Neel Jani: Le Mans GT as new challenge
BACK IN THE WEC Apart from Formula E, Porsche will only have two GT sports cars in the World Endurance Championship in 2021. Neel Jani will drive one of the two 911 RSRs. The Formula E chapter has actually been closed for Neel Jani since the Berlin finals in August. His cockpit in the Porsche [...]
The Formula E chapter has actually been closed for Neel Jani since the Berlin finals in August. His cockpit in the Porsche 99X electric will be taken over by Pascal Wehrlein, a German living in Landschlacht. Like Simona de Silvestro, the Biel native, who turned 37 on December 8, is available as a substitute driver if needed.
GT premiere for Neel Jani at Le Mans
While six successful GT drivers will leave the official factory squad for 2021 or be assigned to GT3 customer sport, a new field of activity will open up for the 2016 Le Mans winner.
Together with Frenchman Kevin Estre, Jani shares one of two factory cars in the LM-GTE Pro class that are entered in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), i.e. including Le Mans. Italian Gianmaria Bruni and Austrian Richard Lietz continue to take turns in the second 911 RSR.
The two Porsche 911 RSR cars with around 515 hp will compete in the WEC in collaboration with the Manthey-Racing entry team. The first race of the new season will take place in Sebring (USA) in March. On June 12/13, 2021, the two Porsche 911 RSR will then start the season highlight, the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Foretaste at Sebring
At the 12-hour race at Sebring, the final round of the IMSA Sports Car Championship, which was held in mid-November, Jani was able to familiarize himself with the new sports car in competition. With second place, the premiere went almost better than expected.
Neel Jani: "I'm looking forward to this new challenge. The fact that I'm still in the factory squad and can now drive in the most important GT class shows the confidence they have in me. After all, with two Formula E race cars and the two RSRs, there are only four factory cars left in total. I'm very positive that I'll quickly get used to the GT car in the WEC as well. After all, the races are long enough..."
Wide experience
The 2016 World Endurance Champion occupies a special position due to his immense experience with the racing sports cars from Weissach. No other factory driver can boast such experience.
Neel Jani: "Since I joined Porsche, I've driven every factory car. First the 919 Hybrid in LMP1, then the 99X in Formula E and now the 911 RSR in LMGTE Pro. And before that I'd already been in Fredy Lienhard's private Porsche RS Spyder. So I know the whole range."
What comes next?
Perhaps another model will soon be added to this range. The decision as to whether Porsche will return to the premier class with a sports prototype under the new LMDh regulations (which can be used in future at Le Mans and Daytona, i.e. Europe and the USA, without any changes) is eagerly awaited.
The omens are good. Other manufacturers (Audi and Peugeot) have also announced their return to Le Mans. After Neel Jani was involved in the development of the 919 Hybrid and 99X electric from the ground up, this project could become his most important task for the next few years.
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