Porsche Has “Short List” of Drivers for Third Hypercar Entry

Photo: Porsche

Porsche has a “short list” of drivers tabbed for its planned third Penske 963 entry for the 24 Hours of Le Mans according to its motorsport boss Thomas Laudenbach, who has hinted that one of its ABB FIA Formula E World Championship pilots could be pressed into service.

The German manufacturer, which has reduced its works LMDh driver lineup from ten to eight drivers, has one open seat in its earmarked third Porsche 963 for Le Mans alongside IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship co-drivers Felipe Nasr and Nick Tandy.

It secured a third invite to the race by winning the IMSA GTP title last year.

Speaking to selected reporters at last month’s Rolex 24 at Daytona, Laudenbach revealed they are narrowing in on the final driver, as well as its reserve driver, for the French endurance classic.

“We don’t have a problem with drivers,” he said.

“As an example, we have Formula E drivers, some of them already did endurance racing. We’ve got so many other skilled GT drivers so I think we have enough choices to do that if it happens we will have a third competitive car.”

When asked if four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel is out of the equation, having been previous not ruled out by LMDh factory director Urs Kuratle, Laudenbach said: “I don’t know.”

Sportscar365 understands that reigning Formula E champion Pascal Wehrlein, who made his top-class prototype debut in the recent Rolex 24 with customer squad JDC-Miller Motorsports, is the leading contender for the final seat.

However, newly contracted Porsche driver Nico Mueller, who also drives in Formula E, could be an option as well as Antonio Felix da Costa, who has nearly a season under his belt in Hertz Team JOTA’s Porsche 963 in 2023.

Second Proton Porsche 963 Possible for Le Mans

Proton Competition, meanwhile, is believed to waiting on word from the ACO selection committee on whether it will receive a second Hypercar entry for Le Mans alongside its full-season WEC car.

Team boss Christian Ried wouldn’t confirm nor deny whether the German privateer squad has submitted an additional entry request but indicated if it does run two cars at Le Mans, it would likely purchase a third 963.

This is because the team is already committed to the full IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup season with its U.S.-based car, which is confirmed for the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen that takes place the week after Le Mans.

When asked by Sportscar365 if Porsche is able to supply an additional 963 to Proton, Laudenbach said: “Do they want a third car?”

He added: “If somebody comes to us and approaches us for another car, whoever it is, we sit together, we look at the situation and it’s definitely not only that, ‘Do we have a car?’ It needs to be a proper package.

“I cannot answer with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’. We can do a lot but it’s not only about ‘do we have parts or the support.’ It’s about, ‘Do we think that the entire program of adding a car to a program makes sense.”

Kuratle added that it’s “not clear” the total number of cars each Hypercar manufacturer will be able to have in the race this year.

“That’s something the ACO has to answer,” he said.

Cadillac, for instance, is understood to be pursuing four entries between its two WEC season-long JOTA entries, along with an entry apiece from its WeatherTech Championship teams Action Express Racing and Wayne Taylor Racing.