In 2018 Roar Lindland took the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Pro-Am title by four points, the culmination of twelve seasons of racing in a variety of Porsche Cup Series.
Lindland has raced across Europe from in his home country of Norway in the Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia, Porsche Carrera Cup France, Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East through to the FIA Formula 1 World Championship supporting Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup series.
The Norwegian has remained loyal to Porsche throughout his racing career, “I have driven in Porsche Cups for 12 seasons, some of them including double cup championships.” explained Lindland to The Checkered Flag.
“First of all racing Porsche’s was a big dream come true for me, a lot of hard and determined working for years paid off so this is an honour to be a part of.
“Porsche’s one-make series are great championships, with a very high level of racing and a really good race car.
“These have been important reason to stay with the brand, but I also have to say that the high professionalism and the all the great people in the Porsche family have been very important for me.
“And of course I have been very depended that my loyal partners also have enjoyed to work together with me and the Porsche brand.”
It’s clear to see that Linland loves racing in the one-make Porsche Cup series, so much so that when we asked which his favourite national championship was, he couldn’t narrow it down to one.
“Favourite? all of them… From the beginning the Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia was special for me as this was the championship where everything started,
“Then for sure the Porsche Carrera Cup France is a really good championship with many nice tracks on the calendar for a Carrera cup, but also working with SLR and all the great staff in the French organisation have been a pleasure.
While the national series proved hard to choose between, Linland is sure of one thing, that the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup is top of the pile.
“But for sure, the pinnacle will always be the Porsche Supercup! Great locations and fantastic environment together with Formula 1. And of course, winning the Pro Am title there together with Walter Lechner Racing has definitely been my highlight.”
Having experienced both National and International levels of Porsche racing we ask Lindland if there was a noticeable difference in the quality of the competition.
“For sure Supercup stands always on top of the throne, it’s where all the best from the world come to, but I have to say all the championships have great fights.
“They are all really competitive, and in all the different Championships and tracks there is always something to learn, I would say, they are all a bit different from each other.
“For example, the Carrera Cup Scandinavia have completely different tracks with another quality and also the climatic conditions what also can make it more tricky.”
“Winning my first Norwegian Championship was a good memory together with my first Porsche Championship win in Scandinavia 2012.
“But special moments was definitely my first Supercup race at Monza, and the Porsche World Cup at Nurburgring Nordschleife in 2011 and also the 24 hours of Le Mans supporting race I did in 2014 and 2017 ending on the podium.
Having raced around a lot of different race tracks in his 12 seasons in a Porsche we also asked what Lindland’s favourite circuit was, once again it was a tough choice to make.
“All of them are favourites and challenging in different ways, it’s more about the atmosphere and the history behind that makes a special feeling. So Monaco and the Le Mans are definitely favourites on that side.
And circuits that he hasn’t yet raced at but would love to?
“I would really like to do Daytona and Bathurst.”
In 2018 Lindland claimed the Pro-Am class championship in Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup with the Lechner Racing team, a behemoth in the sport, the Norwegian explained what it was like to work with them.
“Lechner is a very professional team, they are so calm and balanced in all what they are doing, that strengthens you in the whole package as a driver.
“Mentally it always helps you, all worries as from the technical side are far away and it helps you to keep your maximum focus on your job as a driver.”
With the likes of Michael Ammermüller, Nick Yelloly and Thomas Preining battling it out for the overall glory at the front, Lindland was in his own battle with Nicholas Misslin, Mark Radcliffe and Philipp Sager.
“For the 2019 season we only paid the full attention to the Pro-Am points, for example, the season before we pushed for stronger results in the overall classifications, but in the fight for the Pro-Am title, it was necessary to focus on the fights to pick up the right points not to take a lot of risks.
“Actually I guess it sounds strange but it was more difficult to drive like this and all in all it was always a bit tricky.
The championship was close throughout the year and eventually only came down to four points after the final race in Mexico.
“Another car crashed into me and put me out of the race at Red Bull Ring when I was leading the race, I definitely felt for a short moment that this could be the end of hope for a championship win.
“But I quickly just started focus to catch back, it worked well and I could cross the finish line in Mexico as the champion.
With the new season still two months away Lindland is looking at his options for 2019, hoping to be back to defend his title.
“I would really like to return if I can continue this journey together with my sponsors, also in a good team in order to have the right circumstances to fight for another title. But for the moment nothing is ready.”
