Laurin Heinrich joins Porsche Penske for IMSA race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

3 sources1 min read • Latest: Sep 9, 2026, 2:53 PM

Last updated Sep 9, 2026

Laurin Heinrich joins Porsche Penske for IMSA race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Summary

Porsche Penske Motorsport has updated its driver roster for the upcoming IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course on September 20. Laurin Heinrich will take the seat in the #6 Porsche 963, replacing Laurens Vanthoor. Heinrich will partner with Kevin Estre as the team attempts to close a 118-point gap to championship leader Jack Aitken. The reorganization also impacts the JDC MotorSports team, with Nico Mueller moving to fill the vacancy created by Heinrich’s shift to the factory squad. Porsche LMDh factory director Urs Kuratle described the change as a priority for the driver championship. The team provided no official explanation for the absence of Vanthoor, who is currently signed to compete for the McLaren Hypercar program in the 2027 FIA World Endurance Championship.

Source Links
By the Numbers
  • Laurin Heinrich replaces Laurens Vanthoor in the #6 Porsche 963 for the Indianapolis race.
  • Heinrich sits 118 points behind series leader Jack Aitken in the drivers' championship.
  • Nico Mueller will drive for JDC MotorSports following Heinrich's return to the factory squad.
  • The IMSA race at Indianapolis is scheduled for September 20.
Latest Updates
  • 2:53 PMRacerHeinrich returning to Porsche Penske, Müller in at JDC-Miller for Indy
  • 2:34 PMMotorsport.comLaurin Heinrich replaces Laurens Vanthoor at Porsche Penske for IMSA Indy round
  • 2:34 PMYahoo SportsLaurin Heinrich replaces Laurens Vanthoor at Porsche Penske for IMSA Indy round
What they're saying
"

Porsche Penske Motorsport (PPM) has restructured its driver lineup for the upcoming IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship round at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, drafting Laurin Heinrich into the factory squad to replace Laurens Vanthoor behind the wheel of the #6 Porsche 963. Heinrich will partner with Kevin Estre for the Sept. 20 race in a strategic move aimed directly at ...Keep reading

"

Laurin Heinrich returning to Porsche Penske Motorsport for next week’s TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with Nico Müller taking his place at JDC-Miller MotorSports.

Racerby RJ O’Connell
"

Porsche factory team reshuffles lineup to maximize its top driver's championship chances against Cadillac’s Jack Aitken

Related Teams & Leagues

Sources

External links

Original reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.

Related Stories

Last 14 days