Porsche joins ‘E’ formula
Porsche has become the latest manufacturer to announce its withdrawal from top-level internal combustion-powered motorsport.
From 2019, a Porsche works team will compete in Formula E and, as a result, the company will be ending its involvement in the LMP1 class of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) at the end of the 2017 season.
The company will, however, maintain its focus on international GT racing, and will also concentrate its motorsport strategy on the 911 RSR in the GT class of the WEC, the highlight of which is the 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well as the American IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and other long-distance classics.
The company says this ‘‘realignment’’ of its motorsport strategy is derived from the direction set out for the company in Porsche Strategy 2025, which will see Porsche develop a combination of pure GT vehicles and fully electric sports cars, such as the Mission E road car.
Porsche says it will keep the successful LMP1 team fully intact, including the factory drivers – a lineup that includes Kiwis Brendon Hartley and Earl Bamber.
Fritz Enzinger, vice president LMP1 and a central figure in the return of Porsche to top-level motorsport in 2014, says: ‘‘Building up the Le Mans team from scratch was a huge challenge. Over the years, we have developed an incredibly successful and professional team. This will be our basis going forward. I am certain that we will maintain our high level in Formula E. Confidence is high, and we are excited to get started’’.