CAMPBELL IN CONSIDERATION FOR PORSCHE PROTOTYPE DRIVE

Matt Campbell could be racing a prototype for Porsche at Le Mans when the company returns to the race as a factory team in 2023.

The talented young Aussie is already on the list of hopefuls who are being assessed at Porsche, according to the German manufacturer’s newly-appointed head of motorsport.

“It’s too early to say, because we are just putting together the driver line-up for the LMPh. What I can say, for sure, he is one of the people we are looking at, “ says Thomas Laudenbach, speaking from Germany.

“I personally think he has a great future. As a driver … I like his driving style.

“I think he is mature enough not to push the car into the wall too often, but he has the right amount of aggression. And I think that’s great.”

If Campbell gets the call-up for Le Mans he would join an impressive list of Australians who have raced for outright victory, led at Porsche by Vern Schuppan.

Laudenbach says the criteria for Le Mans drivers is about to change, as the new LMPh will have a Balance of Performance system that will put the emphasis on youth, speed and aggression. He believes the days of taking older drivers because they are safe and reliable will be gone, as a growing number of major carmakers battle for victory.

“The driver will be even more important in the future. You won’t be in the position to put a driver in who is three or four-tenths off the pace. How you choose drivers will be different from what we have known in the past.”

Apart from Le Mans, Laudenbach has strong ideas about Porsche’s racing future with growing electrification, where he says there will not be a battery-electric contender for Carrera Cup-style series for some time yet.

“If you talk about a customer car, like Carrera Cup, it will be three to four years down the road,” he says.

“It’s not easy to give a precise answer, but if we talk about customer motorsport . . . it’s very important that we have a base road car. Otherwise it is too expensive. Therefore, we need a base as a road car and so far we are not intending to take the Taycan.”

Talking about Australia, Laudenbach is hopeful that the easing of Covid-19 travel restrictions will mean Porsche can be involved in next year’s Bathurst 12-Hour race.

“Bathurst has always been one of the great races, and a very special race,” he says.

“If the Covid situation allows it we will be happy to come back. To support that race.”

He says Porsche has clear rules on its customer racing programs, and the 12-hour qualifies as one of the events it likes to support.

“We make a clear separation between factory racing and customer racing. We have clear rules; if it is one of the big races, and it is a good team we will, if we can, go in with our drivers. And perhaps some technical support, and some financial contribution.”

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