Porsche Penske Motorsport’s Delayed Decision Sparks Speculation on Sebastian Vettel’s Le Mans Debut

In a surprising turn of events, four-time Formula 1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel emerged as a late contender to pilot Porsche Penske Motorsport’s additional 963 LMDh at the 2024 Le Mans 24 Hours, following an impressive test at Aragon in March. During the test, Vettel completed an impressive 600km, showcasing his prowess behind the wheel.

Decision to Pass on Vettel

However, despite the successful outing, Porsche has ultimately opted not to sign Vettel for the coveted seat, instead retaining Felipe Nasr and Nick Tandy to partner Mathieu Jaminet in the #4 entry. The decision marks a significant setback for Vettel’s hopes of making his Le Mans debut in 2024.

In an exclusive interview with Motorsport-Total.com, Porsche LMDh director Urs Kuratle revealed that while Vettel won’t be part of the 2024 WEC lineup, the door remains open for the 36-year-old to represent the German manufacturer in future Le Mans events.

“For an OEM like Porsche, for a company like Porsche, it has to remain a topic, that goes without saying,” Kuratle emphasized. “And for Sebastian, too. I think he’s up for it – he said so himself after the test. That will be a topic, but when and in what form it will come together remains to be seen. Nothing has been finalised at the moment.”

Challenges for F1 Drivers in WEC

Porsche’s decision to pass on Vettel for the 2024 campaign has sparked speculation among WEC enthusiasts, with many wondering why the four-time F1 champion wasn’t signed by the team. Kuratle explained:

“The situation did not arise. There is no culprit in this question. I think that’s actually the case, it didn’t happen. That didn’t happen.”

The LMDh era of the WEC has brought about significant changes, with modern-day Hypercar class cars weighing over 1000kg. This marks a significant departure from the LMP1 predecessors, whose performance was not far from grand prix cars. According to Kuratle, this weight difference, combined with the complexity of LMDh and LMH cars, makes it much harder for F1 drivers to adapt to the WEC in 2024.

“The biggest difference at the moment is probably the weight,” Kuratle explained. “The cars are both very complex, they are just different in terms of design. I think the biggest difference, you keep hearing, is that. One big difference is that the pure vehicle weight is another one. A huge difference is also that we drive at night, that we have different big speed differences from all classes that you encounter on the track.”

Future Prospects for Vettel and Porsche

While Vettel’s Le Mans debut may have been delayed, the possibility of him representing Porsche in future WEC events remains an exciting prospect for fans of the iconic German manufacturer. As the 2024 WEC season unfolds, Porsche Penske Motorsport will be closely watched, with many eager to see what the future holds for Vettel and the Stuttgart-based marque.

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