P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Vettel impressed Porsche in 963 test but no Le Mans decision yet
Sebastian Vettel completed almost two grand prix distances over four stints in Porsche Penske Motorsport’s 963 hypercar in testing at Aragon, Spain. He logged 118 laps during the major pre-Le Mans, 36-hour endurance test and received praise from Porsche’s director of factory racing, Urs Kuratle, who stated that Vettel “mastered it extremely well.” Kuratle mentioned that Vettel had a respect for the unknown car but handled it very well. Despite being a four-time Formula 1 world champion, Vettel faced new challenges with a new team and a complex car, all of which he managed exceptionally.
Vettel hasn’t competed in any races since leaving F1, but there were talks about a potential World Endurance Championship programme with Porsche customer squad Jota. Porsche plans to add a third factory car at Le Mans to increase its chances after a successful start to the 2024 WEC season in Qatar. Kevin Estre praised Vettel’s dedication during the test, emphasizing his motivation and thorough preparation. The decision on Vettel’s future activities in racing, including a possible F1 comeback, is still pending and will be clarified in the coming days or weeks. Porsche has until May 19 to finalize its driver lineup for Le Mans, with Mathieu Jaminet already confirmed for the #4 PPM hypercar entry.
