Last year, Christina Nielsen wrote history when she became the first woman to win a major full-season professional sports car championship in North America. She then went on to claim a consecutive championship this year. In 2018, the two-time IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD-class title winner will defend her crown with a new team and marque. Beginning with the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona, Nielsen will join forces with Porsche powerhouse Wright Motorsports to race a 911 GT3 R in the GT Daytona (GTD) class.
Wright Motorsports is regarded as a premier Porsche facility and is well-known for its expert car preparation and race strategy it provides to drivers and their partners. With over two decades of Porsche driver support, the team will be on the hunt for its fifth podium finish at the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona, now with Nielsen behind the wheel.
“I’m super excited to join Wright Motorsports,” Nielsen said. “I’ve known John [Wright] since 2014, when I was racing in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge. We’ve always been good friends and have gotten along well, even though we’ve been competing against each other. Over the years, we’ve been trying to do something together, but the right opportunities haven’t presented themselves. Through interaction with Porsche Motorsport North America, it’s finally all come together. I can’t wait to be back with Porsche.”
Nielsen has raced with Porsche in the past and is looking forward to her return to the brand. In 2012, she began racing with the marque in the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany. She continued to race with Porsche in the ADAC GT Masters in 2013, and again in the 2014 season, contending in the endurance races with NGT Motorsport in the United SportsCar Championship. After three successful seasons with Aston Martin and Ferrari, she’s ready to reprise her status as a Porsche racing driver, supported by the talent at Wright Motorsports.
“I’m grateful for Porsche’s vision to have me continue driving with IMSA,” Nielsen continued. “I love racing in the IMSA series, as they have a great racing format and it’s been my home for the last three years. I know it will be difficult to match what I’ve achieved in the last three years — a vice-Championship followed by two Championship wins — but we’re going to go for it, one hundred percent.
“I’ll enter the 2018 season with the same approach as always: starting from scratch and not relying on the results that we’ve created in the last three years, just taking it one race at a time. I have the championship in mind and will put forth maximum effort from the beginning and just enjoy the racing. I’m really happy and fortunate to have another race season with IMSA.”
