There is a specific kind of pressure that comes with a season finale. You spend months chasing tenths of a second, obsessing over data, and living out of a suitcase—all for it to come down to one final weekend.
Looking back at the 2024 Pirelli GT4 America season, standing on that final podium with Eric Filgueiras and the entire RS1 team was the culmination of a "perfect storm." We didn't just win a championship; we proved that when the right people and the right car come together, the results are inevitable.
The Weapon: The RS1 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport
Our success started with the car. The Porsche GT4 RS Clubsport is a surgical tool, and the crew at RS1 knows how to tune it better than anyone in the paddock. From the high-speed commitment of Watkins Glen to the technical demand of Sonoma, the car was consistently in the window.
But a fast car is only half the battle. In an endurance format, the chemistry between drivers is what wins titles.
The Partnership: Dubets & Filgueiras
Sharing a seat with Eric was a masterclass in collaboration. In GT4 racing, you aren't just racing the clock; you’re racing the "handover." Our goals were always aligned: give the next guy a car that still has life in the tires and a position that’s within striking distance.
Whether we were defending a lead in the closing laps or carving through the field after a tough qualifying session, the trust was there. That trust is what allowed us to stay consistent while others fell into the "win or bust" trap.
The Defining Moments
The road to the 2024 title wasn't without its hurdles. We had to navigate:
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Tactical Pit Stops: The RS1 crew was flawless under pressure, often gaining us the crucial seconds we needed during the mandatory driver changes.
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Tire Management: Learning exactly how far we could push the Pirellis in the heat of COTA versus the cooler mornings at Road America.
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The Final Push: Staying composed during the season finale at Indianapolis, where every point mattered and the margin for error was nonexistent.
What’s Next?
Winning the Silver Championship with RS1 was a career highlight, but in racing, the rearview mirror is small for a reason.
This victory set the stage for everything I’m doing now. The lessons learned in that Cayman—managing pressure, maximizing a Porsche platform, and working with a championship-caliber team—this is exactly what I’m carrying into the future.
To Eric, the RS1 team, and everyone who supported our 2024 run: Thank you. We did it.
Now, let’s go get the next one.
— John Dubets