AUTO: Porsche 963, Manthey PureRxcing wins GT3 class

WRITTEN BY: GIUSEPPE MAUTONE

It’s no surprise to see Porsche in the winner’s circle, but a triple win by the team is certainly noteworthy. Porsche Penske Motorsport claimed it’s first victory with the Porsche 963 in the FIA World Endurance Championship WEC. Opening the season in Qatar, works drivers Kévin Estre (France), André Lotterer (Germany) and Laurens Vanthoor (Belgium) crossed the finish line first at the wheel of the No. 6 car. The No. 5 sister car wrapped up the 1,812-kilometre event in third place. The customer team Hertz Team Jota triumphantly rounded off Porsche’s second place win overall. In the new LMGT3 class, the 911 GT3 R from Manthey PureRxcing clinched first place. Claiming massive success at breakneck speed.

Porsche 963, Porsche Penske Motorsport (#6), Kevin Estre (F), Andre Lotterer (D), Laurens Vanthoor (B), Qatar, 2024, Porsche AG

Porsche, with it’s Porsche 963, quickly proved to be the car to beat with an early lead in the ten-hour long race. While Denmark’s Michael Christensen lost the lead from pole position on the first lap in the No. 5 hybrid prototype, Laurens Vanthoor (Belgium) made quick work of gaining ground as he raced his way into the lead in the early stages at the wheel of the sister car. At approximately 90 minutes, the race car from Weissach grabbed first place and only relinquished it briefly over the next eight hours due to different pit stop rhythms. After a gripping day on the track of the Lusail International Circuit, Estre/Lotterer/Vanthoor scored the first world championship victory for the Porsche Penske Motorsport works team with a comfortable lead of over 30 seconds.

Porsche 963, Hertz Team Jota (#12), Will Stevens (UK), Callum Ilott (UK), Norman Nato (F), Qatar, 2024, Porsche AG

The day began sunny and warm and became significantly cooler temperatures in the final hours, the No. 5 Porsche 963 consistently matched the pace with the leading vehicle. Unfortunately, luck was not always with Campbell/Christensen/Makowiecki, with the car having to unexpectedly pit twice due to tire damage. In a final effort, Daytona winner Matt Campbell made an impressive comeback, rocketing the team to the final podium placement.

“We worked extremely hard and were rewarded in the best possible way. This success is difficult to put into words…Everyone involved did an immaculate job. The team and the drivers gave a commanding performance. Congratulations as well to the entire team at home in Weissach. Nobody could have expected a triple success for Porsche. But my respect also goes to Peugeot. It’s bitter to be thwarted so close to the finish line. They deserved to be on the podium with us. Manthey PureRxcing’s Porsche 911 GT3 R won in the new LMGT3 class. The start of the season couldn’t have gone better.”
– Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport

Thomas Laudenbach (Vice President Porsche Motorsport), Qatar, 2024, Porsche AG

“Today we achieved another milestone with our Porsche Penske Motorsport team…This is a long-term project, which started a long time ago. Experiencing our first overall victory in the FIA WEC at the start of the 2024 season is an exceptionally nice feeling. It’s the result of the tireless efforts of everyone in the team.”
– Roger Penske, Team Founder & Chairman of the Penske Corporation

Roger Penske (Founder and Chairman of Penske Corporation), Qatar, 2024, Porsche AG

“Our Porsche Penske Motorsport team has now enjoyed the perfect start to the new season on both sides of the Atlantic. After our victory in Daytona, we were extremely fast with both cars in Qatar today and were rewarded with a victory and a podium finish. This success was the result of hard work. We gave everything we had over the entire distance. It was tough until the last lap. Now we’re all looking forward to the rest of the season.”
– Jonathan Diuguid, Managing Director Porsche Penske Motorsport

Jonathan Diuguid (Managing Director Porsche Penske Motorsport), Thomas Laudenbach (Vice President Porsche Motorsport), Urs Kuratle (Director of Factory Motorsport LMDh) (l-r), Qatar, 2024, Porsche AG

The customer crew of the Hertz Team Jota displayed the might of the Porsche 963 in Qatar. The two UK racers Callum Ilott and Will Stevens as well as the Frenchman Norman Nato performed flawlessly at the wheel of the No. 12 car and crossed the finish line in second place. The sister car driven by ex-Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button from Great Britain, his fellow countryman Phil Hanson and Oliver Rasmussen from Denmark kept a spot in the top 8 over long stretches but finished with approximately 30 minutes remaining. The identical Hypercar fielded by Proton Competition with Julien Andlauer from France, Neel Jani from Switzerland and Harry Tincknell from Great Britain finished the season opener in eleventh position.

Porsche 963, Proton Competition (#99), Harry Tincknell (UK), Neel Jani (CH), Julien Andlauer (F), Qatar, 2024, Porsche AG

All in all, it was a thrilling race for everyone who took part in the Qatar races and is keeping motorsport enthusiasts on the edges of their seats as the season progresses.

Porsche 963, Porsche Penske Motorsport (#6), Kevin Estre (F), Andre Lotterer (D), Laurens Vanthoor (B) (l-r), Qatar, 2024, Porsche AG Kevin Estre (F), Andre Lotterer (D), Laurens Vanthoor (B) (l-r)

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WRITTEN BY: GIUSEPPE MAUTONE
Photo Credits: Porsche