Earl Bamber and Nick Tandy look set to switch to the GT Le Mans class of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2018, with Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser, the head of the Porsche GT Programme suggesting the move is already set in stone.
The duo will return to the team they drove for back in 2015 and 2016 before switching to the LMP1 class of the FIA World Endurance Championship, and following the decision of Porsche to withdraw their presence in that class next season, both Bamber and Tandy are set to be reallocated.
“It sounds logical – most things we are doing like this is intentional,” said Walliser on Racer. “Yes (they will do a full season). It isn’t final, as the drivers’ calendars are really complex, but this is the direction we are going.”
Gianmaria Bruni and Laurens Vanthoor are likely to race in the World Endurance Championship for Porsche’s GT squad, but while remaining with just two full-time entries, Walliser says no decision has been made to where the other Porsche drivers will race, including the likes of Patrick Pilet and Dirk Werner.
However, there may be other options to add additional entries in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, particularly with so many drivers under contract with Porsche, including all of their other current LMP1 drivers.
“There’s no intention to run more than two cars, (in IMSA and WEC),” said Walliser. “At Le Mans, it’s the decision of the ACO and the committee, there’s nothing quite decided yet.”
