Mario Farnbacher (born 14 May 1992) is a German racecar driver.[1] He won the IMSA SportsCar Championship in the GTD class in 2019 and 2020, and also won the GT World Challenge America Pro-Am title in 2022. He has class victories at the Petit Le Mans, 12 Hours of Sebring, and 24 Hours of Nürburgring endurance races.
| Mario Farnbacher | |
|---|---|
| Nationality |  German |
| Born | 14 May 1992 Ansbach, Germany |
| Related to | Dominik Farnbacher (brother) |
| IMSA SportsCar Championship career | |
| Debut season | 2014 |
| Current team | Heart of Racing Team |
| Racing licence |  FIA Gold |
| Car number | 23 |
| Former teams | NGT Motorsport Burtin Racing / Goldcrest Motorsports Alex Job Racing Riley Motorsports 3GT Racing Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb-Agajanian Magnus Racing with Archangel Motorsports Compass Racing Gradient Racing |
| Previous series | |
| American Le Mans Series Rolex Sports Car Series | |
| Championship titles | |
| 2019, 2020 2022 | IMSA SportsCar Championship – GTD class GT World Challenge America – Pro-Am |
Career
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Farnbacher began competing in the IMSA SportsCar Championship in 2014 with Team Seattle, driving a Porsche 911 GT America. He scored his first class victory the following season, winning the GTD class at the 2015 12 Hours of Sebring.[2]
In 2019, Farnbacher won the IMSA SportsCar Championship GTD class championship with co-driver Trent Hindman.[3] The duo claimed one race win during the season, taking class victory at the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen.[4] The following season, Farnbacher scored his second consecutive GTD class championship, this time with co-driver Matt McMurry.[5]
With MSR's move to the DPi class for 2021, Farnbacher found himself initially without a ride. In January, however, it was announced that he would compete with Magnus Racing in their new Acura NSX GT3 at the 24 Hours of Daytona.[6] For most of the WeatherTech Sprint Cup races, beginning at Mid-Ohio, he joined Compass Racing, driving alongside Jeff Kingsley.[7] Farnbacher also competed with Gradient Racing at the VIR round as a substitute for injured Marc Miller.[8]
For the 2022 IMSA SportsCar Championship season, Farnbacher embarked upon a Michelin Endurance Cup-only campaign with Gradient Racing,[9] alongside a full-season effort in the GT World Challenge America with HPD Academy graduate Ashton Harrison.[10] Driving alongside Kyffin Simpson and Till Bechtolsheimer, he led Gradient Racing to victory in the 25th running of the Petit Le Mans endurance race, where the team were the overall winner among all the GT entries.[11] In GTWC America, Farnbacher and Harrison took four class wins and three further podiums to enter the final race 15 points behind the leaders.[12] Following a second-place finish at the Indianapolis 8 Hour, the duo claimed the Pro-Am class title by five points.[13][14]
Farnbacher began 2023 by taking part in the Michelin Pilot Challenge event at Daytona, driving for HART. It was his first time piloting a TCR touring car.[15] The remainder of Farnbacher's season involved a second season in the GT World Challenge America alongside Harrison, this time in the Pro class.[16] The pair were involved in the title fight all season long, claiming a class victory early in the season at Sonoma before adding an overall victory at COTA.[17] Ultimately, they would settle for second in the championship, 44 points behind champions Eric Filgueiras and Stevan McAleer.
For 2024, Farnbacher left his role as a factory driver for Honda Performance Development to join Aston Martin team The Heart of Racing for the IMSA Endurance Cup rounds.[18]
Racing record
editCareer summary
editComplete American Le Mans Series results
edit(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)
| Year | Team | Class | Make | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Rank | Points | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | NGT Motorsport | GTC | Porsche 997 GT3 Cup | Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 | SEB | LBH | LGA | LIM | MOS | MDO | ELK | BAL | VIR | PET 1 |
18th | 24 | [19] |
| 2013 | NGT Motorsport | GTC | Porsche 997 GT3 Cup | Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 | SEB 10 |
LBH | LGA | LIM | MOS | ELK | BAL | COT | VIR | PET | NC | 0 | [20] |
Complete Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series results
edit(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)
| Year | Team | Class | Make | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Rank | Points | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Burtin Racing / Goldcrest Motorsports | GT | Porsche 911 GT3 | Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 | DAY 10 |
COT | BAR | ATL | DET | MDO | WGL | IMS | ELK | KAN | LGA | LIM | 92nd | [21] |
Complete IMSA SportsCar Championship results
edit(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)
Complete Bathurst 12 Hours results
edit| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 |  Honda Racing Team JAS
|
 Dane Cameron Renger van der Zande
|
Honda NSX GT3 Evo | GT3 Pro | 184 | 27th | 14th |
References
edit- ^ "Mario Farnbacher - IMSA". imsa.com. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
- ^ Sportscar365 Staff (24 March 2015). "Continental Tire IMSA Driver Spotlight: Mario Farnbacher". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Mario Farnbacher, Trent Hindman secure GTD title in Atlanta as Bill Auberlein ties IMSA record with last-lap miracle win". autoweek.com. 13 October 2019. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ Bosch, Miguel (26 August 2019). "Mario Farnbacher: "Watkins Glen win didn't change our approach"". GT Report. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- ^ "MSR Closes Out Four-Year Run With Acura NSX GT3". sportscar365.com. 21 November 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
- ^ "Pumpelly, Farnbacher Complete Magnus Acura Lineup". sportscar365.com. 13 January 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
- ^ "Farnbacher, Kingsley Confirmed in Compass Acura for Sprint Cup". sportscar365.com. 29 April 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
- ^ Glendenning, Mark (28 September 2021). "Farnbacher to stand in for injured Miller at VIR". racer.com. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
- ^ Dagys, John (4 January 2022). "Gradient Set for Endurance Cup Program With Acura". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- ^ Goodwin, Graham (4 January 2022). "Racers Edge Acura For Ashton Harrison & Mario Farnbacher In GT World Challenge America". dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- ^ Dagys, John (2022-10-01). "Gradient Scores Breakthrough Win; De Angelis Claims GTD Title – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
- ^ Dagys, John (2022-10-06). "Farnbacher Taking Petit Le Mans Momentum to Indy Title Decider – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
- ^ "Racers Edge Motorsports Claims SRO Pro/Am Title With Podium Finish at Indianapolis 8 Hour". Acura Newsroom. 9 October 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
- ^ Dagys, John (2022-10-08). "Craft-Bamboo Wins Indy 8H; Mercedes Clinches IGTC Title – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
- ^ Dagys, John (13 January 2023). "Farnbacher to Make Honda TCR Debut With HART". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
- ^ Dagys, John (20 February 2023). "Harrison, Farnbacher Step Up to Pro Class in Racers Edge Acura". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
- ^ Dagys, John (21 May 2023). "Racers Edge Acura Claims Sunday Victory at COTA". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ Euwema, Davey (2023-11-13). "Farnbacher Joins Heart of Racing for Endurance Rounds – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
- ^ "Mario Farnbacher – 2012 American Le Mans Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ^ "Mario Farnbacher – 2013 American Le Mans Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ^ "Mario Farnbacher – 2013 Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ^ "Mario Farnbacher – 2014 Tudor United SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ^ "Mario Farnbacher – 2015 Tudor United SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ^ "Mario Farnbacher – 2016 Weathertech SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ^ "Mario Farnbacher – 2017 Weathertech SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR DIgital Media, LLC. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ^ "Mario Farnbacher – 2018 Weathertech SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ^ "Mario Farnbacher – 2019 Weathertech SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ^ "Mario Farnbacher – 2020 Weathertech SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ^ "Mario Farnbacher – 2021 Weathertech SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ^ "Mario Farnbacher – 2022 Weathertech SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ^ "Mario Farnbacher – 2023 Weathertech SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ^ "Mario Farnbacher – 2024 Weathertech SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ^ "Mario Farnbacher Results". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
External links
edit
- Mario Farnbacher at Motorsport.com