The FIA WEC’s season finales in Bahrain have by no means failed to provide drama, with titles seemingly at all times on the road and the stress for underperforming groups and drivers to ship ratcheted up forward of the low season.
It’s usually an emotional event too, and this 12 months isn’t any totally different. Up and down the paddock there are a number of milestones to notice as eras come to an finish and new beginnings strategy.
A handful of them come at Porsche, which is gunning for a historic sweep of FIA WEC Hypercar titles with its manufacturing facility 963s within the hope of including to the Penske-run manufacturing facility outfit’s suite of successes in IMSA’s GTP class this 12 months.
Wanting past the championship battles, a highlight at present shines on its manufacturing facility driver roster as a result of change is afoot. Porsche’s choice to shift to competing with two drivers for the complete season in 2025 has led to 2 key departures and one key rent, with Andre Lotterer and Fred Makowiecki out and Julien Andlauer in.
Marshall Pruett lately described Dane Cameron’s scenario on the IMSA facet of the Porsche equation as “weird”. The American is one other driver from PPM’s steady who finds himself shifting on, regardless of successful the IMSA GTP Drivers’ title and the Rolex 24 this 12 months.
Lotterer finds himself in an eerily related place. Tomorrow, he’ll battle for the FIA WEC Hypercar Drivers’ title (and the Producers’ title) with Laurens Vanthoor and Kevin Estre in his closing outing for the manufacturing facility prototype workforce.
The 42-year-old German will depart Porsche Penske Motorsport on the conclusion of a extremely profitable, turnaround season for the model’s flagship sportscar program.
Thus far, the three-time Le Mans winner has helped the No. 6 963 seize victories at Qatar and Fuji, placing himself and his co-drivers 35 factors clear on the prime of the desk, which means he wields the possibility to finish 2024 on the very best of notes tomorrow.
Lotterer may echo IMSA counterpart Dane Cameron in successful a championship for Porsche on his manner out the door, however the three-time Le Mans winner is hoping to proceed his profession elsewhere subsequent 12 months. JEP/Motorsport Photographs
Wanting forward, Lotterer’s future within the sport isn’t clear, although he’s adamant that he isn’t prepared to hold up his helmet simply but. He’s understood to be in discussions with a number of producers for 2025 and past, and should even discover a touchdown spot with Porsche outdoors of the manufacturing facility Hypercar program.
“They (Porsche) made the choice (to not renew his 963 program contract) some time in the past, and I understood they have been going to stay to that no matter how the season went. They’ve their agenda, so I must give attention to mine and I sit up for persevering with,” he instructed RACER.
“After all there are alternatives with Porsche elsewhere, there’s loyalty as a result of I’ve been with the (VAG) group for a very long time, since 2010. The intention was at all times to develop outdated collectively, however the factor is, I don’t need to cease driving but. I need to determine when.
“It’s not a simple market although. There are a variety of drivers, it’s exhausting to search out someplace that ticks all of the packing containers and has a powerful basis. I don’t need to proceed only for the sake of it. However I feel my worth is right here (within the WEC), I don’t assume I’ll be again in Components E or Components 1.
“So I stated to Porsche: ‘Let’s end the 12 months with a title and see the place we go from there.’”
Fred Makowiecki holds a distinct outlook as he exits stage left, after greater than a decade of service for the model. He displays on his time with Porsche – which included wins at Le Mans and the Nürburgring 24 Hours – fondly, as a result of, in his phrases, “there have been so many particular moments.” However he feels prepared to maneuver on.
“I need to end effectively and provides Porsche a Producers’ title,” he stated. “However that is all a mirrored image on myself. I requested what I needed as an individual. I used to be open with Urs (Kuratle, Porsche’s Director of Manufacturing facility Racing) and Thomas (Laudenbach, vp of Porsche Motorsport), I requested to depart, they listened to what I needed to say and accepted my choice. After 11 years it’s important to understand what makes you cheerful in racing and life, and I want a brand new problem.
“I received the possibility to race with one of many largest producers worldwide. However that doesn’t imply it’s all straightforward or good. When you’re someplace for a very long time there are points that don’t go the way in which you need them and make you need change.
“This all got here step-by-step. For positive the exhausting season with automobile No.5 this 12 months hasn’t helped as a result of I felt that issues we had took too lengthy to repair.”
Makowiecki’s choice to finish his lengthy relationship with Porsche stemmed largely from the need to strive one thing new. Picture through Porsche AG
Stories out of France recommend that he’s heading to Alpine, although nothing has been introduced at this level. The Frenchman was not prepared to enter element or disclose plans for the longer term when RACER spoke to him this week.
“Let’s end right here first. There are many rumors,” he stated. “We’re in a world the place persons are satisfied of one thing even when they’re simply suspicious. In the intervening time nothing is confirmed, let’s end with Porsche first. For positive I can’t retire, I need to be on the grid however with a barely totally different strategy to the final couple of years.”
Have these conditions been robust to handle at Porsche and Penske, with the season reaching its pure crescendo and many nonetheless to play for?
“By no means, they’ve been performing 100 per cent skilled all through, which is nice to see,” Laudenbach instructed RACER. “They’re giving every little thing right here for themselves and the workforce. For positive it’s a particular scenario, but it surely happens regularly in our job.”
On the opposite facet of the coin, there’s Julien Andlauer. The Frenchman is primed to step as much as the manufacturing facility roster after rising up the ranks through the model’s junior program and is keen to get the 2025 marketing campaign – which he’ll spend racing alongside Michael Christensen within the WEC – going.
In amongst the galaxy of stars in Hypercar this season, the 25-year-old has discovered methods to face out, which is especially spectacular contemplating he’s been driving a customer-run Porsche 963 all 12 months and had no earlier prototype expertise to construct on heading into the marketing campaign.
His efficiency throughout the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps again in Might was maybe essentially the most memorable of his profession up to now. In that outing he steered Proton’s Porsche to the entrance of the sphere, making a variety of daring overtakes alongside the way in which. It turned heads and remains to be referenced in conversations throughout the WEC paddock to at the present time.
Did that get the cellphone ringing and seal his destiny?
“For positive it helped!” he laughed. “However this 12 months I had wonderful teammates in Neel (Jani) and Harry (Tincknell) who helped me enhance all 12 months. Being quick shouldn’t be the one factor, it’s important to be the whole bundle out and in of the automobile, which is what I’ve targeted on. I knew I wanted to be a sensible driver.
“I stored involved with Porsche all 12 months and at one level they stated they have been contemplating me, with out placing stress on. They only needed me to get expertise. They knew modifications would occur, however couldn’t affirm something till conferences round Petit Le Mans. Initially I used to be given indications I’ll do IMSA, however in the long run, I will probably be within the WEC.”
Both manner, Andlauer has been chosen to bolster Penske’s line-up and assist it battle for a world title and the 963’s first Le Mans win. And having already spent a full WEC season driving the automobile underneath his belt, he has a chance to make an affect right away.
“It’s an excellent program to hitch and the timing is wonderful, they struggled quite a bit final 12 months however they’ve been incredible this 12 months,” he stated. “I’ll arrive with my backpack stuffed with expertise and attempt to get straight on the identical degree because the others. I do know I simply must preserve doing what I’m doing and see if it matches with the large boys.”
