This weekend in Weissach, Germany, Porsche held its annual Night of Champions event. It was a phenomenal evening with a mix of celebrations, announcements, reflections and 2016 program confirmations.
With 16 works drivers split between Porsche’s LMP1 and GT programs, it might be easy to lose track of who is running where.
Porsche and sister brand Audi have scaled back their 24 Hours of Le Mans programs, with only two LMP1 cars apiece rather than three as both had this year.
Here’s a breakdown of who is set where, and for what events, for 2016 in the FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship as it stands following the Night of Champions event:
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FIA World Endurance Championship
LMP1
1 - Porsche Team - Porsche 919 Hybrid - Timo Bernhard/Mark Webber/Brendon Hartley
2 - Porsche Team - Porsche 919 Hybrid - Romain Dumas/Neel Jani/Marc Lieb
GTE-Pro
Dempsey Proton Racing - Porsche 911 RSR - Richard Lietz/Michael Christensen, + Wolf Henzler (LM24 only)
Subject to ACO Approval for 24 Hours of Le Mans only:
Porsche Team Manthey - Porsche 911 RSR - Patrick Pilet/Nick Tandy/Kevin Estre
Porsche Team Manthey - Porsche 911 RSR - Fred Makowiecki/Earl Bamber/Joerg Bergmeister
At the moment, Patrick Long is the only Porsche works GT driver not placed with a team for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, although Long co-drove with Dempsey Proton Racing in the GTE-Am class in 2015.
Proton is also expected to have at least one and potentially two cars as a GTE-Am component for the 2016 FIA WEC season.
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IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
GT Le Mans
911 - Porsche North America - Porsche 911 RSR - Patrick Pilet/Nick Tandy, + Kevin Estre (NAEC)
912 - Porsche North America - Porsche 911 RSR - Fred Makowiecki/Earl Bamber, + Michael Christensen (NAEC)
GT Daytona (Rolex 24 at Daytona extra works drivers)
23 - Team Seattle/Alex Job Racing - Porsche 911 GT3 R - Wolf Henzler
73 - Park Place Motorsports - Porsche 911 GT3 R - Joerg Bergmeister
TBA - Black Swan Racing - Porsche 911 GT3 R - Patrick Long
At the moment, Richard Lietz is the only Porsche works GT driver not placed with a team for the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The six LMP1 drivers are also not listed for the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
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Pirelli World Challenge
Patrick Long will race with EFFORT Racing in its No. 31 Porsche 911 GT3 R this season, replacing Ryan Dalziel.
Dalziel, meanwhile, won the Porsche Cup on Saturday night, awarded to Porsche’s top privateer driver. For the award, Dalziel also wins a Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Cabrio.