Comunicato stampa Daytona 2018

Dieter Quester wants to race his last Endurance Race at the HSR 24h Classic Event of Daytona (07.-11.11.2018). After more than 50 years of motorsport, far more than 1000 driven racing events and multiple European titles, world records, spectacular Formula 2 victories and countless podiums in sports car and prototype WM races. He wants to
finish there where he started with 12 Prototypes and GT cars plus 3 classic cars. Behind the wheel of exactly this Porsche 996 GT3 cup #51 in which Quester competed in the Rolex 24h 2002 together with Karl Wendlinger, Belgian Vosse and British Mowlem – “at that time we had to retire in the early morning hours due an accident being on second position” Quester says. He will once again drive through the high-speed oval with his co-drivers Giancarlo Tanzi and Luca Riccitelli.

“The decision fills me with sadness – I have built up over all those years a love relationship with this circuit,” says Quester who did pioneer work in 1996 when he staged the first Red Bull Race action in the USA. No racing career takes longer than the one of Dieter Quester, he was 1959 and 1962 European Motorboat Champion when Jochen RIndt contested his first race. Niki Lauda arised, Quester drove against him and Helmut Marko. Marko had to give up his racing career after a tragic accident. When Niki Lauda and Gerhard Berger had long ended their racing carriers, Quester still raced.

The Italian Giancarlo Tanzi discovered the legendary Red Bull Porsche 996 GT a few years ago and arranged to get the car completely revised at the Porsche factory. Also optically, the vehicle is put into its original state. "I am thrilled to be piloting the Porsche again through the high speed Oval after more than 16 years with Luca and Giancarlo. We certainly have chances to be in the top of the GT class, the prerequisite is a race as error-free as possible. Last year, I finished with Luca in a BMW M1 the 24h classic in 3rd place of the GT standings. Also this year a place in the "Victory Lane" would be the measure of all things and a farewell to Daytona, as it could be not much better.

And Quester would not Quester if he had not added another footnote to his retreat: "Of course, I'll be doing competitions like Ennstal Classic, G.P. Nuvolari or the Gaisberg race.