To go and get this 20th victory which has eluded them since 2017, Porsche does not skimp on the means when she arrives at 24H of Le Mans. Since its return to the premier class in 2023, the Stuttgart firm has always entered three cars within the official Porsche Penske Motorsport team, always lining up an additional car in La Sarthe compared to its entry in WECThe 2025 edition will be no exception to the rule since, thanks to its title in IMSA In 2024, Porsche has obtained an invitation to line up an additional Hypercar on June 14. And every year, the same question: who will be at the wheel of the third official 963 at Le Mans?
To answer this question, Porsche is spoiled for choice. The German manufacturer should, logically, rely on its drivers entered in IMSA, namely Felipe Nasr and Nick Tandy, to occupy the first two places in this third car. Regarding the third and final driver, Porsche Penske Motorsport has several ideas in mind and even a "short-list" before making its choice.
"We have no problem with the drivers, said Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President of Porsche Motorsport, on the sidelines of the 24 Hours of Daytona with comments relayed by Sportcars365. For example, we have drivers in Formula E, some of whom have already competed in endurance races. We have so many other competent GT drivers that I think we have enough choice so that (…) we have a third competitive car.
Wehrlein on pole for 24 Hours of Le Mans
The German leader is referring in particular to reigning Formula E world champion Pascal Wehrlein, who first drove the Porsche 963 at the Daytona 24 Hours in January with JDC-Miller Motorsports. Nico Müller is also a viable option, having become a Porsche factory driver this season and having experience of the WEC and the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Peugeot , while Antonio Félix da Costa is also a possibility.
And what about Sebastian Vettel ? The four-time world champion of Formula 1 had stirred the world ofEndurance in 2024 by carrying out tests on board the Porsche 963. Is the German still considered for a first participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2025? " I don't know ", Thomas Laudenbach simply replied, when a few moments before, the director of the LMDh program, Urs Kuratle, had left the door open for Sebastian Vettel.
Two Porsche Protons at Le Mans?
In addition to the third official Porsche 963, the German manufacturer could find itself with a fifth Hypercar on the starting grid since Proton Competition would like to enter a second private Porsche 963 in La Sarthe. If Christian Ried, boss of the team, has not confirmed or denied this desire on the sidelines of the 24 Hours of Daytona, Thomas Laudenbach has set certain conditions for this to happen.
"If someone comes to us and asks for another car, whoever it is, we sit down together, we look at the situation, emphasizes the vice president of Porsche Motorsport. It's certainly not just asking, 'Do we have a car?' It has to be the right package. I can't answer yes or no. There's a lot we can do, but it's not just whether we have the parts or the support. It's whether we think adding a car makes sense."
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TahlO
04/02/2025 at 12:11 a.m.
Porsche's last victory at Le Mans was in 2017, not 2016. Plus, we can't say that it escapes them between 2018 and 2022 as they didn't come anymore 😅