Nick Tandy and Patrick Pilet took the first win of the 2016 IMSA Racing season for the Porsche 911 RSR on Sunday, but only after a move by team mate, Fred Makowiecki, pushed the leading Corvette off the victory trail. This left Corvette driver, Tommy Milner, and a truckload of ‘Vette fans on social media not very happy at all.

‘Vette driver vents

“I just got wrecked basically,” said Milner. “Two Porsches running nose to tail… it is pretty clear what happened there. It is pretty disappointing that this is the kind of racing we have here, where we are better than that for sure.

“[Being taken out] is disappointing but certainly could have been a lot worse. I don’t mind finishing second if it is clean and it happens the right way, but that wasn’t the right way. It hurts a little bit to be second in this case the way it happened, but again, end of the day second place is great points for us. We can hold our heads high that we raced as hard as we could today, the right way.”

The Corvette fan comments on the above Youtube video are not too surprising:

• “Seems to be a common occurrence with the Porsche’s “missing” their braking points when the ‘Vettes are around.”
• “The Porsche team needs to be disqualified. No words can explain how disgusted I am from seeing this type of dirty racing.”
• “First time I saw it I thought maybe I’d have another look and Freddy probably just got excited thought he’d go for the win. But then I watched it again. Looks damn deliberate and looks like Tandy knew it was coming too or he would have been in it.”
• “Porsche playing dirty as usual. I expect that from a company that makes cars with IMS design flaws.” (lol)
• “It was completely deliberate. When you see it from the overhead view it’s obviously a dick move to get Porsche team the win.”

Fred takes blame: tidy Tandy takes win

“After two third places we finally had every opportunity to win today, but we didn’t use it,” said Fred. “The first blow was the penalty for being too fast in the pit lane. The collision in the penultimate lap was my fault: I was a touch too optimistic heading into the corner.”

“That was a fantastic race,” said Nick Tandy (below). “Despite the minor setbacks, we never gave up, we believed in ourselves, and we fought to the flag. Our victory was well earned. We’ve had so much bad luck this season, so now it was our turn to shine.”

Things happen in the heat of the moment in racing, when drivers are trying to pass the car in front while simultaneously fending off another car jammed up their tailpipes. In this case, the chasing car was a Le Mans winner and team mate in an identical 911, who was in no way inclined to hold station. The notion that Fred crashed into a Corvette to deny himself victory while giving Tandy yet another Porsche win makes no sense. The Porsche claim that Fred thought he saw a split-second gap and pointed his car towards it? More likely and the stewards clearly agreed or he’d have been out. Bad news for the Corvette, but 911s have been denied victory for less many times in the past.

There are plenty of quick Porsche juniors coming through the ranks getting ready to race, and it’s about time Porsche started testing young female drivers, so small wonder that works pilots are pushing hard to shove their cars into every gap possible. Of course we like Porsches to win, but put Tandy, Pilet (above) or Bamber in Corvettes and I’d be happy to see any of them finishing first. They are just racers, plain and simple. Winning by being there, ready to make the most of every opportunity is what matters to these guys.

I know a lot of Porsche fans have Corvettes in the garage (looking at you for one, Mr Gagen) – be interested to get your viewpoint.