With Porsche factory drivers Matt Campbell, Mathieu Jaminet, and Felipe Nasr shifted to the new Porsche Penske Motorsport IMSA GTP program, Pfaff Motorsports will welcome a fresh lineup to its defending IMSA GTD PRO effort with the arrival of full-timers Patrick Pilet and Klaus Bachler, and the returning Laurens Vanthoor for enduros in the No. 9 911 GT3 R.
Together, the trio ranks as one of the most accomplished assemblies of GT drivers headed into the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season.
“I’m really excited. I drove in the U.S. for many, many years and I had the chance to win the championship in GTLM and finish second and third in other places,” said France’s Pilet. “I really feel like home there — it’s a great championship. I love every track and the way you race there. I’m really looking forward to that, especially with Pfaff. We had a great experience together in the past at Daytona; we had a really quick car and worked really hard. I know how good they are and many guys are still there, so it’s proof that everybody loves to work together. I know plenty of the guys as well as new members of the team, so it’s a great opportunity, I’m really looking forward to working with this team.
“I’m really happy that Porsche gave me this opportunity as well to go back to the U.S. to fight for a championship and especially in IMSA in the PRO category. It’s really special, it’s a great challenge and we know what we have to do. The team has had so many successes in the past, so I’m looking forward to giving them another championship and plenty of victories.”
For Bachler, who raced in five series last season, the opportunity to contest the full GTD PRO calendar is a welcome change.
“Competing the whole season in IMSA for the first time makes me very proud and happy — I always wanted to tick that box,” the Austrian said. “I am really looking forward to experiencing and getting to know these iconic racetracks with a strong field of drivers and epic battles. Contesting my first season in IMSA with Pfaff Motorsports really honors me. Being part of the Pfaff Motorsports family means being part of an extremely professional and successful team. I can’t wait to do my first race in the Plaid Porsche surrounded by this great excitement of North American motorsport fans.”
Belgium’s Vanthoor was an instrumental part of the team during its GTD title-winning efforts two seasons ago.
“I’m extremely looking forward to working together with everyone at Pfaff again,” he said. “First of all, we had a successful relationship with two victories and the championship in 2021, but mainly as well, we have very good private relationship where I had and still have a good understanding with everybody on the team. I’m very much looking forward to being back with them and working together and also spend time together.”