASCAR drivers still have to put in the networking to land rides as he has in recent years.

“Now how (the GT3 Mustang) relates to specifically NASCAR drivers and how often they want to be in the Rolex, could it be an influence? Absolutely, as far as the tie-in with the manufacturer,” Cindric said. “But the challenge and the drive and the logistics of getting an opportunity for a race like the Rolex 24 will be just as challenging as it always is to find your one-off ride for the race. At least from my experience, that’s what I still anticipate.”

It turned out the “mystery” test driver wasn’t from NASCAR (Farley revealed the driver to be 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Joey Hand after a fan asked whether it was Joey Logano).

But Cindric believes there could be more Cup drivers — and perhaps himself — behind the wheel of Mustang GT3s in the future.

“There’s definitely more of a pathway than I think there would be before as far as Ford drivers are concerned,” he said. “Hopefully, I’ll get the opportunity to drive that thing. It’s obviously a great looking car. That’s the first box you’ve got to check. And it’s cool (to have) a guy like Jim Farley, no doubt he’s a racer just as much as he is steering the ship for Ford. It’s cool to see he’s just as excited as the rest of us about it.”