Porsche has confirmed Kiwi driver Earl Bamber to compete in both the 24 Hours of Le Mans and in the IMSA WeatherTech Championship in the USA.
Porsche plans to campaign four factory vehicles at the 86th running of the Le Mans 24 Hours. The two Porsche GT Teams from the FIA WEC and the IMSA
WeatherTech Championship each field two ca. 510 hp GT racers from Weissach. The cockpit of the #91 car is shared by Gianmaria Bruni, Richard Lietz and Frédéric Makowiecki.
The number 92 vehicle is manned by Kévin Estre, Michael Christensen and Laurens Vanthoor. Patrick Pilet, Nick Tandy and Earl Bamber are expected to drive the number 93 car, with the #94 Porsche 911 RSR earmarked for Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas and Sven Müller. With Bamber, Bernhard, Dumas and Tandy, a total of four outright Le Mans winners will compete as part of the Porsche works squad.
Nine Porsche 911 GT3 R are expected to line up at the Nürburgring to contest the ADAC 24-hour race. Five vehicles will be fielded by customer teams in the pro class, with four in the amateur class.
Manthey Racing campaigns two vehicles manned by factory drivers: Sharing driving duties in the #911 Porsche 911 GT3 R are Earl Bamber, Laurens Vanthoor, Kévin Estre and Patrick Pilet.
Taking up the race in the #912 car are Romain Dumas, Richard Lietz, Frédéric Makowiecki and Nick Tandy. A total of 13 Porsche works drivers and four Young Professionals will tackle the Eifel marathon on 12/13 May.
Works drivers 2018
Earl Bamber (27), New Zealand
Jörg Bergmeister (41), Germany
Timo Bernhard (36), Germany
Gianmaria Bruni (36), Italy
Michael Christensen (27), Denmark
Romain Dumas (39), France
Kévin Estre (29), France
Brendon Hartley (28), New Zealand
Neel Jani (34), Switzerland
Richard Lietz (33), Austria
Patrick Long (36), USA
André Lotterer (36), Germany
Frédéric Makowiecki (37), France
Sven Müller (25), Germany
Patrick Pilet (36), France
Nick Tandy (33), Great Britain
Laurens Vanthoor (26), Belgium
Dirk Werner (36), Germany
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