Porsche AG has announced its full driver line up for the 2014 FIA World Endurance Championship, and the name of its all-new LMP1 prototype: 919 Hybrid.
Young New Zealander Brendon Hartley (24), who this year has been making his mark in the European Le Mans Series, will be joining long-standing Porsche works driver Marc Lieb (33) from Germany as the final two drivers in the German team’s line up.
The duo will be racing the Porsche 919 hybrid, together with the already announced Timo Bernhard (DE, 32), Romain Dumas (FR, 36), Neel Jani (CH, 30) and the Australian Mark Webber (37).
Hartley left his homeland early to advance his racing career in Europe. Following on from successes in Formula Renault and Formula 3 came the long-awaited Formula 1 contract – as a test driver but with precious little chance to race. Hence, parallel to his F1 commitments, Hartley turned to sports car racing. He said: “I’m incredibly proud that Porsche has chosen me. I was deeply impressed at my first outing in Le Mans. But to compete there in the LMP1 for an iconic company like Porsche is another dimension completely.”
Marc Lieb was 20 years old when his career as a race driver at Porsche took off: In the year 2000, he won the Porsche Junior driver selection. In addition to a raft of class victories, he also scored five overall wins at 24 hour races, four times on the Nürburgring, once at Spa. “I have been fortunate enough to celebrate victories with Porsche all over the world,” said Lieb, “even in the GT class at Le Mans. People there always asked when we would return to the LMP1 class. Since the project was given the go-ahead, I only wanted one thing: to be involved. Le Mans and Porsche, I can’t even begin to describe how excited this makes me feel.”