Porsche tackles 12 Hrs of Sebring as record winner

📷 © Luc Warnotte at ROLEX 24 winning Porsche 963 #7

After its success at the season opener in Daytona, the works team travels to Sebring leading the manufacturers’, team and drivers’ standings. Porsche also currently leads the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup manufacturers’ standings. This additional long-distance championship includes the longest races of the season – in Sebring and Daytona as well as the Watkins Glen and Indianapolis races and the season finale, “Petit Le Mans” at Road Atlanta.

An opportunity to break records

With 18 victories, Porsche is the undisputed record winner of the legendary 12-hour race in Central Florida. The last triumph for a racing car from Weissach was in 2008. Timo Bernhard from Germany and the two Frenchmen Romain Dumas and Emmanuel Collard won at the wheel of the Penske team’s Porsche RS Spyder against an armada of more powerful LMP1 prototypes.

With a win in Sebring, the Penske team would achieve another milestone: to date, Porsche’s American partner team has notched up a total of 99 victories and 99 pole positions in sports car racing.

Wins in both IMSA and WEC opening rounds

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Daytona left: winning Porsche 963 #7 at ROLEX 24; at Qatar right: winning Porsche 963 #6 at Qatar 1812.

Porsche Penske Motorsport is determined to continue its impressive streak in the 2024 season after clinching wins at the opening round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in Daytona and at the first race of this year’s FIA World Endurance Championship WEC in Qatar.

“Our team has gained a lot of confidence on both sides of the Atlantic at the start of the 2024 season,” grins Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport. “We can’t afford to rest on our laurels following our successes in Daytona and most recently the FIA WEC opener in Qatar. The team, car and driver squad are at the absolute top of their game – we’ve clearly shown that. Nevertheless, Sebring poses a serious challenge. The track characteristics are very different from Daytona or Qatar. Sebring is always a test of stamina for both man and machine – nothing comes for free there. We have to work with total concentration, be strategically clever and do a flawless job.”

At Sebring, the cards will be reshuffled

“It was fantastic to start the 2024 season with wins in both the IMSA Championship and the World Endurance Championship,” explains Urs Kuratle, Director Factory Motorsport LMDh. “We’re relieved to see that our measures to improve the team processes and the car are working. Due to the unique features of the Sebring circuit, the cards will be reshuffled. Despite our recent successes, we’re not the favourites at the starting line. Anything is possible in the IMSA endurance races – we saw that last year: Despite a lack of pace, we were suddenly on course for victory shortly before the chequered flag, only to lose it all. The pendulum can swing so quickly in either direction, we’re acutely aware of that.”

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Sebring 2023. Porsche 963 #7

The revered endurance race in Sebring is considered the ultimate endurance challenge for man and machine and also the perfect preparation for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. At no other circuit on the racing calendar does the technology have to withstand such high loads. One reason is the nature of the storied racetrack on the former military airfield. About a third of the racetrack consists of concrete slabs, with the hefty bumps posing a unique challenge. Due to this special feature, the racetrack is often mentioned on social media with the hashtag #RespectTheBumps.

The works cars

Three works drivers will crew each of the two Porsche 963 race cars fielded by Porsche Penske Motorsport in the 12-hour race. Mathieu Jaminet from France and Nick Tandy from Great Britain will share the wheel of the #6 car with Frenchman Frédéric Makowiecki. Felipe Nasr from Brazil and Dane Cameron from the USA will receive reinforcement from the Daytona and Bathurst winner Matt Campbell in the #7 sister car. The Australian also recently clinched the first pole position for the Porsche 963 in the World Endurance Championship in Qatar.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Daytona 2024: Porsche 963 #6

Mathieu Jaminet (Porsche 963 #6): “We had a long break after Daytona – I’m glad things are getting underway again. Unfortunately, our number 6 car didn’t have such a spectacular start to the season as the sister car did. We weren’t able to finish on the podium and score as many points so we still have a score to settle. Hopefully, everything runs smoothly in Sebring. We’ll compete knowing that our car and our team are well-prepared and in top form. Now, we’re ready to reap our well-earned rewards.”

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Sebring 2023: Porsche #7

Felipe Nasr (Porsche 963 #7): “We’d very much like to have a say in the overall victory again at Sebring. During our test in February, we ran through numerous setup variants. That was important and proved beneficial. The track is famous for its hard bumps. It puts us drivers under enormous strain and also puts the hardware under more stress than any other venue. We’re arriving at Sebring in top form. Our package is strong, and so is our driver line-up. I’m full of anticipation and confidence. We’ll tackle this next task step by step and with total focus.

The customer teams

In the top GTP class, the customer teams JDC-Miller MotorSports and Proton Competition field one Porsche 963 each.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Daytona 2024: #5 Proton Competition Porsche 963.

In the German team’s No. 5 car, works driver Gianmaria Bruni from Italy will share the cockpit with former Porsche Junior Julien Andlauer from France and Belgian Alessio Picariello.

Gianmaria Bruni (Porsche 963 #5): “On the one hand, I get slightly worried when I think about Sebring. Unlike all the other teams, we skipped the test – that’s a considerable disadvantage on such a unique circuit. On the other hand, I’m really looking forward to the next race and my drive in the Porsche 963: the car is simply marvellous. We want to get as close as possible to the level of the works team. In Sebring, I’ll be sharing the car with Alessio Picariello again. Julien Andlauer will also be on board for the first time. Both of them are young and fast. I think we’re very well positioned in this respect.”

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Daytona 2024: #85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963.

In the JDC-Miller MotorSports car (No. 85), Tijmen van der Helm from the Netherlands and the seasoned pro Richard Westbrook (UK) will be the regular drivers. They receive support at the endurance race in Florida from Phil Hanson (UK).

Richard Westbrook (Porsche 963 #85): “As one of the great classics of international endurance racing, Sebring is one of my favourite races on the IMSA calendar – there’s always a very special atmosphere there. The tradition and history are truly palpable. I won at Sebring in 2013 and came very close to another success in 2022 when I finished second with JDC-Miller. The track poses a huge challenge for both the car and driver, and the setup often gives the engineers a headache. Our tests at Sebring a few weeks ago were successful so that makes us confident. We’ve also enjoyed following Porsche and its customer teams’ recent successes. We’d like to contribute to continuing the great run so far this year.” Source: Porsche

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