Courtesy of Panorama Magazine – November 2013

A crisp ocean breeze, two-lane beach board walk and 100 yards inland from this coast line was… A race circuit? Now visualize 45,000 spectators relaxing on the sandy embankments while listening to 38 Porsche GT3 Cup cars roar down the main straight and you’d find yourself in Zandvoort, Netherlands.

During my stay in Europe so far this year, there was never a location that had felt so similar to my hometown back in California. As funny as it seems, it actually felt like a ‘home race’ in a way, especially with the surprise visit from some neighbors back home. Coming into this race weekend, my expectation levels were very high after a promising test day just a few weeks beforehand and I felt it was time to finally climb onto the podium.

After transitioning from open wheel racing to sports car racing, the young American took full advantage of his newfound position within the Porsche Motorsport family and proved his abilities in Germany’s toughest one make championship series.

Courtesy of Panorama Magazine – October 2013

“All drivers out of their cars and down to race control. The race director would like a word with everyone.”

Never in my entire career have I had any session during a weekend red flagged and brought to a ‘pause’ per say, so the race director could have a chat with all of the drivers. Although, there is a first time for everything I suppose. Prior to this race weekend at Nurburgring, I was told that track limits were always an issue. The problem is, is that in order to be on pace with the leaders you have to cut the track like the others if you want to give yourself a fair chance!

Courtesy of http://www.ocregister.com/

With two rounds left in the 2013 Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland Championship, San Clemente native Connor De Phillippi is leading the way in the Rookie of the Year standings, with a gap of 22 points separating him and his nearest competitor.

De Phillippi finished fourth in his Porsche GT3 in round 14 and eighth in round 15, both at Circuit Park Zandvoort in the Netherlands, on Sept. 29 to rack up valuable points for his team, FORCH Racing by Lukas Motorsports, and his bid for the top rookie honors.

Saturday’s round 14 at the picturesque Zandvoort circuit saw multiple lap one incidents, forcing the round to be delayed until the following morning. This delay did not stop the young American from capturing his personal best result of the season.

For Porsche Motorsport Junior driver Connor De Phillippi, rounds 12 and 13 of the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany were a challenge to say the least. Despite this, De Phillippi feels the team is clicking on all cylinders and ready for Zandvoort.

Courtesy of Panorama Magazine – September 2013

A crisp ocean breeze, two-lane beach board walk and 100 yards inland from this coast line was… A race circuit? Now visualize 45,000 spectators relaxing on the sandy embankments while listening to 38 Porsche GT3 Cup cars roar down the main straight and you’d find yourself in Zandvoort, Netherlands.

With no prior race experience around the Nurburgring GP circuit, Connor De Phillippi and his Lukas Motorsport team continued to mesh and improve their Porsche GT3 Cup car for the 12th & 13th rounds of the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany.

Courtesy of Panorama Magazine – July 2013

My first Carrera Cup race. At Hockenheimring. Was I excited? Absolutely! But I tried to be realistic with my expectations, as my competitors have three, four, or even five years experience in the series and on tracks we’d be racing on.

For me, this race was not just about learning a new car—it was about learning a new car at a track I’ve never raced on, in a country I’ve lived in for only two months. We’d done some testing at the Hungaroring, Adria Raceway, and the Red Bull Ring to prepare for the season opener in Hockenheim, so I was beginning to get comfortable with my new “office.” But now it was time to shine in Hockenheim!

“He’s a great kid with a bright future,” said John Doonan, director of Mazda Motorsports. Doonan saying that about Connor De Phillippi now that De Phillippi has a full-time ride with Porsche speaks to the relationship the 20-year-old driver has maintained with the people who helped him in the past.

De Phillippi, of San Clemente, Calif., competes this season in the Porsche Carrera Cup in Germany as a Porsche Junior Driver, regarded as the first step in building a career under Porsche’s racing umbrella. It’s a change for De Phillippi, not only geographically, but his previous experience was in open-wheel cars.