24h Le Mans
Reigning Formula E world champion Pascal Wehrlein is set to make his 24 Hours of Le Mans début in this year’s race (11-15 June). Having joined the Porsche Penske Motorsport team, the German will share the wheel of the #4 Porsche 963 with Felipe Nasr and Nick Tandy.
After familiarising himself with the Porsche 963 in January’s 24 Hours of Daytona with JDC-Miller MotorSports, Pascal Wehrlein is ready to face a whole new challenge in the French endurance classic. He is joining a top-notch line-up alongside three-time IMSA champion Felipe Nasr and 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Nick Tandy. Veteran Tandy has 12 Le Mans starts under his belt (nine in a Porsche) while Nasr is preparing to make his sixth appearance in the race.
Porsche Motorsport Vice President Thomas Laudenbach says Wehrlein’s inclusion in the line-up is a no-brainer. “The Porsche driver roster is absolutely top-tier and incredibly deep,” he enthuses. “Pascal Wehrlein has fully convinced us with his performance in testing and his participation in the 24 Hours of Daytona. As the reigning Formula E World Champion, he has earned his Le Mans debut at the wheel of a Porsche 963.”
Taking the wheel of the Porsche 963 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans is an accomplishment for the 30-year-old German. “Competing for Porsche Penske Motorsport at Le Mans is a dream come true for me,” Wehrlein insists. “I'm looking forward to this major challenge because, unlike in Formula E, I have to share everything in the Porsche 963 that I would normally tailor specifically to myself: seating position, setup, strategy, and more. My primary goal is to do a strong job for the team and learn as much as possible.”
Unlike rookie Wehrlein, his Formula E teammate António Félix da Costa is a familiar face at the race. The Portuguese driver will line up in an Oreca 07-Gibson LMP2 this year, his seventh 24 Hours of Le Mans appearance. After winning the class in 2022, he hopes his experience and determination will put his team in with a shout of top spot once again. “I am very happy to be back at Le Mans after one year’s absence,” he says. “In my last LMP2 appearance, I won the class. That’s my goal again this year.”
With Wehrlein at the wheel of the #4 Porsche 963 alongside Nasr and Tandy, Porsche Penske Motorsport is banking on a solid, complementary trio to clinch its 20th overall win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
