Le Mans the “only thing missing” from the Porsche Penske project
Porsche is chasing Ferrari and chasing history in Le Mans. Today at Scrutineering provided a first look at the three Penske 963s tasked with delivering the 20th win for the German marque and the first for Roger Penske.
“Le Mans is the only thing this project hasn’t won, that’s missing, and the only thing in Roger’s career that’s missing, and it’s the only thing on my wishlist too,” Laurens Vanthoor said. “A lot of work has been put into correcting that.”
Nick Tandy, 10 years on from his first win in 2015 with the 919, added: “Roger and the Penske organisation have done so much for Porsche. Le Mans is a big thing for Roger, and we know we have the full backing of him and Porsche, giants of motorsport. We aren’t coming here with any boxes not ticked. When you’re driving for a team like this, there’s always big pressure to deliver, but we’ve got confidence in the support behind us.”
Interestingly, Vanthoor is one of a number of drivers doing more than one of the three back-to-back 24-hour races at Le Mans, Nürburgring and Spa this month. Straight after Le Mans, he will head to Germany, where he is set to represent Porsche in a GT3 car.
“Everything is on Le Mans, that’s the priority,” he says of the challenge. “For those of us doing more than one, it’s about dividing the work and mindset. The races should be ok, with a couple of days’ rest and a week of holiday after!”
Matthieu Jaminet added perspective from the #5 963: “We feel the pressure to earn a 20th victory for Porsche at Le Mans. It would be even better if it were the #5 as our crew has two French drivers.
“It’s true that we’ve had a tough beginning of the season in Europe, yet our morale is boosted by a good season in IMSA. Our car is reliable and we will be at the front. I have no doubt about it.”
#8 Toyota crew confident after consistent showings in WEC
Toyota is out for redemption this year, searching for its sixth win and celebrating 40 years of racing at Le Mans.
The start to the WEC season has been difficult for the reigning World Champion, but clever strategy calls have cemented it in second place in the Manufacturers standings, and it remains one of the standout favourites.
“This year we haven’t had the performance in the car, but two-fifths and a fourth feels like a victory if you understand the performance deficit we had,” Brendon Hartley told DSC. “We come here as a crew with confidence, now we have to do it at the big event.”
Part of the 40-year celebration is, of course, the return of the TS020 (GT-One) livery, which the # 7 GR010 HYBRID is sporting for the race. It drew plenty of eyes and attention from the fans in the square, and looks stunning up close.
Le Mans “all or nothing” for #83 crew?
While the drivers from the #50 and #51 Ferraris have reiterated the importance of scoring consistent points and gunning for the championship over winning Le Mans this year, it’s a different situation for the trio in the #83 499P from AF Corse.
“We lost significant points with what happened at Spa, that’s going to be difficult to make back up,” Phil Hanson told DSC. “I know points are important, but I’m looking at this race as Le Mans, I’ve won here before in LMP2 and had heartbreak with competitive cars.
“For me, it feels pretty much like all or nothing in this race. Standing on the podium is an achievement, but once you’ve won it, you want to keep scratching that itch.”
Robert Kubica, who, along with Ye Yifei, is sharing the #83 with Hanson this year, echoed this sentiment, though he admitted he expects it to be a tougher race for Ferrari, which is searching for a third consecutive overall win at La Sarthe.
“Our car has been very competitive throughout the first part of the season, so for us in the #83, it was important to always be there. We had a technical issue that cost us good points so it’s important to score well in double points here. But it’s important not to change our approach, it’s exactly the same, we have to extract the maximum for the weekend.
“We come here with more experience and knowledge with the #83, but maybe I’m wrong, I think this year will be even tougher. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are at least five or six manufacturers targeting wins and have a chance to win the race.
“It will be complicated to repeat the performance of last year for Ferrari. At one point last year, our car had a 45-second lead; this year, I don’t expect that to happen.”
The Polish driver was also complimentary of Hanson’s efforts to get up to speed and hit the ground running in his first year racing with AF Corse, in place of Robert Shwartzman, who departed the WEC over the winter to take up a slot in IndyCar with PREMA.
“I’m impressed,” he said. “I like his approach. I’m super happy he joined us, actually. I’ve raced against him in LMP2, but you never know when a new teammate comes in. He’s flexible and he’s doing well and has been competitive.”
Third driver Yifei Ye has a personal connection to the French classic: “I am so attached to Le Mans. I was 14 years old when I first set a foot in this city. I’ve learned French here, attended school, but also took my driving test in France. In turn, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is almost a home race for me.
“The Ferrari works very well. Competition will be very intense but we’ll give it our very best. It will be an exciting race for the fans, for sure.”
Felix da Costa thrilled to be back
Antonio Felix Da Costa was grinning like a Cheshire Cat during Scrutineering today. The Portuguese racer is back in the WEC paddock for the first time since the end of the 2023 season after being tasked with racing exclusively in Formula E by Porsche in 2024.
Safe to say he didn’t take much convincing when AF Corse came calling, asking him to take the third seat in the new-look #183 LMP2 Pro/Am ORECA alongside Francois Perrodo and Matthieu Vaxiviere. Frenchman Perrodo is also half Chinese and with 2025 being the year of the snake in China, the #183 Oreca 07 Gibson is liveried accordingly by designer Benoit Fraylon.
Da Costa explained his excitement: “They actually called me last year, but I wasn’t allowed to come and do it, so I had to pass. Luckily, I could do it this year and I want to thank Porsche for allowing me. It’s a race that breeds passion and history. I’m so happy to be back.
“We have a chance here. It would be wrong to approach the race without thinking about the win, but Le Mans chooses the winner.”
The Test Day is set to be more important than usual for da Costa, as he looks to get back up to speed with the ORECA 07 and Goodyear tyres.
“I’m very green. The last time I raced this car here was three years ago when we won it here with JOTA. I did one day of testing two months ago and Daytona in a P2, and that was ok to get back in the rhythm, too. But that’s it.”
Going forward, da Costa made it clear that he wants to return to the top class full-time again.
“My hope is to be fully back from next year onwards. I want a double programme again. I enjoy Formula E and that challenge, but I have worked hard to be a good endurance driver, and I feel like I am missing out on the golden era. It’s a feeling I hate right now.
“I have been here for seven years, I did the Golden era of GTE, then LMP2, then one year of Hypercar, and I was feeling good before I was pulled out. I’m working hard to get back next year, it’s looking good. We will see.
“We are looking at all the options (not just with Porsche).”
Vista AF Corse crew eyeing second straight LMGT3 win & points lead
Vista AF Corse’s Simon Mann and Francois Heriau are buoyed by the progress made by the #21 squad in LMGT3 over the past 12 months.
Along with Alessio Rovera, the crew is riding high going into the biggest race of the season, fresh from a victory at Spa-Francorchamps and feel there is more to come. Despite being punted off at Imola and retiring while battling for the class lead with WRT’s #46 BMW, the #21 296 sits just four points off the leading #33 TF Sport Corvette in the standings.
“We’re definitely thinking long term,” Mann admitted. “But Le Mans is a different race. In our position, second in the championship, there it is double points and it can make a difference later in the season.
“We’ve learned a lot. Our first year together was really good, but going into my second year, we’ve improved, especially Francois and I. The 296 is a well-balanced car; it’s good at most tracks we go to but, honestly, progress has been made in driving.
“Le Mans feels like it’s going to be a big one for us. We’ve prepared by going to Aragon a few weeks ago and using that long back straight. We have good momentum after Spa and a good test.”
Mann’s team mate Heriau concurs with caution, “Our moral is obviously boosted by our recent win at Spa. Last year, I was a rookie in LMGT3 – I was learning. It’s different this season and I hope I can fight for the win.
“That said, we need to stay focused as Le Mans is a tough race. Le Mans chooses its winners. I just hope we are amongst them next week.”
Jerome Policand – Team Principal, Akkodis ASP Team
A sturdy effort first time at Le Mans last year for the Lexus RC F LMGT3 has been followed by strong pace in the WEC in 2025. The #78 car’s challenge for the Teams championship is yet to reflect a race win, however.
Team Principal Jerome Policand, no stranger to this event as a former driver, commented on the team’s progress with a maturing package:
“Le Mans was one of our highlights in a difficult 2024 season. Things have changed. Our Lexus is now competitive and we are currently third in the LMGT3 Championship. Our first objective next week will be to qualify in the top 8.”
“The car has evolved in multiple ways. We know the Lexus better so I hope we can be faster than in 2024.
“A new car has been testing extensively in Japan – we can’t wait for it! It’s a great prospect as the current Lexus is ten years old already.”
Following a late call to take the leading seat in the #78 car at last year’s event, and fairly anchoring the Lexus’s pace, Jack Hawksworth contributes from the driver’s position:
“Well at least it’s been a slightly earlier call-up than last year, but absolutely I am looking forward to the race. It feels very different this year, just walking into the garage the team both look and feel way more prepared than last year. That’s a nice feeling for everyone involved. There’s no doubt either that they have come to win this time around.
Commenting on the working relationship between the WEC and IMSA teams, the Gold-rated British driver explained, “There’s some crossover there between what we’ve done with AVS in the States. And there’s definitely good collaboration and communication between the European and the American side. So I think that’s helped here. Jerome’s also got a really good set of people, and they’re kind of doing their own thing as well. This is a very high-achieving team, and it shows more and more as they get deeper into this programme.”
Andre Lotterer – agile in LMP2
Three-time overall Le Mans winner and reigning Hypercar champion Andre Lotterer is keeping his hand in at Le Mans with a drive in the ELMS LMP2 Pro championship-leading IDEC Sport Oreca 07 Gibson. Alongside the incumbent Mathys Jaubert and Jamie Chadwick, the former Audi and Porsche factory ace is helping to forge the #28 team’s experience in preparation for its forthcoming Genesis Hypercar programme:
“I had not planned to compete in the LMP2 class. But as I am joining the IDEC / Genesis Magma Racing Hypercar program, and as they needed someone to replace Logan Sargeant, I thought it was the right moment to share my extensive experience with the team at Le Mans.”
“It’s a great team. I tested their P2 car at Ricard and immediately felt comfortable. You are actually quicker in corners than in a Hypercar, yet you are obviously slower on the straights.”
Silver driver Mathys Jaubert has slotted into the LMP2 car very easily and found real pace:
“Yes, the Oreca is not an easy car to adapt to but I had a season in the Ultimate Cup in the little Nova (NP02) prototype and that really helped me to get a baseline understanding of how the downforce can be used.
“To start with it was difficult to get the fast corners right with the aero. In Barcelona, for instance, I struggled a little with the last two corners, but by Le Castellet I was much more confident.”
The rapid young Frenchman almost didn’t make this race, however: “Yes, I came down with meningitis and that required a lumbar puncture on my back – I was in my bed for two week, I couldn’t walk, or do anything. I’m Okay now but I lost four kilos.”
George Kurtz – Algarve Pro Racing’s LMP2 Pro/Am prospects
As the Bronze seat in the #45 Oreca 07 – Gibson, George Kurtz arrives for his third consecutive LM24 and is well placed to comment on the rude health of the second-tier prototype category and its inclusion as a pillar of the event:
“If you look up and down the class, it’s competitive everywhere, whether it’s Pro or Pro Am, and I think it’s one of the most stacked classes around, and certainly one of the most stacked bronze classes around. So we’ll see where we shake out. Obviously, we came for the Pro Am win, but anything above that is just a bonus.”
Kurtz is the CEO of a cybersecurity company, recently given the ‘CEO of the year’ award by Evolution Equity Partners and has had to work hard to balance business while honing his abilities as a Bronze driver in a very quick prototype, but this is not so unusual – is the general standard in bronze gathering momentum too?
“It really is. I mean, if you look again in this one class, in this one race you got, I would say some of the best bronzes in the world are in one spot. So there’s no easy win for anybody here.
“Everybody has to do their job. And I think in this race, it’s even more important for a bronze, because the yellows don’t play as big of a factor as some other series. So if you’re not on it, you’re going to lose a lot of pace, and that’s just going to set the whole team back.”
With the bronze role increasingly crucial to this race, particularly with its extended seat time, the ruleset is not an easy one. How much time has the American had to get his head around the rule-book?
“Well, it’s good that I’ve been here a few times, and I know there are obviously rule changes each year, but I think not much has changed from my philosophy, which is just doing my job. That’s about being consistent, putting the pace in that I’m capable of, and not making mistakes, because at the end of the day, this isn’t a race you win. It’s a race you don’t lose. And you know, one little mistake here can be super costly.
“We’ve got a great team in Nicky and Alex Quinn, and I just got to do my job and let them do their job.
“Algarve Pro has just done an amazing job over the years. Stu and Sam certainly put together a great team. I think it’s one of the best cars in the paddock. And, you know, we had a little bit of luck last year on a wheel, so we’re looking to redeem ourselves.
“Apart from that the car was great, and I couldn’t ask for a better team to be part of. It’s a small team, but everybody really cares, and Stu puts so much effort and heart into the car that we feel like we got a great package and we just got to go out and deliver on the potential.”
Other snippets
A Group C Rondeau M382 was on display at the Place De La Republique. This car used to be exhibited at the track museum and was fully restored by a team of former Rondeau mechanics. It will compete at the Le Mans Classic this summer.
Toyota Gazoo Racing driver Ryo Hirakawa is also a reserve driver for the Haas F1 Team: “I hope I can join the F1 grid pretty soon,” he said. “For now, I have to concentrate on our race at Le Mans.”
Gilles Pironi- the son of the late Didier Pironi – former Ferrari F1 driver and former Le Mans winner in 1978 in the Renault Alpine A442B – is part of the #50 Ferrari technical team as Reliability Manager.
Theo Pourchaire- #25 Algarve Pro Racing Oreca 07 Gibson and Peugeot Hypercar test driver, is delighted with his career progress:
“It is thanks to Stellantis and Peugeot that I am standing here. I would obviously love to compete in their car in the future. The 9X8 is improving, race after race. I’ve tested it… I am convinced that this car will win in the future.”
Patrick Pilet (driver in the #16 RLR Motorsport Oreca 07 Gibson) will be a reserve driver for Manthey at the 24 Hours of the Nurburgring. That race will occur the week-end immediately after the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Down to business
After scrutineering came to a close, 19 cars from across the three classes took part in a road run through the city centre this afternoon, completing two laps of a closed-off circuit in front of thousands of fans lining the streets.
Next up on the agenda is track action at the Le Mans circuit itself, with the first part of the Test Day set to get underway at 10:00 local time tomorrow morning.
