KyraSage
As one season ends and we prepare for another, driver changes are sweeping through the paddock like the wind. The latest to announce a change is Porsche Penske Motorsports.
The first change comes in departing drivers. Four time IMSA Champion Dane Cameron and three time Le Mans winner Andre Lotterer’s contracts with the successful Porsche 963 program come to an end at the end of this year. Meanwhile, Frederic Makowiecki and Porsche Motorsports have agreed to end their collaboration after eleven years.
Another change for 2025 includes just two drivers regularly contesting the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), with a third driver to be added for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The WEC squad features the No. 5 Porsche 963 and No. 6. The 5 will be wheeled by Michael Christensen and newly promoted, former Porsche Junior driver Julien Andlauer with Mathieu Jaminet earmarked to be the third driver. The sister car, No. 6, will have Laurens Vanthoor and Kevin Estre behind the wheel with Matt Campbell as the third.
Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport, had this to say, “I’d like to thank Dane Cameron, Andre Lotterer and Frederic Makowiecki for their incredible work over the past few years. All three have plated a significant role in us being able to celebrate great successes with the Porsche 963 on both sides of the Atlantic – in just the second year of competition. We compete in 2025 with a changed lineup. Our squad continues to be among the top echelons of endurance racing internationally. Plus, we’re remaining dedicated to our very successful initiative by supporting another former Porsche Junior to climb to the top of the career ladder. Over the past few seasons, Julien Andlauer has impressed us at the wheel of every Porsche racing car. He absolutely deserves this promotion into the works driver squad.”
On the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA), side, Mathieu Jaminet and Matt Campbell with helm the No. 6 hybrid prototype. The pair has proven successful in the past when they claimed the IMSA GTD Pro class championship in 2022. The No. 7 car, will be shared by defending IMSA champion Felipe Nasr and Nick Tandy, the 2015 Le Mans overall winner with Porsche. Kevin Estre and Laurens Vanthoor have been tapped to support the IMSA team at select Michelin Endurance Cup races.
“We put much thought into our squad for next season’s international racing campaign. With the new lineup, I believe we’ve put together a winning combination for 2025,” Urs Kuratle, Director Factory Motorsport LMDh, explained. “We’ll have two very experienced drivers in both series, plus two drivers in sister cars, all of whom have come up through the ranks of Porsche’s junior program and completely won us over as talented youngsters. I’d also like to thank Dane Cameron, Andre Lotterer and Frederic Makowiecki. All three have contributed to getting the Porsche Penske Motorsport campaign to where it snow stands in global endurance racing: at the top.”
FIA WEC 2025 Driver Lineup:
Porsche 963 No. 5: Julien Andlauer, Michael Christensen, *Mathieu Jaminet
Porsche 963 No. 6: Kevin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor, *Matt Campbell
IMSA 2025 Driver Lineup:
Porsche 963 No. 6: Matt Campbell, Mathieu Jaminet, *Kevin Estre
Porsche 963 No. 7: Felipe Nasr, Nick Tandy, *Laurens Vanthoor
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