Pascal Wehrlein, a dedicated student at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps

Pascal Wehrlein and his 39 departures in Formula 1 are the main attraction of the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps this weekend. Newly integrated into the official team Porsche Penske Motorsport in preparation for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the reigning champion of Formula E is experiencing its very first weekend in WEC under the colors of the German brand. Even though this is his first ever WEC race — and also his first in a factory Porsche 963 — the German-Mauritian has already had the opportunity to participate in the 24 Hours of Daytona in January, with the German prototype entered by the JDC-Miller MotorSports team.

“There are many new things for me, recognizes the 30-year-old driver in the Spa paddock. We've already had one or two days of testing, which has allowed me to start getting my bearings, both in the car and with the team. Each structure has its own way of working, so it's important to understand the environment. I've also been able to talk with the other drivers, which helps me feel ready. There's still a lot to learn, but that's exactly what I'm looking for: to gain experience to arrive at Le Mans in the best possible conditions."

Kevin Estre, professor of Pascal Wehrlein

The transition from Formula E to the WEC does not seem to pose any major difficulties for him, including sharing the car with his teammates. “The two disciplines are very different, both in terms of the cars and the formats. The fact that they have almost nothing in common makes the transition from one to the other more natural. There are interesting things in both worlds. I like to optimize the car down to the smallest detail to adapt it to my driving style. Here, it's a little different: you have to find a compromise between the drivers, aim for the ideal configuration over 6 or 24 hours so that everyone can get the most out of it. This weekend, it will be interesting to see how Kevin (Estre) and Laurens (Vanthoor) feel the car. I'm going to observe them, follow their instructions. I'm new to the team, they are world champions in the Hypercar category. So I'm going to adapt as much as possible, ask them a lot of questions, and learn as much as possible. What matters most to me is to learn and work well with the team during this first race weekend, to arrive better prepared for the future.”

His teammate Kévin Estre, who is used to endurance competitions, praises his rigorous approach. “He arrived quite late, but he’s a good student. He listens well, he’s very professional, and he has experience: he’s driven in F1, he does Formula E, so he already knows everything about energy recovery. It’s easy for him. Then again, he doesn’t yet know the traffic well, or really the specifics of the WEC. He’s very open about that. I already gave him a short briefing during lunch on what he needs to know before Free Practice 2. We’ll spend more time together this weekend, but he’s here to learn, and he’s applying it straight away.” At the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Pascal Wehrlein will be partnered with Felipe Nasr and Nick Tandy in the third official Porsche Penske Motorsport car lined up in La Sarthe.

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