Dumas to contest French Rally Championship in Porsche

Sportscar star Romain Dumas will contest the 2011 French Rally Championship at the wheel of a privately-entered Porsche 911 GT3, while long-time team-mate Timo Bernhard has similar plans in the German national series.

Dumas, the only driver to have won the Le Mans and Spa 24 Hours in the same year, is set for a fourth season in the French championship and this year will upgrade to a 3 litre, 450bhp, six cylinder 911 GT3 RS (type 997) to contest the GT Plus category, having previously competed in the type 996.

“Rallying is great fun,” said Dumas. “For me it’s the perfect balance to my activities on the race track. With my time-tested car I’ve already notched up eleven class and six overall wins. With the new 911 GT3 RS we’ll for sure be even more competitive.”

Bernhard meanwhile will tackle the German Rally Championship, also in the new 911 GT3, under the ‘Rally Team 75’ banner, a team run by his father Rudiger.

However, the pair have ruled out contesting any events together in the future.

“Like most professional race drivers we’re both not that good as co-drivers, we always want to have everything under our own control,” admitted Bernhard. “If it ever happened, it would have to be at a historic rally where top times don’t really count,” confirmed Dumas.


Andy Wilkinson

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