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LE MANS: Porsche LMP1 Rollout Set For Mid-2013
New-for-2014 Porsche LMP1 car to be run by Weissach-based factory team...
John Dagys  |  Posted December 08, 2012   Chicago, IL
Porsche anticipates its new 2014 LMP1 car to break cover mid next year. (Photo: LAT)
Porsche's highly anticipated entry into the LMP1 ranks of the FIA World Endurance Championship continues to build momentum, with the German manufacturer confirming this weekend that its program will be run by a new factory team based out of its Weissach, Germany headquarters.

Additionally, Wolfgang Hatz, Porsche AG Board of Management Member for Research and Development, revealed the first roll-out of the new-generation prototype will come in the middle of next year, ahead of a planned full-season attack in the FIA WEC in 2014.

Leading new LMP1 program will be Fritz Enzinger, the former head of BMW's Formula One program, while Porsche's Head of Motorsport, Hartmut Kristen, will continue to maintain all of the manufacturers' other motorsports programs worldwide.

Details of the program were announced Saturday evening at Porsche's "Night of Champions" celebration in Stuttgart, where confirmation also came that all nine of the current Porsche factory drivers have been retained for 2013.

They include: Joerg Bergmeister, Patrick Long, Marc Lieb, Richard Lietz, Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas, Wolf Henzler, Patrick Pilet and Marco Holzer.

So far, only Henzler's full-season placement has been announced, with the German remaining with Team Falken Tire in the American Le Mans Series. No fewer than four additional factory drivers are expected to head up Porsche's new works GTE-Pro program in the WEC, utilizing the new 991-model RSR.

Winning this year's Porsche Cup, an award for the top-ranking privateer Porsche driver, went to Nick Tandy, who competed in the International GT Open with Manthey Racing.

John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
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