Porsche and Team Penske to collaborate in upcoming Hypercar programme
Porsche Motorsport and Team Penske have agreed to collaborate closely in fielding its new vehicle that will be compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship‘s Hypercar category from 2023.
The successful US team will work together with the experts from Weissach to run factory entries in the FIA WEC and the North American IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Under the name of Porsche Penske Motorsport, two of the vehicles will compete for overall victories in the top class of each of the two racing series. The contract between the sports car manufacturer from Stuttgart and the US racing team, which was founded in 1966, will run for a number of years.
A statement to this effect was signed by Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG, Michael Steiner, Member of the Executive Board for Research and Development and Roger Penske, Chairman of Team Penske.
Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG: "We are delighted that we were able to get Team Penske to form this partnership. For the first time in the history of Porsche Motorsport, our company will have a global team competing in the world's two largest endurance series. To this end, we will be setting up team bases on both sides of the Atlantic. This will enable us to create the optimal structures we will need to take overall victories at Le Mans, Daytona and Sebring, for example."
Fritz Enzinger, Head of Porsche Motorsport: "Porsche and Penske share a proven track record of success. This partnership had a lasting impact from 2006 to 2008 on what was then the American Le Mans Series. Team Penske has made a name for itself with an almost unparalleled success story in motorsport. In the long list of victories to date, however, the name Le Mans has been missing. I hope that we will finally be able to chalk up this success as of 2023 with Porsche Penske Motorsport. This would then mark Porsche's 20th overall victory at the Sarthe - a dream come true."
Roger Penske: “This is a proud day for our entire Penske organisation. We have represented Porsche on the track or in our businesses for more than six decades. The heritage and success we have enjoyed together is unparalleled throughout our history. I can’t wait to get started as we build a global racing program with Porsche that will compete for wins and championships well into the future.”
Richard Mille, President of the FIA Endurance Commission: "Today’s announcement gives everyone who has an interest in endurance racing reasons to be satisfied. I said that before, a lot of risk was undertaken with the development of the Hypercar concept and to see all these iconic names joining the fray is simply fantastic. Penske, just like Porsche, has had a great success story in motor racing that goes back to the Can-Am era. I’m very much looking forward to the next chapter of that story in the Hypercar category."
Frédéric Lequien, WEC CEO: “To have such a prestigious motorsport name such as Team Penske joining forces with Porsche Motorsport to compete in the new Hypercar category is simply fantastic news. There is little doubt that the pairing will be a formidable duo and again underlines the building excitement around our new Hypercar category and the promising future that is ahead for the WEC.”