IMAGES – The Porsche 963 being tested at Daytona

The Porsche 963 will face this track when it enters competition at the end of January 2023 for the 24 Hours of Daytona (January 26-29). The distance of 2 kilometers covered on this track during these first tests is approximately the same as that from Stuttgart to Istanbul. The German manufacturer faced outdoor conditions during these tests, with temperatures hovering around 274 degrees Celsius combined with high humidity of over 35% and regular downpours. 

On the first of two days, the team was hampered by weather conditions: in accordance with American law, lightning near the Daytona Beach circuit forced all marshals to retreat indoors for safety. Therefore, the start of testing was delayed by 90 minutes. The new prototype, which will aim for victory at Le Mans, Daytona and Sebring next year, then began its own endurance race.

Factory drivers Dane Cameron (USA), Matt Campbell (Australia) and Mathieu Jaminet (France) shared the controls at the wheel of the car with chassis number 03. Under the watchful eye of the experienced founder of American team Roger Penske "The Captain", the team improved the settings of the Porsche 963 and refined the interaction between engineers, drivers and mechanics.

Until 22 p.m. on the second day, the new racing car ran without noticeable problems. The tests concluded with flashes of light streaking the night sky, giving a foretaste of the first racing outing of the Porsche 963. During the racing debut of the LMDh prototype in the championship IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar on January 28 and 29, 2023, the sky above the new Bavarian weapon will also be illuminated with a thousand lights: in accordance with tradition, the organizers of the 24 Hours of Daytona will set off a spectacular fireworks display at dusk. Expected at the 8 Hours of Bahrain for the final of the WEC on November 12, the Porsche 963 will ultimately not be on the trip. It will therefore indeed be at Daytona that she will make her competitive debut.