Thomas Laudenbach, the head of motorsport at the German manufacturer, acknowledges the pivotal role played by Porsche Penske Motorsport in revitalizing the 963 LMDh program.
This transformation began in the latter half of the previous year and has continued into 2024, with Porsche enjoying a resurgence in its factory campaigns.
Laudenbach underscores the advantage of having a unified organization overseeing both facets of the program, despite Porsche Penske Motorsport (PPM) operating in Mooresville for the IMSA 963s and in Mannheim for the WEC cars. He notes this ahead of the Qatar 1812Km race, the inaugural event of this year’s WEC season.
The recent successes – two IMSA wins in late 2023, a strong showing at the Fuji WEC round, victory at the Daytona 24 Hours in January, and promising performance at Qatar – validate their strategic decisions.
Laudenbach expresses confidence in the collaborative approach with Penske and the global perspective adopted, emphasizing that it’s a long-term strategy aimed at reaping rewards.
Roger Penske echoes Laudenbach’s sentiments, emphasizing the advantages of a single, transparent organization. He highlights the seamless coordination between efforts in the USA and Europe, allowing for shared insights and advancements.
However, Laudenbach acknowledges the complexities and challenges Porsche faced in consolidating its efforts under Penske’s management, a deviation from the initial plan. Establishing the Mannheim base and coordinating team operations alongside producing customer cars posed significant hurdles.
The decision to introduce customer cars concurrently with the program’s development added further complexity, though Laudenbach believes it was ultimately the right move.
Reflecting on the experience, he suggests that in hindsight, delaying the introduction of customer cars by a year might have eased the strain, yet he remains proud of Porsche’s unique offering in providing genuine customer cars.
In essence, Porsche’s collaboration with Penske has been instrumental in their recent successes, though not without its challenges. The unified approach and global perspective adopted reflect a strategic investment aimed at long-term gains, despite the initial complexities faced along the way.
