24 Hours of Le Mans: Porsche preview

WECHyperCarIMSA

May 31

Third in WEC - Second in IMSA

Ahead of the centenary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Porsche is third in the FIA World Endurance Manufacturer’s Championship (WEC) and second in the Weathertech Sportscar Manufacturer’s Championship (IMSA). For the June 9th race, Porsche features the usual two entries from the WEC Championship (#5 and 6) and a third one from the IMSA Championship with #75 on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Porsche brand.

📷 © Porsche. three LMDh hybrid Porsche 963 sporting an exclusive design.

Porsche presents its three LMDh hybrid prototypes at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans sporting an exclusive design. Fifteen stripes in seven different colors, which flow from the front and flare out at the rear of the Porsche 963, represent the core design element. To differentiate between the three racing cars, fins on each engine hood have different colors: black for the #5 car, white for the #6, and red for the third #75 Le Mans racer.

📷 © Porsche. three LMDh hybrid Porsche 963 sporting an exclusive design.

The #5 Porsche 963 line-up for Le Mans includes the permanent drivers from the FIA WEC, Dane Cameron, Frédéric Makowiecki and Michael Christensen. Sharing driving duties in the #6 sister car are the WEC drivers André Lotterer, Kévin Estre and Laurens Vanthoor. Felipe Nasr, Nick Tandy and Mathieu Jaminet share the #75 cockpit. Source: Porsche

Porsche 963 in WEC championship prior to Le Mans

With a P3 at Portimao, P4 at Spa and P5 at Sebring, Porsche Penske Motorsport is 3rd in the FIA Endurance Manufacturers’ Championship, 2 points ahead of Cadillac Racing but 15 points behind Ferrari.

1000 Miles of Sebring

📷 © Luc Warnotte at 1000 Miles of Sebring 2023. Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963.

Porsche Penske Motorsport concluded the very first race of the Porsche 963 in WEC with P5 and P6 at the 1000 miles of Sebring. #5 was penalized by a drive-through penalty at the beginning of the fourth hour due to a regulation infraction during a full course yellow which shuffled the trio down the field, and sister #6 suffered a fleeting electrical issue which threw the racing vehicle back one position behind their teammates’ Porsche 963.

6 Hours of Portimao

At Portimão Porsche 963 #6 earned its first podium in the WEC Championship but sister #5 had a problem involving the power steering forcing the #5 hypercar into the pits for a longer repair stop to end P10 in class, 33 laps behind the winners and P22 overall.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at 6 Hours of Portimao 2023. Porsche 963 # and #6.

6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Spa-Francorchamps. #5 Porsche 963 ended fourth.

Michael Christensen, Dane Cameron and Frédéric Makowiecki with #5 Porsche 963 ended fourth after suffering difficulties with the electric clutch control during Christensen’s first stint. Makowiecki moved back from sixth to third thanks to an SC but couldn’t resist to the #51 Ferrari due to the deteriorating performance of the rear tires.

Porsche 969 #6 was second ahead of Toyota #8 in P3 during 13 laps until a complete loss of electrical power stranded Vanthoor at the last curve before Pit access.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Spa-Francorchamps. #38 Hertz Team Jota's Porsche 963.

Newcomer in the World Endurance Championship is Hertz Team Jota's Porsche 963 Hypercar. The Hertz Team Jota took possession of its Porsche 963 less than a week before the 6 hours of Spa-Francorchamps. A promising debut of the privateer team who qualified seventh and finished sixth with reigning Le Mans 24 Hours LMP2 and World Endurance Championship winners, António Félix da Costa and Will Stevens joined by Yifei Ye.

Porsche 963 in IMSA championship prior to Le Mans

Nick Tandy and Mathieu Jaminet are leading the Weathertech drivers’ championship with Porsche 963 #6 and Porsche is second in the Weathertech drivers’ championship after four rounds so far.

Rolex 24 at Daytona

The debut of Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 in the 61st running of the 24 Hours of Daytona ended with a P14 overall result for the #7 race car of Felipe Nasr, Matt Campbell and Michael Christensen (34 laps behind the winners).

12 hours of Sebring

*📷 © Luc Warnotte. Nick Tandy Mathieu Jaminet and Dane Cameron with #6 Porsche 963*

Nick Tandy, Mathieu Jaminet and Dane Cameron with #6 Porsche 963 ended third of the GTP class of 12 Hours of Sebring 2023 after a specular collision with #10 Acura resulting in sister #7 ending fifth.

Long Beach spring

Porsche Penske Motorsport celebrated its first victory with the Porsche 963 hybrid prototype scoring a double podium at round three of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The #6 car driven by Nick Tandy and Mathieu Jaminet came out on top in the 100-minute sprint through the streets of Long Beach, and their team colleagues Matt Campbell and Felipe Nasr took the flag in third place with the #7 car.

Laguna Seca sprint

📷 © Porsche. Another podium for #6 Porsche 963..

Porsche Penske Motorsport has achieved another podium result in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. At the wheel of the #6 Porsche 963, Nick Tandy and Mathieu Jaminet secured a second place at round four in Laguna Seca. After their win at Long Beach, the tandem increased its lead in the drivers’ championship.