There is tense anticipation at Porsche Motorsport ahead of the climax of the 2023 long-distance racing season. At the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 10-11, three Porsche 963s from the factory team will start in the supercar class. Customer Hertz Team Jota sends another Porsche 963. In the GTE-Am category, five private teams field a total of eight 911 RSRs. Before the 100-year-old long-distance classic takes off, the Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia, together with the Porsche Carrera Cup France, warms the crowds with a starting field of more than 60 911 GT3 Cups.
On the 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 75th anniversary of the sports car brand from Stuttgart, Porsche Motorsport has a clear goal: to achieve overall victory at the Circuit de la Sarthe. To maximize its chances in the highly competitive new supercar class, factory team Porsche Penske Motorsport is introducing a third hybrid prototype from the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Series in North America, in addition to the two permanent FIA WEC Series cars. The 700-horsepower LMDh racing cars driven by the factory team wear a special livery that pays homage to Porsche’s historic success at Le Mans.
– Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President of Porsche Motorsport, stated that the centenary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans race is a very important event, especially for Porsche. Our brand turns 75 years old this year. No other manufacturer can look back on such a successful history at Le Mans as Porsche. We’ve won 19 overall and 110 class victories – and that’s certainly not the end of the story: we’re aiming for our 20th victory at La Sarthe!
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The circuit that surrounds the city of Le Mans, with a population of 150,000, consists mainly of public roads. Typically, hundreds of trucks and cars cross the legendary Mulsanne every day on the way from Le Mans to Tours. Porsche’s fast corners are both famous and infamous: high speeds and sometimes no exit zones present particular challenges and guarantee spectacular racing action. The French long-distance championship is crucial to the world championship season: the FIA WEC awards double points for placing at Le Mans – the winner gets 50 points instead of 25 in the world championship.
Porsche team and drivers
The two FIA WEC Porsche 963s are driven by the same drivers as before in the 2023 season. Dane Cameron of the USA, Michael Christensen of Denmark and French domestic champion Frédéric Makowiecki share car number. 5. Three-time Le Mans winner Andre Lotterer is in car no. 6 with Laurens Vanthoor from Belgium and Kévin Estre from France. IMSA drivers Brazil’s Philippe Nasr, France’s Mathieu Jamenet, and England’s Le Mans winner Nick Tandy share the third factory car. 75. Customer Team Drivers Hertz Team Jota Car No. 38, fourth car Porsche 963, factory driver Antonio Felix da Costa of Portugal, Will Stevens of Great Britain, Weifei Ye of China.
Of a total of eight Porsche 911 RSR starts in the GTE-Am class, factory driver Richard Lietz will compete in Proton No. 911. The Austrian shares the car with Martin Rump of Estonia and Hollywood actor Michael Fassbender. Among the privately owned teams we find former Porsche Junior drivers Julien Andlauer (France) and Matteo Cairoli (Italy). Iron Dames teams up with Belgium’s Sarah Bovey, former DTM driver Rachel Frey of Switzerland and Michel Gatting of Denmark.
Porsche Carrera Le Mans Cup
Porsche Carrera Cup Le Mans is the name of the second race of the year in Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia. The premiere at the Scandinavian Racecourse in Anderstorp is set for mid-May. In association with the Porsche Carrera Cup France, the legendary Circuit de la Sarthe, approximately 13.6 kilometers long, awaits at Le Mans, where the two racing series work together to warm up the crowds before the start of the legendary 24-hour race. A total of 63 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup starts in the Porsche Carrera Le Mans Cup, 17 of them from the Scandinavian Championship. Seasoned with standout drivers Dylan Pereira and Dennis Hugger, the usual starting field for the championship is complete with a few exceptions. That means five-time Series Champion Lucas Sundal is up there, as well as Series leader Hampus Ericsson and all the others.
The Porsche Carrera Le Mans Cup is broadcast live on Viaplay. At 10am on Saturday 10th June, commentator Robin Nilsson and expert Bjorn Werdein kicked off the conversation before the race started at 10:45am. Anyone interested can also follow the race via the live timing of the competition. Log in to www.carreracup.se And click on “Live Timing”.
Overview of teams and drivers
Hypercar (Porsche 963):
Porsche Penske Motorsport (5th place): Dane Cameron (USA), Michael Christensen (DK), Frederick Makowski (F)
Porsche Penske Motorsport (#6): Kevin Esther (F), Andre Lotterer (D), Lorenz Vanthoor (M)
Porsche Penske Motorsport (#75): Philippe Nasr (Brazil), Mathieu Jamenet (F), Nick Tandy (GBR)
Hertz Jota Team (No. 38): Antonio Felix da Costa (P), William Stephens (GBR), Yifei Ye (CHN)
GTE-Am (Porsche 911 RSR):
Proton Competition (#16): Ryan Hardwicke (USA), Zachary Robichon (CDN), Jean Helen (M)
Draft 1 – AO (#56): PJ Hyett (USA), Gunnar Jeanette (USA), Matteo Cairoli (I)
Iron Links (No. 60): Claudio Schiavone (1st), Matteo Crissoni (1st), Alessio Piccariello (M)
Dempsey-Proton Racing (No. 77): Kristian Reed (Democratic), Mikkel Pedersen (Democratic), Julian Andlauer (female)
Iron Dames (No. 85): Sarah Povey (m), Michelle Gatting (dk), Rachel Frey (ch)
GR Racing (No. 86): Michael Wainwright (GB), Ben Barker (GB), Riccardo Pera (I)
Proton Contest (No. 88): Harry Tincknell (GBR), Jonas Reid (Democrat), Don Yount (USA)
Proton Contest (#911): Michael Fassbender (IRL), Martin Ramp (EST), Richard Lietz (A)
Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavian Porsche Carrera Cup Le Mans (911 GT3 Cup):
#101 Lucas Sundal, Micke Kågered Racing
#109 Thomas Carlson, Mtech Competition
#114 Daniel Ross, Fargos Motorsport
#117 Gustav Bergstrom M3G Motorsport
#120 Ola Nilsson, Mtech Competition
#121 Kjell Legonkrans, Gelleråsen Racing Team – By AFR
#122 Albin Wernilov, Micke Kågered Racing
#123 Dennis Hueger, Porsche Experience Racing
#131 Hampus Ericsson, M3G Motorsport
#132 Robin Knutson, WCR-Pampas Racing
#142 Christopher Bergstrom, WCR-Pampas Racing
#145 Emil Persson, M3G Motorsport
#148 Mikael Carlsson, Micke Kågered Racing
#161 Marcus Anervi, Race Team Gelleråsen – By AFR
#182 Axel Lund-Svindal, Porsche Experience Racing
#191 Oscar Lovequist, Kjellin Motorsports
#192 Dylan Pereira, Mtech Competition
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