Sebastian Vettel To Test Le Mans Porsche 963 Hypercar
Four-time Formula 1 champion Sebastian Vettel has come out retirement to drive Team Penske’s Porsche 963 Hybrid Le Mans Hypercar.
Four-time Formula 1 champion Sebastian Vettel has come out retirement to drive Team Penske’s Porsche 963 Hybrid Le Mans Hypercar. Vettel, who hung up his helmet at the end of the 2022 Grand Prix season with Aston Martin. He has already steered a few installation laps aboard one of Penske’s 963s last week in preparation for 36-hour pre-Le Mans test at MotorLand Aragon in Spain.
“I’m looking forward to testing the Porsche 963,” the 36-year-old German admitted. “I’ve always followed other racing series and my curiosity for endurance events encouraged me to just give it a shot. Now I’m excited about the long run in Aragon and I’m looking forward to my time behind the wheel.
Vettel Has Already Driven Penske’s Porsche 963
“I already had the chance to get a feel for the car during a rollout in Weissach. But this will be a new experience for me and it’ll definitely take some adjustment and some getting used to. Everyone in the team is very open and helps me,” Vettel concluded. “I have no further plans, but let’s see what will happen next.”
Penske Porsche will however once again run a third 963 at the Le Mans 24 Hour. That driver line-up is still to be confirmed. Porsche is looking for its 20th overall Le Mans victory since 1970 on the brand’s 75th anniversary year. Porsche last won the Sarthe classic in 2017.
No Concrete Plans Yet, But Will Seb Race at Le Mans?
Vettel is understood to have discussed a 2023 Le Mans entry as part of a FIA World Endurance Championship campaign with privateer one of Porsche outfit Jota’s 963 prototypes. Vettel’s fellow Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button is racing the 2024 WEC with Jota Porsche.
“We’re delighted that Sebastian Vettel is interested in our Porsche 963,” Porsche Motorsport boss Thomas Laudenbach concluded. “There was no question that we’d be thrilled to support his request for an opportunity to test and provide him with extensive preparation and plenty of time to drive our hybrid prototype.”
Photos: Porsche/Lupini