Reigning Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden has expressed his excitement for this weekend’s 10-hour Petit Le Mans which will see him debut in the top-level GTP class with the #7 Porsche 963.
The two-time Indycar Series champion made his IMSA debut at the beginning of 2023, at the 24 Hours of Daytona.
He finished fifth in the LMP2 class with #18 Tower Motorsport Oreca 07-Gibson drivers John Farano, Kyffin Simpson, and Penske Indycar teammate Scott McLaughlin.
The #7 Porsche Penske Motorsport crew, with Matt Campbell and Felipre Nasr being joined by Newgarden for Petit Le Mans, are looking to add another race victory, since their triumph at the Sportscar Weekend sprint round held at Road America.
Newgarden said: “I’ve been fortunate enough to get some testing in over the last few weeks behind the wheel of the Porsche 963 and it’s been a blast to drive.
“My teammates have worked very hard to get me up to speed and to ensure I’m comfortable as we prepare for Petit.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to drive in the top class at this legendary race and to help Porsche Penske Motorsport have a shot at the championship with both cars.
“My goal is to drive the car to be best of my abilities, make no mistakes, and hand the Porsche 963 over to my teammates in one piece and in a good position. If we can do that, we’ll be successful.”
The top-three GTP cars in the standings are covered by five points, with the sibling #6 Porsche 963 in third place on 2455 points, amidst the closely-contested fight for the IMSA GTP title.
As full-season drivers in the #7, Campbell and Nasr are primarily aiming for a decorated overall win in the final IMSA race of 2023, with the assistance of Newgarden.
Newgarden has already completed test outings in the Porsche 963, including around the undulating Road Atlanta circuit which Petit Le Mans takes place at.
Most recently, the team claimed a dominant 1-2 finish at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Road Course) after an eventful 2-hour and 40-minute sprint race.
Porsche’s sole outright win at Petit Le Mans took place in 2015, which saw the #911 Porsche 911 RSR GTLM crew outpace the entire DP field in dramatic, rain-soaked conditions.
This Saturday 14 October, the quadrant of Porsche 963s will take on the endurance classic to conclude their maiden 2023 IMSA GTP campaign.
