Driver mortgage units up Porsche 963 rivalry in Lengthy Seashore

Julien Andlauer will go from sharing a race seat to probably buying and selling paint with Laurin Heinrich at this weekend’s Acura Grand Prix of Lengthy Seashore.

The 2 drivers, together with Felipe Nasr, shared driving duties in Porsche Penske Motorsport’s (PPM) #7 Porsche 963 that was victorious within the opening two rounds – Rolex 24 At Daytona and Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring – to start out the 2026 marketing campaign within the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. With the schedule shifting from the endurance rounds to the primary dash race of yr that limits two drivers per automobile, Heinrich was, roughly, loaned out to privateer JDC-Miller MotorSports and can co-drive the #5 Porsche 963 alongside Tijmen van der Heim.

Race winners Felipe Nasr, Laurin Heinrich and Julien Andlauer, Porsche Penske Motorsport

Picture by: Getty Pictures

Though the state of affairs may ship some complexities associated to the general championship standings, Andlauer is wanting on the positives.

“It will be extra of a enjoyable situation,” stated Andlauer, 26. “We talked about it just lately and it is nice for him to get extra monitor time within the automobile, although he would not want it as a result of he is already flying.

“I believe it’ll be cool to have one other Porsche combating perhaps a bit extra up entrance. Yeah, I do not know what to suppose then again; hopefully it isn’t going to be too fast on the opposite automobile! And do not take our factors. However no, I’ve to say it is cool for it. It is gonna be nice for him simply to be even higher for the top of the season along with us for the final spherical.”

Not solely will or not it’s fascinating to see how Heinrich will get on as he navigates the historic 1.968-mile, 11-turn short-term road circuit for the primary time in his profession, however doing so with a Porsche 963 with out this yr’s Evo updates.

As a manufacturing facility outfit, PPM moved ahead with the most recent aero updates, whereas JDC-Miller Motorsports opted to stay with the 2025 specs attributable to price. In some ways in which may turn out to be favorable for him as the most recent Stability of Efficiency (BoP) hit PPM more durable than JDC-Miller MotorSports.

#5 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963: Tijmen van der Helm, Nico Pino, Kaylen Frederick

Picture by: Jake Galstad / Lumen through Getty Pictures

Following a dominant victory at Sebring the place PPM led all however 60 of 343 laps, IMSA handed the manufacturing facility squad a weight improve of 45 kg for an unprecedented complete of 1,100 kg, together with a 5.4 p.c discount in first stage energy and a pair of.9 p.c for the second stage. In the meantime, JDC-Miller MotorSports was given a unique BoP, including simply a further 5 kg to complete 1,060 kg; and had been hit with a 1.7 p.c first stage discount and 1.1 p.c for the second stage.

Staff Penske President Jonathan Diuguid, who additionally calls technique on PPM’s #6 entry, believes JDC-Miller MotorSports may very well be a risk.

“JDC has been very aggressive at racetracks over time with the 963,” Diuguid stated. “I do not depend them out in any respect. Laurin is a robust expertise.

“I am going to give that group an excellent benchmark to arrange their automobile round and he comes with expertise from working with our workforce for 3 races now between Bahrain on the finish of final yr (within the FIA World Endurance Championship) after which Daytona and Sebring and he is aware of how the automobile ought to really feel. He examined the earlier spec bodywork a pair instances in the direction of the top of final yr so he understands the variations there additionally.

“I solely view it as for the Porsche group as a complete to have someone like Laurin within the automobile giving suggestions to the group.”

Images from Lengthy Seashore – Friday

#10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac V-Series.R: Ricky Taylor, Filipe Albuquerque, Ross Gunn