Porsche announces reduced factory drivers list, Le Mans winner Bruni dropped

4-time Le Mans 24 Hours class winner Gianmaria Bruni is leaving Porsche’s line-up of manufacturing unit drivers after eight years. 

The 43-year-old Italian was absent from the German marque’s works roster when it formally launched its motorsport programmes for 2025 on Saturday night time. 

The departure follows two seasons during which Bruni didn’t have a seat aboard a manufacturing unit Porsche and was positioned on the Proton Competitors buyer 963 LMDh crew within the World Endurance Championship after which the IMSA Sportscar Championship. 

Bruni was recruited from Ferrari forward of 2017 and went on to turn out to be a stalwart of Porsche’s WEC GTE Professional squad from the 2018-19 season.

He claimed a fourth Le Mans class victory aboard a manufacturing unit, Manthey-run Porsche 911 RSR in 2022, although was by no means in a position to emulate the WEC title successes he loved with Ferrari, the place he received the LMGTE Professional crown in 2013 and 2014.

Gianmaria Bruni, Toni Vilander, AF Corse Ferrari F458 Italia

Photograph by: JEP / Motorsport Photographs

Bruni may nonetheless find yourself racing a Porsche subsequent yr. The previous Minardi Method 1 racer joined the JDC-Miller MotorSports buyer Porsche 963 squad ultimately month’s official IMSA take a look at in Daytona. 

Among the many drivers who examined the automotive in Daytona was Tijmen van der Helm, who was partnered in JDC’s 963 this yr by the now-retired Richard Westbrook. 

Proton is not going to proceed its engagement in IMSA’s GTP class with considered one of its pair of 963s, based on Porsche’s press announcement from Saturday’s Evening of Champions occasion at its Weissach analysis and growth facility. 

It acknowledged that “one buyer crew” will be a part of the works Porsche Penske Motorsport squad within the North American collection, naming JDC-Miller, whereas on the similar time referencing Proton’s continuation within the WEC with a solo 963. 

Porsche introduced a decreased squad of works pilots on the occasion.

Bruni has departed what was a 16-strong line-up in 2024 together with Andre Lotterer, Dane Cameron and Frederic Makowiecki, who all left the PPM squad on the conclusion of their respective WEC and IMSA campaigns. 

#33 Falken Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R (992): Julian Andlauer, Klaus Bachler, Sven Müller, Alessio Picariello

Photograph by: Gruppe C GmbH

Julien Andlauer has been promoted to full-factory standing, having previously been a so-called contracted Porsche driver, on his transfer from Proton to the PPM WEC squad for 2025.

The opposite new arrival is Nico Muller, whose recruitment by Porsche was introduced in August. The Swiss has been positioned with the Andretti Method E squad, which makes use of the Porsche powertrain, for the approaching season. 

Which means there at the moment are 14 Porsche manufacturing unit racers. 

Porsche has a second listing of contracted drivers on its books who aren’t accorded official works standing. 

This listing has been joined by Ricardo Feller, who strikes over from Audi. The Swiss, who received the Nurburgring 24 Hours this yr, was a part of a small group of drivers retained by Audi Sport because it downscaled its buyer racing division. 

Feller, 24, will race a Porsche 911 GT3-R within the DTM for the Allied Racing crew, which is transferring up from the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany. 

His team-mate within the two-car squad might be Bastian Buus, one other driver with a Porsche contract. 

Ricardo Feller, Crew ABT Sportsline Audi R8 LMS GT3

Photograph by: Alexander Trienitz

Michelle Gatting has additionally signed with Porsche to turn out to be a contracted pilot. She might be racing for the Manthey squad within the WEC’s LMGT3 class in 2025, and in addition with Proton within the European and Asian Le Mans Sequence, as a part of the all-female Iron Dames programme. 

Klaus Bachler will transfer over from the WEC, during which he was a part of the LMGT3 title-winning line-up, to affix AO Racing for the defence of its IMSA GT Daytona Professional crown. 

The Austrian might be teamed with two fellow Porsche contractees, reigning champion Laurin Heinrich for the total season and Alessio Picariello for the Daytona and Sebring endurance rounds.

German teen Theo Oeverhaus has been named as a Porsche junior driver. The 19-year-old, who completed third on this yr’s German Carrera Cup, joins a scheme that produced drivers reminiscent of Le Mans winners Timo Bernhard and Marc Lieb. 

Italian driver Alessandro Ghiretti continues as a Porsche junior for a second season.

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