At a glance
- Stuttgart sportscar manufacturer is second in both the driver and manufacturer championships
- Porsche and Porsche Penske Motorsport lead all Michelin Endurance Cup point categories going into the six-hour race
- Manthey is second in team GTD Pro Team Championship entering third endurance race of the season
Watkins Glen, N.Y. The six-hour race in New York’s Finger Lakes Region is the sixth round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season and the third round of the separately classified Michelin Endurance Cup. Porsche won the first two endurance races in this special classification: the 24-hour race at Daytona International Speedway and the 12-hour race at Sebring International Raceway. Consequently, Porsche leads the five-race Endurance Cup including Road America and Road Atlanta. In the IMSA championship standings, the Stuttgart-based sports car manufacturer is keen to reclaim the top spot.
“We’ve had to fight hard in the last three IMSA sprint races,” Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport, said. “We’ve lost the lead in the championship and now want to reclaim it. Our factory team, Porsche Penske Motorsport, can play to its full strengths in endurance races such as the one at Watkins Glen. I expect that, with a solid performance, we’ll be in contention for the podium or even victory.”
Frenchman Kévin Estre and Laurens Vanthoor from Belgium will take turns at the wheel of the No. 6 Porsche 963. The duo currently sits fifth in the drivers’ championship. The No. 7 sister car will be shared by Felipe Nasr and Julien Andlauer. The three-time IMSA champion from Brazil and the former Porsche Junior from France are third in the overall standings following their victories at Daytona and Sebring. Porsche currently occupies second place in the manufacturers’ championship.
Customer teams head to Watkins Glen with high ambitions
In the top GTP class, the customer team JDC-Miller MotorSports is also battling for another overall victory in a Porsche 963. The team, led by Porsche factory driver Laurin Heinrich from Germany won the fourth round of the season at Laguna Seca in May. The former Porsche Junior is currently second in the driver standings including wins in the No. 7 at Daytona and Sebring to open the season. Heinrich is joined by Tijmen van der Helm from the Netherlands and American Kaylen Frederick.
Manthey will field a Porsche 911 GT3 R in each of the two GT categories at Watkins Glen. The customer team secured class victory at Sebring in the GTD Pro category. Loek Hartog, the 2024 Porsche Carrera Cup North America champion, will make his debut behind the wheel of “Grello” for Manthey, while Nick Tandy and Harry King continue to share the No. 77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R in the famed “Rexy” livery. Customer programs Wright Motorsports and RS1 will each field a 911 GT3 R in the GTD class at Watkins Glen.
The six-hour race will stream in its entirety on Peacock in the United States, beginning at Noon ET on Sunday, June 28.
Porsche customers competing throughout the weekend
There will be plenty of Porsche racing action going on at Watkins Glen this weekend beyond the top-level WeatherTech Championship. Four Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsports will compete in Saturday’s two-hour Michelin Pilot Challenge race. Porsche Carrera Cup North America returns to the stories course for a double-header wherein 22 Porsche 911 Cup cars will compete.
On Thursday, Porsche unveiled a new Porsche 911 GT4 R that is scheduled to replace the 718 Cayman for the 2027 season. The new 911 GT4 R builds on the technical foundation of the current 911 Cup, which is based on the road-legal Type 992.2 911 GT3. Compared with the previous Clubsport models based on the 718 Cayman, it offers a more powerful engine, wider front and rear track widths and further-developed motorsport electronics. These factors are designed to improve lap times, drivability and stability in racing conditions in particular.
Drivers’ comments ahead of the race weekend
Laurens Vanthoor (Porsche 963 #6): “We’re doing everything we can to further improve our position in the championship. We want to score as many points as possible at Watkins Glen with a top performance. The races at the former Formula 1 circuit are always great fun, as the fast track is tailor-made for our hybrid prototypes.”
Julien Andlauer (Porsche 963 #7): "We’ve completed a test at Watkins Glen. That was really cool – though unfortunately, so were the temperatures. However, we’re expecting significantly higher temperatures over the race weekend. As a result, the conditions are likely to be quite different from those during the test. We’re absolutely determined to get back on the podium.”
Laurin Heinrich (Porsche 963 #5): “We had originally planned for me to compete in the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps and skip Watkins Glen. Thanks to Porsche Motorsport and the Schumacher CLRT team for allowing me to drive for JDC-Miller MotorSports in the IMSA race after all, which will hopefully keep my title hopes alive. I’m really looking forward to Watkins Glen, as the circuit is a highlight of the calendar.”
Further information and links
All Sessions at Watkins Glen: The timetable (PDF)
All results and overall standings: Alkamelsystems
75 years of Porsche Motorsport: The #Raceborn history
Watkins Glen statistics: The race in numbers
The new Porsche 911 GT4 R: Specs and details
The on-screen action: Live streaming on Peacock
All Porsche teams at Laguna Seca
GTP (Porsche 963):
Porsche Penske Motorsport #6: Kévin Estre (FRA) / Laurens Vanthoor (BEL)
Porsche Penske Motorsport #7: Julien Andlauer (FRA) / Felipe Nasr (BRA)
JDC-Miller MotorSports #5: Laurin Heinrich (DEU) / Tijmen van der Helm (NLD) / Kaylen Frederick (USA)
GTD Pro (Porsche 911 GT3 R):
AO Racing #77: Harry King (GBR) / Nick Tandy (GBR)
Manthey #911: Michael Christensen (DNK) / Klaus Bachler (AUT) / Loek Hartog (NLD)
GTD (Porsche 911 GT3 R):
RS1 #28: Eric Lux (USA) / Dillon Machavern (USA) / Jan Heylen (BEL)
Wright Motorsports #120: Adam Adelson (USA), Callum Ilott (GBR)
Manthey #912: Ryan Hardwick (USA) / Riccardo Pera (ITA) / Richard Lietz (AUT)
Motorsport
