Porsche has announced significant changes to its 2025 World Endurance Championship (WEC) and IMSA SportsCar Championship line-ups, dropping three high-profile drivers, including three-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner André Lotterer. As part of a restructuring of its LMDh squad, Porsche is streamlining its WEC driver roster from three to two full-time drivers in each of its factory cars.
Lotterer, who has been a key figure in Porsche’s LMP1, Formula E, and LMDh programs since joining the team from Audi in 2017, will be leaving the squad along with fellow veteran drivers Frederic Makowiecki and Dane Cameron. Despite being on the verge of clinching this year’s WEC Hypercar title alongside Laurens Vanthoor and Kevin Estre, Lotterer will not return to the team for 2025.
The decision comes as Porsche looks to fine-tune its driver lineup for the upcoming season. Vanthoor and Estre, who currently lead the WEC standings by 35 points heading into the season finale in Bahrain, will continue as a duo in the #6 Porsche 963 LMDh for the regular six-hour races in 2025. The pair has formed a strong partnership with Lotterer this season, but the German’s departure signals a shift in Porsche’s strategy.
Michael Christensen will retain his seat in the #5 Porsche Penske Motorsport (PPM) entry, which he shared this season with Makowiecki and Matt Campbell. For 2025, Christensen will be joined by French driver Julien Andlauer, who earned his place after impressive performances behind the wheel of the Proton Competition customer 963 in the WEC this year. Campbell, who raced in WEC for 2024, will return to IMSA competition in North America, where he will team up with Mathieu Jaminet in the #6 PPM car.
Dane Cameron, who won the IMSA SportsCar Championship GTP title this year with Felipe Nasr, will be replaced by British driver Nick Tandy in 2025. Tandy, who has shared a car with Jaminet for the past two IMSA seasons, will move into Cameron’s seat alongside Nasr in the #7 Porsche.
Porsche’s reshuffled driver line-up will also impact the upcoming endurance events. Jaminet and Campbell will join the #5 and #6 crews for Le Mans and other "selected races" in 2025, which are expected to include the season-opening 10-hour race in Qatar and the eight-hour finale in Bahrain. Estre and Vanthoor, meanwhile, have been nominated for selected races in IMSA’s Michelin Endurance Cup, continuing their presence in North American endurance racing.
Frederic Makowiecki, who leaves Porsche after 11 seasons primarily in its GT program, had a distinguished career with the team, including a GTE Pro class win at the 2022 Le Mans 24 Hours and an overall victory in the 2018 Nürburgring 24 Hours. Porsche’s statement regarding the changes confirmed that the manufacturer and Makowiecki have "agreed to conclude their collaboration," marking the end of an era for the veteran French driver.
Porsche’s revamped driver line-up signals its intent to remain competitive in both the WEC and IMSA championships while adapting to the evolving demands of endurance racing. The team’s focus on optimizing its roster for endurance events and the regular season showcases its commitment to securing victories on the world stage, with new talents like Andlauer stepping into pivotal roles as the next generation of drivers.
