Lotterer: Le Mans return a ‘long-term’ ambition, FE the priority
Three-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner Andre Lotterer says he only sees a return to the endurance classic as a ‘long-term’ goal despite Porsche's planned LMDh assault from 2023.
Three-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner Andre Lotterer says he only sees a return to the endurance classic as a ‘long-term’ goal despite Porsche's planned LMDh assault from 2023.
Last December, Porsche confirmed it would bid for a 20th outright Le Mans win with an as-yet-unnamed car built to the new LMDh regulations that will be used for both the FIA World Endurance Championship and the IMSA SportsCar Championship.
Porsche Formula E driver Lotterer, who was denied a fourth Le Mans win upon switching from Audi to Porsche in 2017 by a sudden loss of oil pressure while comfortably leading, had previously signalled his desire to return to Le Mans with the German marque if it ever decided to contend for overall victory again.
But the 39-year-old says that ensuring Porsche achieves its goals in FE remains his immediate priority.
“It’s not on my mind right now, but I’m a Porsche driver and they announced [the LMDh project], so I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to do it,” Lotterer told Autosport.
“It's one of my dreams to win Le Mans for Porsche, it would be something quite special.
“We got close in 2017 and then as we all know Porsche pulled out and I joined Formula E. Now we are together again, I would love to join, but it’s a long-term thing [going back to Le Mans] and there are big challenges ahead in Formula E.
“I’m still committed to Formula E, I invested a lot of time and energy in the project and the programme is still young. We have big targets also for the third year [in 2021-22], so this is something I’m putting a lot of energy into.”
Lotterer/Jani/Tandy Porsche 919 Hybrid 2017 Le Mans 24 Hours
Photo by: Motorsport Images
Lotterer won Le Mans for the first time in 2011 alongside Audi team-mates Benoit Treluyer and Marcel Fassler, the trio triumphing again in 2012 and 2014.
The German skipped the race last year for the first time since 2008 as he focused on his Porsche FE commitments, his most recent appearances in the race having been a pair of outings for privateer LMP1 squad Rebellion Racing in 2018-19.
At first Lotterer combined his Rebellion duties with racing in FE for DS Techeetah, but following the conclusion of the 2018-19 WEC Superseason he shifted his full focus to the all-electric series and hasn’t made any professional appearances elsewhere since then.
Asked where he expects to focus his efforts for the remainder of his top-line career, Lotterer replied: “I’m always interested in a good combination of what I love to do and something that is interesting to do.
"FE is a great mixture because I love the competition and racing in cities, which is really cool and really challenging. Le Mans is a great platform as well - by its very nature it’s always meaningful in terms of efficiency.
“Being with Porsche means there will always be something good to do in that sense, because motorsport is in their DNA and they are always pushing the bounds of technology. So I think I’m in good hands for the future and I will follow them in whichever challenges they do.”
What to expect from the LMP1 era's last survivor
Top 10 Le Mans Ferraris ranked: Testa Rossa, P4, 312 PB and more
How Formula E's double-duty drivers influenced their Le Mans teams' fortunes
Eight Formula E drivers made the 7,000-mile sprint from the streets of Jakarta to the fabled Circuit de la Sarthe and every one had a story to share at this year's Le Mans 24 Hours. Despite a range of triumphs and disappointments, each driver doubling up on the day job played a key role in their teams' fortunes
Le Mans 2022: The team by team guide
The 90th edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours is here. Here's Autosport's run down of the full field and who to look out for in each class
The great Le Mans garagistes that challenged factory might
Glickenhaus is the latest in a line of small-time constructors to take on the big names. Here are some of the finest in the history of the Le Mans 24 Hours
When the moribund GTE Pro class stole the show at Le Mans
The GTE class faces a time of transition, with Ferrari and Porsche both committing resources to Hypercar programmes for next year's World Endurance Championship and GT3 cars confirmed to take over from 2024. But at its pomp in the recent past, the GTE Pro class pitched manufacturers and top drivers into the tightest of duels
How an Italian junior formula giant is readying for its Le Mans future
Prema remains a colossus in single-seaters, but the serial Formula 2 and Formula 3 title-winning squad has joined forces with top GT squad Iron Lynx for an attack on sportscars in the World Endurance Championship and European Le Mans Series. Ahead of its debut at the Le Mans 24 Hours, its sights are firmly fixed on LMP2 glory – and a future in Hypercars next year...
Why a fifth Toyota win at Le Mans is far from a certainty in 2022
Toyota is the clear favourite for its fifth Le Mans 24 Hours success in a row, but not as much as it was in 2021. Although its opposition is unchanged, the credentials of Glickenhaus and Alpine have now been proven, while Balance of Performance tweaks have also served to level the playing field. Here's what we can expect at the Circuit de la Sarthe for the 90th edition of the endurance classic
The British rookies targeting a good first impression at Le Mans
Three young Britons will make their first starts in the Le Mans 24 Hours this weekend in the highly-competitive 23-car GTE Am field. But how did they get here? Autosport hears their stories.
Why Peugeot couldn't afford to take a Le Mans gamble in 2022
Ahead of the much-anticipated arrival of its new 9X8 Hypercar, Peugeot revealed that it would not be entering this year's Le Mans 24 Hours with its incoming machinery. Although development restrictions for homologated cars are partially responsible, the French marque can draw on its own lessons from its history in sportscars