Penske’s Pursuit: Aiming for Le Mans Glory in 2025
Roger Penske, a titan in the motorsports industry, continues his illustrious career with a focus on achieving a long-sought victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This year, his team, Porsche Penske Motorsport, has already celebrated significant achievements, clinching victories in both the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Driver Nick Tandy’s performance in these races has positioned him as a potential contender for the Endurance Crown, having secured multiple iconic endurance wins.
As the current IMSA season unfolds, Porsche Penske stands solidly in first and second place in the championship, showcasing a dominant performance with their GTP class cars. Historically, Penske has faced challenges related to logistics and regulatory compliance for American teams at Le Mans, contributing to his elusive quest for victory at the iconic event.
Penske first entered the Le Mans arena as a driver in 1961, and later as a team owner in 1971, but both attempts ended prematurely. Despite periodic discussions of a return, it wasn’t until 2023 that his new team and updated technologies aligned to re-enter the Le Mans competition with a Le Mans Hypercar prototype.
In 2023, the team performed admirably, finishing fourth with their #75 entry and earning a hyperpole position for the 2024 event. For the upcoming 2025 race, the team plans to field three entries featuring a stack of experienced drivers: Julien Andlauer, Michael Christensen, Kevin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor, Mathieu Jaminet, Matt Campbell, and the formidable duo of Tandy and Felipe Nasr, supported by defending Formula E champion Pascal Wehrlein.
As Tandy stated succinctly, “If the stars align, the stars align.” With a well-prepared car and a roster of accomplished drivers, 2025 could be the year Penske finally captures the victory at Le Mans, affirming his legacy in motorsport history at the remarkable age of 88.
