Porsche’s annual Night of Champions Dinner is a chance for the drivers, team and executives to get together and celebrate the previous seasons success. In addition, it is customary for them to use the time to formally announce Porsche’s motorsport plans for 2016. This year was no different. Not only did Porsche confirm, again, their intent to return to Le Mans, they gave insight into the rest of next season and named their factory drivers for the 2016 Season. All 15 Porsche factory drivers from last year will return. In addition, Porsche announced that Kévin Estre (a 6-year veteran of Porsche’s one-make Cup series) has been named the 16th factory driver. More importantly, despite rumors to the contrary, Porsche WILL compete in the WEC GT program, both GTE-Pro and GTE-Am, however, based on the release we read it looks like there will only be one factory 911 in each class.
2016 Porsche Factory Drivers
Earl Bamber (New Zealand)
Series: WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (WTSCC) + driver of a 911 RSR at Le Mans
Car: 911 RSR
Twitter: @earlbamber
Website: www.earlbambermotorsport.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/earlbambermotorsport
Factory Race Car:
Jörg Bergmeister (Germany)
Series: WEC as driver of a 911 RSR at Le Mans, WTSCC at Daytona with Park Place Motorsport, Japanese Super GT
Car: 911 RSR and 911 GT3 R
Twitter: @JBergmeister
Website: N/A
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Joerg-Bergmeister-Porsche-Works-Driver
Timo Bernhard (Germany)
Series: WEC
Car: 919 Hybrid
Twitter: @Timo_Bernhard
Website: www.timo-bernhard.de
Facebook: www.facebook.com/timobernhard.de
Michael Christensen (Denmark)
Series: WEC
Car: 911 RSR + additional driver for long distance races in WTSCC
Twitter: @ChristensenMK
Website: www.michaelkchristensen.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/mcracedriver
Romain Dumas (France)
Series: WEC
Car: 919 Hybrid
Twitter: @RomainDumas
Website: www.romaindumas.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/RomainDumasOfficiel
Kevin Estre (France)
Series: WEC driver at Le Mans & WTUSCC driver at long distance races
Car: 911 RSR
Twitter: @kevinestre
Website: www.kevinestre.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/kevin.estre
Brendon Hartley (New Zealand)
Series: WEC
Car: 919 Hybrid
Twitter: @brendonhartley
Website: www.brendonhartley.co.nz
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BrendonHartleyMotorsport
Wolf Henzler (Germany)
Series: Multiple, including Le Mans, Daytona in the WTSCC, Nürburgring 24-hour race,
Car: 911 RSR
Twitter: @wolf_henzler
Website: www.wolfhenzler.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/wolfhenzler.racebook
Neel Jani (Switzerland)
Series: WEC
Car: 919 Hybrid
Twitter: @neeljani
Website: www.neel-jani.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/NeelJaniRacing
Marc Lieb (Germany)
Series: WEC
Car: 919 Hybrid
Twitter: @LiebMarc
Website: www.marc-lieb.de
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Marc-Lieb/
Richard Lietz (Austria)
Series: WEC
Car: 911 RSR
Twitter: @RichardLietz
Website: www.richard-lietz.at
Facebook: www.facebook.com/richard.lietz.9
Patrick Long (United States)
Series: WTSCC (competing for Black Swan Racing), Pirelli World Challenge (competing for Effort Racing)
Car: 911 GT3 R
Twitter: @pLmotorsport
Website: www.patricklong.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Patrick-Long/
Frédéric Makowiecki (France)
Series: WTSCC + driver of 911 RSR at Le Mans
Car: 911 RSR
Twitter: @FredMako1
Website: www.fredmako.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/FredMako1
Patrick Pilet (France)
Series: WTSCC + driver of 911 RSR at Le Mans
Car: 911 RSR
Twitter: @PatrickPilet
Website: www.patrick-pilet.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/patrick.piletracepage
Nick Tandy (UK)
Series: WTSCC + driver of 911 RSR at Le Mans
Car: 911 RSR
Twitter: @NickTandyR
Website: N/A
Facebook: www.facebook.com/NickTandyRacing
Mark Webber (Australian)
Series: WEC
Car: 919 Hybrid
Twitter: @AussieGrit
Website: www.markwebber.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MarkWebber.Official