Reigning Components E champion Pascal Wehrlein will be part of Porsche buyer JDC-Miller for his maiden outing within the Daytona 24 Hours subsequent month.
The manufacturing facility Porsche driver will share the #85 963 LMDh with Tijmen van der Helm and Bryce Aron within the blue riband spherical of the IMSA SportsCar Championship on 25-26 January, 2025.
The announcement follows Wehrlein making a shock look with JDC-Miller in final month’s IMSA-sanctioned take a look at on the Daytona Worldwide Speedway, the place he received to grips with the championship-winning 963 prototype.
The German had beforehand pushed the Porsche LMDh when it was nonetheless in improvement phases in 2022. He was then believed to be in competition for a seat with the manufacturing facility Porsche Penske Motorsport workforce within the World Endurance Championship, though this by no means got here to fruition.
“I’ve at all times needed to drive sports activities vehicles – that is one among my objectives as a racing driver,” mentioned the 30-year-old, who began the 2024/25 Components E season with pole place within the Sao Paulo opener.
“Now I’ve the chance to show myself there too. I am very glad about that! The take a look at drives with JDC-Miller MotorSports in mid-November went properly.
“The Porsche 963 jogged my memory of the DTM vehicles of my time – I felt comfy. I am presently recovering from my accident in São Paulo. However I wish to get again to full pace in January.”
Pascal Wehrlein, Porsche
Photograph by: Andrew Ferraro / Motorsport Photographs
Wehrlein, who gained the 2015 DTM title with Mercedes previous to his transfer to Components 1 and later Components E, gained’t be the one Porsche Components E driver on the 2025 Daytona grid.
His team-mate Antonio Felix da Costa will get behind the wheel of an ORECA 07 entered by Inter Europol Competitors within the LMP2 class, sharing driving duties with Tom Dillmann, Bijoy Garg and Jon Area.
Da Costa has in depth sportscar expertise from his time within the WEC, together with a 2023 marketing campaign with then-Porsche buyer Jota. This might be his first look within the Florida endurance basic since 2018 when he drove the ORECA LMP2 prototype for the Jota-run Jackie Chan DC outfit.
“I am very glad to lastly be capable to assault on the 24 Hours of Daytona once more – particularly with the LMP2 championship-winning workforce from the final IMSA season,” he mentioned.
“Inter Europol has achieved nice issues in recent times. The workforce is subsequently excellent for my return to the LMP2 class. I can hardly wait to lastly get began and work with the workforce and my teammates.”
Porsche can be represented by 4 GTP vehicles within the IMSA season opener, with a pair of factory-entered 963 LMDhs complemented by one entry every from JDC-Miller and Proton Competitors.
On this article
Rachit Thukral
IMSA
Pascal Wehrlein
JDC/Miller Motorsports
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