[WEC] The 2023 and beyond DRIVER ANNOUNCEMENTS MEGA THREAD

[Pandamasque]

I said this before, I think, if F1 starts are anything to go by, Giovinazzi excels in traffic and he's properly quick. He'd definitely be in my Ferrari hypercar squad. And as far as I understand, he's still a Ferrari-contracted driver.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Mike E

I saw Giovinazzi mentioned in connection with Formula E. Don't know if there is anything in it.

Yes - he's signed for Dragon/Penske

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Simmi

Look at Seb Buemi. When he left F1, who would have thought he would be the most successful driver of the WEC era.

Mr Buemi himself, presumably.

[Mike E]

A toe in the water for Will Stevens with Acura.

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/s...ce-cup-rounds/

[Simmi]

Cameron and Nasr now officially official at Porsche.

https://presse.porsche.de/prod/press...otorsport-news

[GT6]

Well is does seem they will be back in 2023

[Matador]

Originally Posted by J Jay

As amazing as Lotterer was, and even though I'm sure he could still do a good job, his time has passed. The ages of the drivers mentioned makes it clear - Porsche, like every other factory, is going for the long haul.

Would actually love to see Lotterer back in a Toyota. A 3rd car Lotterer/Senna/Ogier lineup in '23 would be legendary.

[Simmi]

I think when all the privateer teams sprout up into '24 Lotterer should be able to find a seat and can certainly help a team improve.

It's kind of wild he didn't win so much as a WEC round with Porsche.

[Aysedasi]

Lotterer is still a great driver and if I was looking for someone he'd be right at the top of my list.

[Hawkwood]

Originally Posted by Matador

Would actually love to see Lotterer back in a Toyota. A 3rd car Lotterer/Senna/Ogier lineup in '23 would be legendary.

How do people rate Senna as an endurance racer? I think he's excellent, and seems to have held his own when in similar machinery as Lotterer and Jani.
My query is, considering his talents and surname, how come he's never to have had a chance in a factory car?


If I had a team of my own, factory or otherwise, he'd be at the top of the list for drivers I'd want to try out - so what am I missing that the factory team bosses must be seeing?

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by Hawkwood

How do people rate Senna as an endurance racer? I think he's excellent, and seems to have held his own when in similar machinery as Lotterer and Jani.
My query is, considering his talents and surname, how come he's never to have had a chance in a factory car?

Now that's a name I haven't heard in a while.

Is Senna still interested? He seems fairly comfortable with his ambassador role(s), I don't remember hearing any noises about him angling for a seat.

Back to Lotterer - I still don't see a factory drive, but a budding privateer seat is a good shout. It'd beat making up the numbers in FE...

[Pandamasque]

I remember Bruno Senna being on the clumsy/crashy side in his early prototype career. Didn't some privateer team once run out of spares at Le Mans with him as a driver?

[Hawkwood]

Originally Posted by J Jay

Now that's a name I haven't heard in a while.

Is Senna still interested? He seems fairly comfortable with his ambassador role(s), I don't remember hearing any noises about him angling for a seat.

Back to Lotterer - I still don't see a factory drive, but a budding privateer seat is a good shout. It'd beat making up the numbers in FE...

Obviously people count 'a while' differently, but he was overall podium at Le Mans 24 just last year, and finished 4th overall in 2018 and 2019, with Jani and Lotterer as team mates, against whom he held his own iirc.


Whether he's been angling for a seat for 2022 and beyong or not I have no idea, just asking for peoples thoughts on why he never got a break with a factory team.

[gert]

Originally Posted by Hawkwood

just asking for peoples thoughts on why he never got a break with a factory team.

Maybe because there weren't a lot of factory seats available when he was at his peak.

And there were better (or equally as good) drivers already in those factory teams?

[Bcarr6]

Originally Posted by Hawkwood

How do people rate Senna as an endurance racer? I think he's excellent, and seems to have held his own when in similar machinery as Lotterer and Jani.
My query is, considering his talents and surname, how come he's never to have had a chance in a factory car?


If I had a team of my own, factory or otherwise, he'd be at the top of the list for drivers I'd want to try out - so what am I missing that the factory team bosses must be seeing?

He did have a factory role with McLaren about 5 years or so ago. It never amounted to much, the 650s wasn’t really consistent enough to show whether he had much talent or not there.

He’s had some nice runs in P2’s in his time but would be midway at best through my list for factory seats