Let GTE continue, says Porsche
The GTE class could have a future after the end of next season. That’s the view of Porsche, which is targeting an extension of the life of the category beyond the present two-season commitment by the Automobile Club de l’ouest and the FIA.
Porsche head of factory motorsport Pascal Zurlinden explained that the target of the German manufacturer is for GTE Am to remain part of the World Endurance Championship and the European Le Mans Series into 2023. He pointed out that 10 of the second iteration of the mid-engined
911 RSRS have been sold for customers for 2021. “I think the ACO will still allow them to run to the end of 2023; that is my feeling,” he said. “That is what the customers are committed to and that is our target, until the end of 2023 minimum.”
Porsche has effectively ruled out continuing in GTE Pro, or any successor, in 2023 on its return to the prototype ranks with a new LMDH contender. Ferrari will definitely be ending its involvement in the class after its Le Mans Hypercar comes on stream, but Zurlinden stressed that doesn’t necessarily mean the end of the category.
“If you look at the Le Mans 24 Hours this year, we will have four Porsches in the Pro category, two of them being running privately [by Hubauto and Proton/ Weathertech], so who knows what is
2023 to be honest?” he said. “The question is if the Hypercar category is a big success, and LMP2 is quite huge as you can see, the question is how much space do we have for GT?
“Do you need a pro class in GT, or is it not better to have just the customers [in Am] who have saved the championship in the past years?”