The #88 Proton Competition Porsche 911 RSR-19 has been withdrawn from the FIA World Endurance Championship 1000 Miles of Sebring due to chassis damage.
The car was involved in an incident between itself and the #2 Cadillac, where driver Ryan Hardwick and Cadillac’s Richard Westbrook came together at turn 7, pitching the Porsche GTE-Am car into the barriers at high speed.
Team principal Christian Reid told MotorsportWeek.com that the car had sustained chassis damage in the crash, and there was no spare car available for the team to use. He would not allow a photo of the car to be taken, but visually the front of the Porsche 911 RSR-19 was bent out of shape.
This means Hardwick and his teammates, Harry Tincknell and Zach Robichon, will not race in the event or take any further part in free practice or qualifying.
An official WEC bulletin on the incident said, “Driver of car 2 misjudged the overtaking manover and hit car 88 in the braking zone.” Subsequently the #2 Cadillac has received a 10-minute stop and hold for the beginning of FP3 — a sixth of the total session time — and Westbrook has been withdrawn two penalty points.
FP3 begins at 11:55am local time.
