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17 December 2024
Although this year’s season started with several podiums for Valters Zviedris, overall 2024 was full of challenges and learning in the strong Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux championship. Latvia’s leading road racing driver has drawn conclusions about the past season and is currently actively working with his team to continue competing at a high level in 2025 and once again participate in the battles for victories and titles.
From 2021 to 2023, Valters Zviedris won three consecutive racing titles, culminating in the overall victory in the Porsche Sprint Challenge NEZ championship. This allowed him to participate in the prestigious Porsche Motorsport Junior Shoot-out selection event at the end of 2023 as one of 12 Porsche juniors in the world. After a successful season in Northern Europe and good results in the junior selection, the next step forward was taken, choosing to compete in the strong “Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux” championship in 2024.
It was known that the championship was of high value and, in terms of strength, the second best “Porsche Carrera Cup” series in Europe, but the density of competition last season was truly impressive. In the qualifying sessions, the first 15 drivers often entered within one second, so a few tenths could decide whether they started from fifth or 15th place. In the first round at the Spa-Francorchamps track, Valters managed to win 4th place overall in the first race and 2nd place in the “Rookie” classification, however, in the next two rounds in Zandvoort and Imola, higher results were not achieved due to engine problems. The Latvian driver’s speed in the two final stages in Assen and Red Bull Ring was such that he would have fought for the top positions in the “Rookie” classification, however, a few mistakes and failures prevented him from ending the “Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux” season with a podium finish.
“Another year in motorsport with “Porsche” has passed, another big step up, a bigger championship, more competition, bigger tracks. This was such a learning year, because there was a lot of new things – starts from a standing start, much faster tracks, braking from high speeds, etc. Also, due to the budget, the amount of training was less than for others, so I mastered the tracks in the simulator and in two free training sessions during the race weekend. Despite the fact that I often missed out on higher results, this year was very valuable from an experience point of view and I learned a lot of new things that will be useful for the coming years. I will also definitely take with me all the positive things from this season – the podium at Spa-Francorchamps, the first starts on legendary European tracks and new contacts for the future,” said Valters Zviedris about the past “Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux” season.
At this point, the Latvian pilot also wants to say a big thanks to his supporters: “A huge thanks to “Baltijas Sporta Auto – Porsche Latvija”, “Optibet Latvija”, “Industry Service Partner”, Jūrmala, “Blue Shock Race”, ”Joker klubs”, “Energolukss”, “I-Con” and SIA “Dārta”, without whom the season in such a strong and international championship would not have been possible.”
Before the start of the sprint season, the Latvian pilot also had the opportunity to participate in the Mugello 12-hour endurance race in Italy in March, competing together with Lithuanian drivers in the “Rimo Adero by Ebimotors” team. The race turned out to be very successful, with Valters demonstrating great speed and the team winning 2nd place in the “992-AM” class. “It was cool to open the season on the Mugello track with a podium, it was really a great start to the 2024 season. Endurance racing is very close to my heart, because you get to be in the car much longer, work more closely with the team and there is a completely different atmosphere in the pits, when everyone is fighting for the result together. Hopefully, next year we will also be able to compete in an endurance race in Europe,” Valters comments on the endurance race starts.
It should also be noted that last season the Latvian motor racing driver also developed himself in a completely new direction, becoming the team manager of the “Porsche Latvia Racing Team”. The new racing team with the “Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport” car competed in several races in the Baltics and Poland, winning both victories and podiums in each race. “I organized the team work, worked with the pilots and in several races I myself sat behind the wheel. Next year this project will continue, we will mainly compete in the stages taking place in the Baltics, but we may also go to some races further away,” says Latvia’s leading road racing driver about the new “Porsche Latvia Racing” team and his new responsibilities.
Although the season has not been the easiest in terms of morale and results, Valters is sure that he has not settled all the scores with Europe yet. Together with the team, he is currently working on continuing to compete in Europe next year: “Of course, I want to continue moving forward and competing in major championships with the Porsche 911 GT3 CUP car. I am glad that European teams notice us, approach us and want us to drive for them. There are several offers, but all of this, of course, requires a significant budget. We are currently actively working on being able to compete in Europe in the 2025 season and, with the experience accumulated in recent years, fight for podiums, victories and titles.”
Follow Valters on social media – Facebook and Instagram.
Photos by: BaTCC, PCCB, 24H Series un Andrius Laucius
Information prepared by: Arturs Virbulis
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In Latvian –
https://sportacentrs.com/motoru_sports/17122024-zviedris_atskatas_uz_porsche_sezonu_eirop
