List of Porsche Factory/Major Drivers

[airbusA346]

Originally Posted by Victor_RO

He was rated Silver in the first version of the 2014 driver rankings but reclassified as Gold about 2 months later.

I'm sure the list is final for next year, so Bamber is rated Gold when technically he is platinum due to being a works driver. The same happened to Tandy this year.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by Spyderman

Porsche lineup for 24h Daytona 2015: Fred Mako J Bergmeister and Earl Bamber will be teammates. As well NickTandy Patrick Pilet and Marc Lieb

It's more interesting to see who is not driving, as they won't be a part of the full time TUSCC championship:
Noteably: Patrick Long, Richard Lietz and Michael Christensen.

Christensen is the only one of the three running for a seat in the LMP1 who hasn't got a confirmed seat in any races yet.
Looking more likely that we will have a new dane in LMP1

[airbusA346]

Originally Posted by CTD

It's more interesting to see who is not driving, as they won't be a part of the full time TUSCC championship:
Noteably: Patrick Long, Richard Lietz and Michael Christensen.

Christensen is the only one of the three running for a seat in the LMP1 who hasn't got a confirmed seat in any races yet.
Looking more likely that we will have a new dane in LMP1

Last I heard Long is doing WEC with Dempsey if he gets an entry. And I guess Lietz will do WEC if Porsche enter a works team with Manthey next year.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by airbusA346

Last I heard Long is doing WEC with Dempsey if he gets an entry. And I guess Lietz will do WEC if Porsche enter a works team with Manthey next year.

Well, that only leaves Christensen as the only candidate, by this way of thinking, for the LMP1 seat.

[airbusA346]

Originally Posted by CTD

Well, that only leaves Christensen as the only candidate, by this way of thinking, for the LMP1 seat.

If I'm counting things right and Christensen gets the seat, isn't there still a seat empty in the third car. So who gets that seat?

So if I haven't missed anything, so far Lietz, Christensen, Long (depending on getting an entry) and Henzler haven't got at least one confirmed drive for next year.

EDIT: Just read that Porsche have confirmed two RSR's for WEC with Manthey.

[Articus]

Henzler with Falken again right?

I'm a little confused. Why is Marc Lieb racing the 911 at D24? Is (or wasn't) he a LMP1 program driver? Has he been removed from the P1 program? Similarly I'm not convinced the seat (or 1-3 seats) has gone to Christensen. Something would have to have gone horribly wrong at that test if Fred Makowiecki doesn't have a seat in a P1. I thought that was the entire reason Mako went to Porsche.

[airbusA346]

Originally Posted by Articus

Henzler with Falken again right?

I'm a little confused. Why is Marc Lieb racing the 911 at D24? Is (or wasn't) he a LMP1 program driver? Has he been removed from the P1 program? Similarly I'm not convinced the seat (or 1-3 seats) has gone to Christensen. Something would have to have gone horribly wrong at that test if Fred Makowiecki doesn't have a seat in a P1. I thought that was the entire reason Mako went to Porsche.

As far as I am aware Porsche confirmed a couple of weeks ago that all the P1 drivers from 2014 will carry on as P1 drivers in 2015, so Marc is still in the P1 program.

Maybe he will drive the new GT3 R when it is released, so he is getting some GT race seat time, after driving the 919 for a year. I have read a couple of things about Porsche entering a works effort at some Nurburgring races or Blancpain.

[airbusA346]

Forgot Holzer hasn't got a confirmed driver either, but looking on the Porsche website, Marco isn't listed as a works driver (unless I am bring blind).

http://www.porsche.com/uk/motorsport.../worksdrivers/

[Articus]

Originally Posted by airbusA346

Forgot Holzer hasn't got a confirmed driver either, but looking on the Porsche website, Marco isn't listed as a works driver (unless I am bring blind).

http://www.porsche.com/uk/motorsport.../worksdrivers/

Thanks for this link. Am I reading too much into the drivers suits? Christensen has got on a suit like Henzler and Long.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by Articus

Thanks for this link. Am I reading too much into the drivers suits? Christensen has got on a suit like Henzler and Long.

Also taken in a different angle.
So I guess it's just the age.

[airbusA346]

From DSC:

"A two car LMGTE Pro entry in the 2015 FIA WEC is confirmed as expected.

According to current plans, Porsche works drivers Michael Christensen and Richard Lietz as well as Patrick Pilet and Frédéric Makowiecki will share the two cockpits."

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by airbusA346

From DSC:

"A two car LMGTE Pro entry in the 2015 FIA WEC is confirmed as expected.

According to current plans, Porsche works drivers Michael Christensen and Richard Lietz as well as Patrick Pilet and Frédéric Makowiecki will share the two cockpits."

This spells out "Nick Tandy in the third 919" then.

[TF110]

So what about Mako then? Since hes confirmed in a GTE, he doesnt get the lmp1 3rd car? But then if they do get a drive in the lmp1, who takes their spot in the GTE car? Its confusing.

[Articus]

Is Klaus Bachler another to be announced Porsche works driver? I think the Porsche works driver website inadvertently reveals this in the sites HTLM description from google.

The list is alphabetized in the HTML:

Bachler, Bamber, Bergmeister... so it makes sense that he would be announced soon.

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by Articus

Is Klaus Bachler another to be announced Porsche works driver? I think the Porsche works driver website inadvertently reveals this in the sites HTLM description from google.

The list is alphabetized in the HTML:

Bachler, Bamber, Bergmeister... so it makes sense that he would be announced soon.

I thought Bachler was a gentleman driver?

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by Victor_RO

I thought Bachler was a gentleman driver?

No he's a Porsche Scholar - 23 years old. Just rated silver this year because of age/inexperience. Next year he's gold. Maybe you were thinking of Jean-Marc Bachelier?


Have to say the whole Porsche driver mess is very intriguing. Honestly I don't think the third LMP1 line-up has been decided yet. They only finished the last test a couple of days ago which clearly had an evaluation element to it.

Maybe this year Porsche might take a more relaxed (or flexible) approach to the driver's titles in GTE? As long as you keep one guy in every car as a constant you can still win the title. Third drivers for the longer races have always been flexible anyway.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by TF110

So what about Mako then? Since hes confirmed in a GTE, he doesnt get the lmp1 3rd car? But then if they do get a drive in the lmp1, who takes their spot in the GTE car? Its confusing.

If you are confirmed as a GTE driver, then you won't be racing the 2015 919 at Le Mans. Unfortunately it is that simple...

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by CTD

If you are confirmed as a GTE driver, then you won't be racing the 2015 919 at Le Mans. Unfortunately it is that simple...

I don't think that's the case.

Christensen (WEC), Makowiecki (WEC) and Tandy (TUSC) all have full season programmes "confirmed" - but in reality everything is subject to change once they work out the LMP1 situation. I'm guessing they might still be waiting for a final answer or maybe some lawyers around Alonso. That won't help speed up the process.

They need to keep their options open, whilst still trying to put plans in place. Not easy.

A bit more info on GT selections here: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117142

[CTD]

Originally Posted by Simmi

I don't think that's the case.

Christensen (WEC), Makowiecki (WEC) and Tandy (TUSC) all have full season programmes "confirmed" - but in reality everything is subject to change once they work out the LMP1 situation. I'm guessing they might still be waiting for a final answer or maybe some lawyers around Alonso. That won't help speed up the process.

They need to keep their options open, whilst still trying to put plans in place. Not easy.

A bit more info on GT selections here: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117142

True, it can be changed, and we have seen that before.
But usually once you are confirmed to drive a car, that means that is where you are currently designated to go. Otherwise Porsche could have waited with the announcement of those drivers until the LMP1 seats where announced. (Has it been officially announced yet?)

[wolfhound]

Earl Bamber is to race a works CORE autosport 911 in the USC alongside Jorg Bergermeister. The latter has asked to race in the USA.
The second car in the USC is to be driven by Nick Tandy and Patrick Pilet.
For the Daytona 24 hrs Bamber and Bergermeister will be joined by Makowiecki with Marc Lieb assisting in the other car.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117142

[airbusA346]

"Lieb's GT outing comes as a result of other members of Porsche's GT roster being busy at a joint GT and LMP1 test in Abu Dhabi in the week of the 24 Hours."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117142

So if the other drivers are busy, I guess that means there won't be many works drivers in the customer Porsche's in GTD.

[Articus]

I find that odd because Lieb is supposedly Porsche's best test driver. That must mean that a works GTE driver not running D24 *cough* Michael Christensen *cough* is certainly testing the LMP1 that weekend. Otherwise he would be GTLM at D24 and Lieb would be at the test session.

[Simmi]

This article confirms that Marco Holzer has been let go by Porsche.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117145

[CTD]

Originally Posted by Simmi

This article confirms that Marco Holzer has been let go by Porsche.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117145

Is it just me, or is this part very poorly written and confusing?:
(From the Article)

There has been no decision on the third drivers for the Le Mans 24 Hours: either Makowiecki and Christensen or both would be unavailable for the WEC blue-riband event and the Spa round in May should they land a seat in Porsche's third 919 Hybrid LMP1.

Luckily, it doesn't seem that there is any new info in it.

[TF110]

At this rate we'll just have to wait and see. But testing gt drivers in the 919 seems unneccesary unless they were considered to run it next year. So anything goes with their abundance of available drivers able to take the helm in either the lmp1 or replacing the vacated GTE cars.