Porsche leading all three Hypercars' championships

WECHyperCar

Jul 11

With two victories in the first four rounds of the World Endurance Championship (WEC), Porsche is leading the Manufacturer’s Championship while #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport team is leading the drivers’ championship ahead of the 6 Hours of Sao Paulo.

Porsche Penske and Hertz Team JOTA wins so far

Kévin Estre, André Lotterer and Laurens Vanthoor crossed the finish line first at the wheel of the #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 the first round of the World Endurance Championship (Qatar 1812). Hertz Team JOTA Porsche #12 wins its first WEC Hypercar race with Callum Illott and Will Stevens at the 6 Hours of Spa (3rd round).

5 Porsche 963 at Interlagos

Porsche Penske Motorsport will compete with two 512 kW (696 PS) Porsche 963 and customer teams Hertz Team Jota and Proton Competition campaign three more hybrid prototypes at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace in Interlagos that will host the 6 hours of São Paulo.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at 6 Hours of Imola (Porsche #5), 6 Hours of Spa (Porsche #6 and #12), Qatar 1812 (#38 and #99).

Porsche won at Interlagos 10 years ago

📷 © Luc Warnotte at 6 Hours of Spa: André Lotterer (left), Laurens Vanthoor (center) and Kévin Estre (right)

Porsche Penske Motorsport aims to continue its stellar performances from the first three rounds of the season in South America. The sports car manufacturer returns to Brazil with great memories: at the last WEC race in Interlagos a decade ago, the Porsche team at that time secured its first-ever win with the 919 Hybrid. The works team is now determined to achieve a similar result next weekend. Porsche tackles the race as the leader of the manufacturers’ world championship, with customer squad Hertz Team Jota and works drivers Kévin Estre, André Lotterer and Laurens Vanthoor at the top of the team and driver points table.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Spa-Francorchamps 2024. **Kévin Estre, André Lotterer and Laurens Vanthoor** with #6 Porsche 963 lead the World Endurance Drivers Championship after a win at Qatar 1812, two P2 at Imola and Spa and a P4 at Le Mans.

André Lotterer (Porsche 963 #6):“I drove the Audi LMP1 car in São Paulo back in the early days of the FIA WEC. I won in 2013, and the year before I finished on the podium in second. It’s wonderful to go back there now. Brazil has a fantastic motor racing culture. A lot of famous drivers come from there. The fans are always upbeat. It’s great fun. I’d like to win there again – preferably next weekend with my teammates Kévin Estre and Laurens Vanthoor and the team. We want to move a step closer to the title."

📷 © Luc Warnotte at the **6 Hours of Imola** 2024. Porsche Penske Motorsport #5 with Matt Campbell, Michael Christensen, Frédéric Makowiecki.

Michael Christensen (Porsche 963 #5): “We’d have loved to have climbed the podium at Le Mans but unfortunately, that wasn’t to be. What’s the best way to forget disappointments? Get in the car, race again and win! This is my first São Paulo event and I’m excited. Some teams competed there ten years ago – but not with the current cars and the latest generation of tyres. What’s more, the track has changed quite a bit since then. So, we have many new things to discover. That’s good.”

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Spa-Francorchamps 2024. **Hertz Team Jota #12** driven by Will Stevens, Callum Ilott and Norman Nato are currently leading the FIA Endurance Trophy Hypercar Teams.

Callum Ilott (Porsche 963 #12): “It’s incredibly cool to be heading down to Brazil for the next leg of the championship. Interlagos is such a special track with a long motorsport heritage. There are many passionate fans there who live and breathe motorsport. I think the race itself will be really exciting and eventful as it’s quite a tight, challenging track. Fans can look forward to some action-packed racing. I’m really looking forward to it.” Source: Porsche

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Le Mans 2024. Hertz Team Jota #38 with Jenson Button, Phil Hanson and Oliver Rasmussen (left). Proton Competition #99 with Julien Andlauer and Neel Jani.

Jenson Button (Porsche 963 #38): “I’m looking forward to heading back to Interlagos. I was last there eight years ago, but I have so many happy memories of the circuit. It was there that I scored my first points in Formula 1 back in 2000 with sixth place. I also won the World Championship there in 2009 as well as my last Grand Prix in 2012. That’s what makes this place so iconic for me personally. The Brazilian fans are fantastic, and so passionate – they love their motorsport. As drivers, we really enjoy the track, it’s flowing and fast. The multi-class racing in the WEC means lots of overtaking. It’s going to be extremely challenging in a good way.”

Neel Jani (Porsche 963 #99): “I last competed in São Paulo exactly ten years ago. It was an unforgettable weekend for me and my teammates Marc Lieb and Romain Dumas in the LMP1 car. We clinched our very first victory with the Porsche 919 Hybrid. What great memories. The track has a very tight infield. Lapping slower traffic is particularly tricky there. We hope to build on our Spa-Francorchamps performance. Le Mans was less than ideal, so we aim to do better this time.”

Schedule

Track action begins on Friday 12 July with two 90-minute free practice sessions. The starting grid will be decided on Saturday from 3.10pm local time (8.10pm CEST) with qualifying and Hyperpole while the race begins at 11.30am (4.30pm CEST) on Sunday 14 July.