The Indianapolis 8 Hours concluded with a top-five finish for Alex Fontana, who completed the US race in 5th place in the Pro-Am class and 12th overall. The Swiss driver was back behind the wheel for the fourth and final round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge 2024, as usual flying the flag for the Car Collection Motorsport team and sharing the German outfit’s Porsche 992 GT3 #21 with Hash and Yannick Mettler.
After familiarising themselves with the circuit in free practice, the drivers took to the track for qualifying. Fontana took part in the second session, setting the 9th fastest time overall in 1:23.789; at the end of the three rounds, however, the #21 crew qualified in 20th place. Nonetheless, the team came to the start of the race aware that a significant result was within their grasp thanks to the good race pace displayed in the first half of the stars and stripes weekend. The first stint was entrusted to Hash, who handled the trickier parts of the race very well and handed the car over to Mettler after a fine performance. After just under two hours, the Swiss driver then left the cockpit of the #21 Porsche 992 GT3 to Fontana in 21st place overall; Alex began to make up ground, gaining a no less than five positions during his first hour at the wheel of the car.
In the middle phase of the race, the #21 crew maintained their position in the standings, focusing on an error-free race and consistency. This tactic proved successful in the final two hours when, as the sun went down, Fontana made up further positions, entering the top-15 overall and maintaining a rapid pace. Alex was to remain at the wheel of the Porsche through to the end of the race, managing to climb up to 12th place overall thanks to the excellent strategy devised by Car Collection Motorsport. Fontana then hung on to the position through to the chequered flag, finishing the event in 5th place in the Pro-Am class.
Alex Fontana
“I’m delighted to have been able to finish the Indianapolis 8 Hours in the top-5 of the Pro-Am class. Racing in the Intercontinental GT Challenge is always very complicated, the concentration of teams and drivers is put to the test and it’s never easy to have a perfect weekend. Despite the difficulties in qualifying, we were able to react, run a smooth race and avoid any mistakes that might have compromised the final result. I’m grateful to Car Collection Motorsport for allowing me to race in such an important event and I would like to thank Yannick and Hash for giving their all over the weekend. It was a dream come true for me to race for the first time in America at a track with over a century of history.”
After familiarising themselves with the circuit in free practice, the drivers took to the track for qualifying. Fontana took part in the second session, setting the 9th fastest time overall in 1:23.789; at the end of the three rounds, however, the #21 crew qualified in 20th place. Nonetheless, the team came to the start of the race aware that a significant result was within their grasp thanks to the good race pace displayed in the first half of the stars and stripes weekend. The first stint was entrusted to Hash, who handled the trickier parts of the race very well and handed the car over to Mettler after a fine performance. After just under two hours, the Swiss driver then left the cockpit of the #21 Porsche 992 GT3 to Fontana in 21st place overall; Alex began to make up ground, gaining a no less than five positions during his first hour at the wheel of the car.
In the middle phase of the race, the #21 crew maintained their position in the standings, focusing on an error-free race and consistency. This tactic proved successful in the final two hours when, as the sun went down, Fontana made up further positions, entering the top-15 overall and maintaining a rapid pace. Alex was to remain at the wheel of the Porsche through to the end of the race, managing to climb up to 12th place overall thanks to the excellent strategy devised by Car Collection Motorsport. Fontana then hung on to the position through to the chequered flag, finishing the event in 5th place in the Pro-Am class.
Alex Fontana
“I’m delighted to have been able to finish the Indianapolis 8 Hours in the top-5 of the Pro-Am class. Racing in the Intercontinental GT Challenge is always very complicated, the concentration of teams and drivers is put to the test and it’s never easy to have a perfect weekend. Despite the difficulties in qualifying, we were able to react, run a smooth race and avoid any mistakes that might have compromised the final result. I’m grateful to Car Collection Motorsport for allowing me to race in such an important event and I would like to thank Yannick and Hash for giving their all over the weekend. It was a dream come true for me to race for the first time in America at a track with over a century of history.”