Porsche Announces 2026 Motorsport Strategy at Night of Champions
At the Night of Champions in Stuttgart, Porsche outlined its ambitious plans for the 2026 motorsport season, confirming participation in several key racing series, notably the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Key Highlights:
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IMSA Participation: Porsche Penske Motorsport aims for a third consecutive title in the GTP class. The driver lineup features Kévin Estre and Laurens Vanthoor in the #6 Porsche 963, while Julien Andlauer partners with Felipe Nasr in the #7 car. Support drivers for the endurance races will include Matt Campbell and Laurin Heinrich.
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WEC Engagement: Porsche confirmed it will field the new 911 GT3 R in the LMGT3 class, continuing its legacy in top-tier endurance racing. However, there was no mention of customer support for the 963 in WEC, raising questions about Proton Competition’s future.
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Driver Changes: Former Porsche Junior drivers Laurin Heinrich and reigning DTM champion Ayhancan Güven have been promoted to works status, replacing António Félix da Costa and Mathieu Jaminet. Veteran drivers Nick Tandy and Michael Christensen retain their positions despite the exit from the LMDh program.
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New Developments: Porsche will introduce the 911 Cup one-make racer based on the 992.2-generation 911, set to compete in various regional series including the Mobil 1 Supercup and Carrera Cups worldwide.
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Promoting Young Talent: Marcus Amand and Flynt Schuring have been named Porsche Junior drivers, receiving financial support and training in their racing careers.
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2025 Recap: Porsche Motorsport experienced a successful year, achieving titles in Formula E and IMSA while narrowly missing the WEC world championship, finishing just 14 seconds behind at Le Mans.
Quotes from Leadership:
Dr. Michael Steiner, Member of Porsche AG’s Executive Board, emphasized the close tie between Porsche and motorsport: “With the Cup version of the 911, we are building one of the most successful and best-selling customer racing cars worldwide.”
Thomas Laudenbach, Head of Porsche Motorsport, noted the strategic repositioning for the 2026 season: “Now we have repositioned ourselves and are starting afresh… The 2026 season will be more exciting than almost any other before.”
Officially Contracted Drivers for 2026:
- Works Drivers: Julien Andlauer, Matt Campbell, Kévin Estre, Ayhancan Güven, Laurin Heinrich, and more.
- Contracted Drivers: Dorian Boccolacci, Michelle Gatting, Alessandro Ghiretti, and others.
As the motorsport landscape evolves, Porsche remains committed to both competition and nurturing upcoming talent, setting the stage for an exhilarating 2026 season.
