Four-time F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel completed on Tuesday at Motorland Aragon four stints and a total of 581 kilometers at the wheel of Porsche Penske Motorsport’s 963 hypercar.
Vettel’s contribution to Porsche’s endurance test in Spain wasn’t his first taste of the German manufacturer’s WEC machine, having previously spent time familiarizing himself with the 963 in PPM's simulator in Flacht, Germany.
Under sunny Spanish skies, Vettel completed a grueling 118 laps across four separate stints, which equated to nearly the distance of two full Formula 1 Grand Prix races.
The test marked a significant step forward for Vettel’s potential ambitions to return to racing and showcased the 53-time F1 winner’s commitment to getting up to speed in the endurance racing world.
"Of course, I also keep an eye on other motorsport disciplines and know many drivers who are active in the WEC and Le Mansn” commented Vettel.
“At some point, my curiosity was so great that I had the idea of trying it out myself. Porsche gave me the opportunity to test a current hypercar with the 963.
“After the seat adjustment, the simulator session and the roll-out in Weissach, I already had a good feeling.
“Driving the Porsche 963 on the track here in Aragon - that was definitely fun. I first had to get used to everything and find my rhythm.
“The driving experience is different simply because of the roof over your head, as well as dealing with the higher weight and the tires.
“The Porsche works drivers were very helpful and explained to me what was special and what I needed to get used to. That made it easy for me.”
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Porsche Penske Motorsport’s racing season is in full swing and enjoyed a flying start with wins in both the season opening rounds in the North American IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, at the 24 Hours of Daytona, and in the first race of the FIA World Endurance Championship in Qatar.
However, the Le Mans 24 Hours remain the highlight of the WEC, and PPM is preparing accordingly for next June’s endurance classic.
“Aragon is one of the few places in Europe where we can run around the clock and gives us an opportunity to run 36 hours straight in preparation for Le Mans,” explained PPM boss Jonathan Diuguid.
©Porsche
"Having Sebastian Vettel here is a unique opportunity for the team. He is a four time Formula 1 World Champion. He has massive experience with hybrid systems and high performance racing cars.
“Having his fresh unique perspective on where the car is and gives feedback on our systems and performances is a unique opportunity.
“We are happy to have him here. He came out of the car with a smile which is all good."
Vettel was joined at the Aragon test by Porsche works WEC drivers Matt Campbell, Michael Christensen, Frederic Makowiecki, Kevin Estre, Andre Lotterer and Laurens Vanthoor, and reigning DTM champion Thomas Preining.
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