Porsche Reunites with Team Penske
Porsche and Team Penske have announced they will collaborate to take sports car racing to the next level. The companies will team up as Porsche Penske Motorsport and field cars in the new LMDh prototype class in 2023.
Two of their cars will compete in the IMSA SportsCar Championship, which features the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring. Two additional cars will compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship, which features the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
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These are the most prestigious events in endurance racing. Thanks to the IMSA’s new LMDh prototype class, which mirrors the FIA’s new Hypercar class, it is finally possible for manufacturers to compete in each of them using the same racing car.
Porsche and Penske aim to kick off this new era of endurance racing with a bang by reigniting one of the most fruitful partnerships in motorsport history. The two have collaborated twice in the past — in the 1970s with the Porsche 917 and in the 2000s with the Porsche RS Spyder, both times enjoying great success.
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Photo: Porsche
“This is a proud day for our entire Penske organization,” said Roger Penske, Chairman of Team Penske. “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.”
Though the new Hypercar prototypes have already completed their first official race, the LMDh class in which Porsche will compete won’t be around until 2023. With a long list of interested parties, it may be the start of a golden era of endurance racing.
Kurt Verlin was born in France and lives in the United States. Throughout his life he was always told French was the language of romance, but it was English he fell in love with. He likes cats, music, cars, 30 Rock, Formula 1, and pretending to be a race car driver in simulators; but most of all, he just likes to write about it all. See more articles by Kurt.