Click it and Unblock the Notifications
Porsche Penske Motorsport Targets Championship Defence At Sebring Endurance Race
Porsche Penske Motorsport aims to maintain its lead in the 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. After winning at Daytona, the team is focused on success at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring with two Porsche 963 cars. Additionally, JDC-Miller MotorSports and Proton Competition will enter two hybrid prototypes in the GTP class. In GT categories, four Porsche 911 GT3 R cars will compete.
The Twelve Hours of Sebring, scheduled for March 15, marks its 73rd edition. During February's official IMSA test, Porsche Penske Motorsport prepared extensively for this endurance race. Matt Campbell achieved the fastest lap in the No. 6 Porsche 963 during the two-day session. The team faces tough competition this year, with Aston Martin joining IMSA’s top category.
Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President of Porsche Motorsport, commented on the challenges ahead: "The 24 Hours of Daytona was a hard-fought battle over the full race distance, and we expect nothing less for the second round at Sebring." He added that facing new competitors like Aston Martin makes victories more valuable and that all Porsche teams are eager for success at Sebring.
Urs Kuratle, Director Factory Motorsport LMDh, explained their preparation: "During recent test sessions at Sebring, we continued working on the optimal setup for the Sebring International Raceway – with its notorious bumps, which gave us quite a challenge last year." He noted that while test results were promising, they don't reveal much about race competitiveness.
Porsche has a storied history at Sebring with 18 overall victories. Between 1976 and 1988, they secured 13 consecutive wins. Their last overall victory came in 2008 when Timo Bernhard and teammates drove a Penske-run Porsche RS Spyder to victory against superior LMP1 prototypes.
The challenging Sebring track is known for its harsh conditions on both drivers and vehicles. The circuit runs partly over an old military airfield with concrete slabs making up about 30% of its surface. These conditions make it an ideal preparation ground for Le Mans.
Driver Lineup and Expectations
Factory drivers Matt Campbell from Australia, Mathieu Jaminet and Kévin Estre from France will share duties in car No. 6. Felipe Nasr from Brazil and Nick Tandy from the UK will join Laurens Vanthoor from Belgium in car No. 7. Proton Competition’s car features Neel Jani from Switzerland alongside Chilean Nico Pino and Frenchman Tristan Vautier.
In GTD Pro class, AO Racing’s "Rexy" will be driven by Laurin Heinrich from Germany and Klaus Bachler from Austria with Alessio Picariello from Belgium. Proton Competition’s identical car includes Richard Lietz from Austria with Italians Claudio Shiavoni and Matteo Cressoni.
Quotes From Drivers
Matt Campbell shared his thoughts: "Sebring isn’t just special because of the brutal bumps. The race itself is one of the highlights of the year." He emphasized their strong preparation following a full endurance test last year.
Felipe Nasr expressed enthusiasm: "After our fantastic season opener win at Daytona... I can’t wait to get back in the Porsche and fight for another win." He acknowledged Sebring as one of the toughest races due to its relentless bumps and changing conditions.
GT Categories
Wright Motorsports aims high after a podium finish at Daytona with Elliott Skeer and Adam Adelson teaming up with Tom Sargent for Sebring. Iron Dames’ pink-liveried car features Michelle Gatting from Denmark alongside Rahel Frey from Switzerland and Belgian Sarah Bovy aiming to make an impact.
Nico Müller expressed gratitude: "First of all I would like to thank JDC-Miller MotorSports... I am very excited to be completing my first laps in the Porsche 963." He looks forward to racing at such a prestigious event as his first Twelve Hours of Sebring.
Porsche's Ambitions
Jonathan Diuguid stated their clear goal: "We’re still chasing our first win there... Our clear goal: we want to take the win at this prestigious event." Following their triumph at Daytona they are eager for another victory.
The event schedule includes practice sessions starting March 13 leading up to qualifying rounds on March 14 before culminating in race day on March 15 where teams will compete over twelve hours around Sebring International Raceway’s challenging layout.
Continue with Google