Mario Farnbacher
Nationality German
Born (1992-05-14) 14 May 1992 (age 31)
Ansbach, Germany
Related toDominik Farnbacher (brother)
WeatherTech SportsCar Championship career
Debut season2012
Current teamGradient Racing
Racing licence FIA Gold
Former teamsNGT 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
Championship titles
2019, 2020WeatherTech SportsCar Championship – GTD class

Mario Farnbacher (born 14 May 1992) is a German racecar driver who currently competes in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.[1]

Career

Farnbacher competing at the Nürburgring in 2012

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 WeatherTech 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 the remainder of the WeatherTech Sprint Cup, beginning at Mid-Ohio, he joined Compass Racing, driving alongside Jeff Kingsley.[7] Following an injury suffered by Marc Miller prior to the round at VIR, Farnbacher also competed with Gradient Racing, finishing 15th in the GTD class following an accident.[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] Following a second-place finish at the Indianapolis 8 Hour, the duo claimed the Pro-Am class title.[11]

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.[12] The remainder of Farnbacher's season involved a second season in the GT World Challenge America alongside Harrison, this time in the Pro class.[13]

Racing record

Career summary

Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position
2010 ADAC Formel Masters ma-con Motorsport 21 3 1 2 12 231 3rd
2011 ADAC Formel Masters ma-con Motorsport 3 0 0 1 0 173 6th
Motopark Academy 20 1 0 2 4
Toyota Racing Series ETEC Motorsport 12 0 0 0 1 397 12th
ADAC GT Masters Farnbacher ESET Racing 2 0 0 0 1 26 26th
2012 ADAC GT Masters Farnbacher ESET Racing 14 1 1 0 2 54 14th
American Le Mans Series - GTC NGT Motorsport 1 1 0 0 1 24 18th
2013 ADAC GT Masters Farnbacher Racing 16 0 1 0 3 84 12th
Rolex Sports Car Series - GT Burtin Racing / Goldcrest Motorsports 1 0 0 0 0 21 57th
American Le Mans Series - GTC NGT Motorsport 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
Nürburgring Endurance Series - SP9 Haribo Racing Team 1 0 ? ? 0 ? ?
24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP7 1 0 0 0 0 N/A ?
Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Team BetterLife 1 0 ? ? 0 ? ?
2014 United SportsCar Championship - GTD Team Seattle / Alex Job Racing 11 0 0 0 2 259 10th
ADAC GT Masters Farnbacher Racing 10 0 0 0 0 3 40th
2015 United SportsCar Championship - GTD Team Seattle / Alex Job Racing 10 2 0 1 4 267 4th
2016 IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Team Seattle / Alex Job Racing 10 1 5 2 2 285 5th
24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP7 Black Falcon Team TMD Friction 1 1 0 0 1 N/A 1st
2017 International GT Open - GT3 Pro Farnbacher Racing 11 2 ? ? 5 69 8th
IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Riley Motorsports 4 1 0 0 2 115 24th
Nürburgring Endurance Series - SP9 Haribo Racing Team 1 0 1 ? 1 ? ?
2018 IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Michael Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian 5 1 0 0 2 182 13th
3GT Racing 2 0 1 0 0
Pirelli World Challenge - GT HART 2 0 0 0 0 26 14th
24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP8 Ring Racing with Novel 1 0 0 0 1 N/A 2nd
2019 IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian 10 1 2 2 5 283 1st
Intercontinental GT Challenge Honda Team Motul 2 0 1 0 0 10 25th
Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup 1 0 0 0 0 11 20th
24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP6 SetupWizzard Racing 1 0 1 1 1 N/A 2nd
2020 IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian 10 2 2 1 6 286 1st
Intercontinental GT Challenge Team Honda Racing 4 0 1 0 1 31 5th
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup 1 0 0 0 0 5 26th
2021 IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Compass Racing 7 0 0 1 0 1575 15th
Magnus Racing with Archangel Motorsports 1 0 0 0 0
Gradient Racing 1 0 0 0 0
24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP7 Krohn Racing 1 0 0 0 0 N/A Ret
2022 GT World Challenge America - Pro-Am Racers Edge Motorsports 13 4 4 2 8 212 1st
IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Gradient Racing 5 1 0 0 2 1003 26th
24 Hours of Nürburgring - Cup2 Krohn Racing 1 0 0 0 0 N/A Ret
2023 GT World Challenge America - Pro Racers Edge Motorsports 13 2 3 2 6 192 2nd
Michelin Pilot Challenge - TCR HART 1 0 0 0 0 190 33rd
IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Gradient Racing 1 0 0 0 0 579 40th
Racers Edge Motorsports with WTR Andretti 1 0 0 0 0

Complete American Le Mans Series results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Year Team Class Make Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Rank Points
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
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

Complete Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series results

(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
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

Complete WeatherTech SportsCar Championship results

(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
2014 Team Seattle GTD Porsche 911 GT America Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 DAY
15
SEB
3
LGA
8
DET
2
WGL
16
MOS
6
IMS
6
ELK
6
VIR
15
COA
18
PET
5
10th 291
2015 Team Seattle GTD Porsche 911 GT America Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 DAY
18
SEB
1
LGA
3
DET
1
WGL
7
LIM
4
ELK
8
VIR
3
COA
4
PET
7
4th 267
2016 Team Seattle GTD Porsche 911 GT3 R Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 DAY
8
SEB
4
LGA
1
BEL
4
WGL
3
MOS
12
LIM
14
ELK
12
VIR
4
AUS
7
PET
8
5th 285
2017 Riley Motorsports - Team AMG GTD Mercedes-AMG GT3 Mercedes-AMG M159 6.2 L V8 DAY
3
SEB
1
LBH AUS DET WGL
10
MOS LIM ELK VIR LGA PET
4
24th 115
2018 Michael Shank Racing w/ Curb-Agajanian GTD Acura NSX GT3 Acura 3.5 L Turbo V6 DAY
11
SEB
7
MOH BEL
1
MOS ELK VIR
3
LGA PET
12
13th 182
3GT Racing Lexus RCF GT3 Lexus 5.0 L V8 WGL
4
LIM
5
2019 Michael Shank Racing w/ Curb-Agajanian GTD Acura NSX GT3 Evo Acura 3.5 L Turbo V6 DAY
4
SEB
7
MDO
2
DET
11
WGL
1
MOS
2
LIM
2
ELK
5
VIR
2
LGA
8
PET
12
1st 283
2020 Michael Shank Racing w/ Curb-Agajanian GTD Acura NSX GT3 Evo Acura 3.5 L Turbo V6 DAY
10
DAY
3
SEB ELK
2
VIR
2
ATL
1
MDO
5
CLT
7
PET
10
LGA
1
SEB
3
1st 288
2021 Magnus Racing with Archangel Motorsports GTD Acura NSX GT3 Evo Acura 3.5 L Turbo V6 DAY
11
SEB 15th 1575
Richard Mille - Compass Racing MDO
5
DET
9
WGL1 WGL2
9
LIM
9
ELK
12
LGA
13
LBH
11
Gradient Racing VIR
15
PET
2022 Gradient Racing GTD Acura NSX GT3 Evo22 Acura 3.5 L Turbo V6 DAY
13
SEB
11
LBH
2
LGA MDO DET
WGL
9
MOS
LIM
ELK
VIR
PET
1
26th 1003
2023 Gradient Racing GTD Acura NSX GT3 Evo22 Acura 3.5 L Turbo V6 DAY
4
SEB
40th 579
Racers Edge Motorsports with WTR LBH
DNS
MON
WGL
MOS
LIM
ELK
8
VIR
IMS
PET
2024 Heart of Racing Team GTD Pro Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo Aston Martin M177 4.0 L Turbo V8 DAY SEB LGA DET WGL MOS ELK VIR IMS ATL


Complete Bathurst 12 Hours results

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
2020 Japan Honda Racing Team JAS United States Dane Cameron
Netherlands Renger van der Zande
Honda NSX GT3 Evo GT3 Pro 184 27th 14th

References

  1. ^ "Mario Farnbacher - IMSA". imsa.com. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  2. ^ 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)
  3. ^ "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.
  4. ^ Bosch, Miguel (26 August 2019). "Mario Farnbacher: "Watkins Glen win didn't change our approach"". GT Report. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  5. ^ "MSR Closes Out Four-Year Run With Acura NSX GT3". sportscar365.com. 21 November 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  6. ^ "Pumpelly, Farnbacher Complete Magnus Acura Lineup". sportscar365.com. 13 January 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  7. ^ "Farnbacher, Kingsley Confirmed in Compass Acura for Sprint Cup". sportscar365.com. 29 April 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  8. ^ Glendenning, Mark (28 September 2021). "Farnbacher to stand in for injured Miller at VIR". racer.com. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  9. ^ Dagys, John (4 January 2022). "Gradient Set for Endurance Cup Program With Acura". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  10. ^ Goodwin, Graham (4 January 2022). "Racers Edge Acura For Ashton Harrison & Mario Farnbacher In GT World Challenge America". dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  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.
  12. ^ Dagys, John (13 January 2023). "Farnbacher to Make Honda TCR Debut With HART". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  13. ^ Dagys, John (20 February 2023). "Harrison, Farnbacher Step Up to Pro Class in Racers Edge Acura". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
Sporting positions Preceded byBryan SellersMadison Snow WeatherTech SportsCar ChampionshipGTD Champion 2019 With: Trent Hindman Succeeded byMario FarnbacherMatt McMurry Preceded byMario FarnbacherTrent Hindman WeatherTech SportsCar ChampionshipGTD Champion 2020 With: Matt McMurry Succeeded byZach RobichonLaurens Vanthoor