Written by Evan Veer
Porsche Formula E driver Pascal Wehrlein has been named as the final driver in the no.4 Porsche Penske Hypercar for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, marking the German driver’s debut at the endurance classic.
"Competing for Porsche Penske Motorsport at Le Mans is a dream come true for me,” Wehrlein explained, “I’m looking forward to this major challenge because, unlike in Formula E, I have to share everything in the Porsche 963 that I would normally tailor specifically to myself: seating position, setup, strategy, and more.”
The reigning Formula E world champion will be accompanied by a pair of reigning Daytona winners: three-time IMSA champion Felipe Nasr and 2015 Le Mans winner Nick Tandy. The no.4 Penske joins the two full-time WEC factory cars as a special entry for Le Mans courtesy of Porsche’s 2024 IMSA championship victory.
Wehrlein had been linked to a seat in Porsche’s LMDh squad in the past but only made his debut this January at Daytona, filling in as the fourth driver in the JDC Miller customer Porsche 963. While Porsche previously mentioned they already had a shortlist of candidates for the final Le Mans seat, his showing at Daytona has shown the team that he is ready for the most prestigious race of the year.
Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President of Porsche Motorsport, said: “Pascal Wehrlein has fully convinced us with his performance in testing and his participation in the 24 Hours of Daytona. As the reigning Formula E World Champion, he has earned his Le Mans debut at the wheel of a Porsche 963.”
After winning championships in both IMSA and the WEC last year and taking the crown at Daytona two years in a row Le Mans is left standing as the biggest challenge left unconquered by the Porsche Penske team. As the manufacturer with the most overall victories in the French endurance classic there is no doubt Porsche has its sights firmly set on making sure the 963 joins the list of Le Mans winners very soon, though with a record equaling 23 top class entries this will be far from easy.
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