Here is a wild shift in the championship fight: Laurin Heinrich is moving over to Porsche Penske Motorsport for the upcoming TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks. This penultimate round of the 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will see Heinrich step into the No. 6 Porsche 963 machine, sharing the cockpit with Kevin Estre.
Coming into this Indianapolis weekend, Heinrich sits second in the Grand Touring Prototype championship standings. He currently trails Jack Aitken by 118 points, and Porsche is pulling all the right levers to give him the absolute best fighting chance. Urs Kuratle, who serves as the Porsche Director Factory Motorsport, LMDh, laid it out simply: “We want to give Laurin Heinrich the best possible chance in the fight for the IMSA drivers’ title, and we believe this is the best way to do that.”
Since Laurin is the highest-ranked Porsche driver in the championship, I’m happy to step aside to give him the chance to drive our car and maximize his chances,
Naturally, a shuffle like this requires someone to make space. In this unique situation, Laurens Vanthoor is stepping aside, prompting Kuratle to offer public thanks for his understanding. Vanthoor explained the reality of their side of the garage quite openly, noting that their current season with the No. 6 car has not gone as hoped. Following a crash during the previous race at Road America, they are officially out of the running for the championship.
“Since Laurin is the highest-ranked Porsche driver in the championship, I’m happy to step aside to give him the chance to drive our car and maximize his chances,” Vanthoor stated. He also confirmed he will return to the grid for the season-ending Petit Le Mans, eyeing a victory that has so far eluded both him and the team. Heinrich expressed deep gratitude for the move, posting on Instagram to thank Porsche Motorsport and Team Penske while highlighting his immense respect for Vanthoor stepping aside.
“I‘ll make sure to grasp this special opportunity with both hands and give it everything in my hunt for the IMSA championship,” Heinrich wrote. Meanwhile, this musical chairs movement opens up a seat elsewhere in the paddock. Nico Mueller will step into the No. 5 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963 alongside Tijmen van der Helm, returning to the team he also raced with at Indianapolis last year.
