Andy Feigenwinter: Porsche GT3 in double 🎥
FOR ROUND-TRACK, MOUNTAIN AND SLALOM Andy Feigenwinter's preference is for hill climbs. But because there are none in 2020, he races in the Porsche Cup Suisse. He can choose between a 997 GT3 R and the current champion car. In an exclusive on November 21, 2019, we reported Andy Feigenwinter's switch from Lotus to Porsche (read [...]
In an exclusive on November 21, 2019, we had reported Andy Feigenwinter's car switch from Lotus to Porsche (read here). Now the reigning Swiss touring car mountain champion is also showing AutoSprintCH readers one of his new sports machines for the 2020 and 2021 seasons for the first time.
Multiple winning car
The Porsche 997 GT3 R is the sports car entered in the 2012 ADAC GT Masters by Schütz Motorsport, which came straight from the factory. The regular driver was Christian Engelhart.
Together with the eventual Le Mans winner Nick Tandy, the German won four of the 16 races - more than anyone else. Nevertheless, at the end of the season, after a lot of bad luck at the championship finale in Hockenheim, "only" third place overall resulted for Engelhart and his team. Engelhart's partner there was Sean Edwards, who died in an accident in 2013.
Andy Feigenwinter: "I'm a Ferrari fan. But it has always been my dream to drive a factory Porsche like this in races, especially on the mountain. I'm delighted that I've come into possession of such a vehicle with history and many race wins."
The highlights from the 2012 Hockenheim finale show how much bad luck was behind Christian Engelhart not taking the drivers' title with the current Feigenwinter car.
Several changes of ownership
Feigenwinter acquired the very well-maintained car from the collection of Jean-Maurice Rey, the owner and director of Porsche Neuchâtel. Previously, Rémi Terrail drove it in a few races for the Porsche Cup Suisse.
The new owner wrapped the 997 GT3 R in its original colors when it was presented. The sports car, which appears as good as new with its four-liter engine producing a good 500 hp, was given a facelift by ANT Performance in Tafers FR.
Premiere in Hockenheim
The gentleman racer from Reinach BL will thus compete for the first time at the season opener of the Porsche Sports Cup Suisse from July 9 to 11 in Hockenheim.
During test drives on Thursday and Friday before this year's first Porsche Weekend, Andy Feigenwinter can familiarize himself with it perfectly.
From the circuit to the mountain
However, as before with the Lotus Exige 430 Cup, the future field of operation will be the Swiss hillclimb races. In terms of age, the 997 GT3 R will just fit into the Interswiss group from 2021.
As reported, Feigenwinter will be technically supported by MB Motorsport (Martin Bürki) in the hill climbs. For the circuit races, ANT will take over this task.
Andy Feigenwinter: "One or two circuit races are certainly the best preparation for the hill climbs. But I'm keeping my expectations low. I'll certainly have to get used to driving fast without run-off zones first, without risking an accident. But my long-term goal is certainly another hillclimb title."
Challenge champion car for slaloms and circuits
However, the jovial and ambitious Basel-Landman doesn't want to leave it at that. Because the opportunity presented itself, he has come to the current champion car.
With the Porsche 991-II GT3 Cup, which Jean-Paul von Burg drove to his ninth title in 2019 (and is now taking a break from racing), he also wants to contest selected races for the GT3 Cup Challenge Suisse. However, he leaves it open when and where this will be.
The firm plan is that he and his son Raphael Feigenwinter (third in the Berg-SM 2019) will contest one or two slaloms together next year and perhaps an endurance race in the Porsche Cup Suisse as early as this fall.
The Feigenwinters are definitely an enrichment for the national scene with these two attractive GT cars.
