Picariello Targeting Full-Season Porsche LMDh Program

Alessio Picariello is targeting a full season at the wheel of LMDh machinery for Porsche next season after getting his first taste of top-flight competition with his IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup appearances for Proton Competition this year.

The Belgian driver was part of the lineup for the No. 5 Mustang Sampling-backed Proton Porsche 963 for four of the five Endurance Cup rounds this year, achieving top five-finishes in the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the Battle of the Bricks at Indianapolis.

He also appeared in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring and Motul Petit Le Mans as part of a busy campaign that also included the Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia powered by AWS and three out of four Intercontinental GT Challenge rounds.

Expressing satisfaction with how he performed in his first LMDh outings, Picariello hopes to get behind the wheel of a 963 more often in 2025, either in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship or the FIA World Endurance Championship.

“It was a very positive year in terms of trying new things,” Picariello told Sportscar365. “It was important to get my first taste of the top class, and I’m happy with how it went.

“It was quite challenging to have a six-month break between races, and we didn’t get the result we wanted because of some small things, but I felt my performance was getting better and better with every race I did, especially the final two rounds.

“The goal next year is to do more prototype, LMDh, ideally a full season in LMDh, although it depends on teams and budgets.

“The best thing would be to combine it with GTs, but I would like my main program to be in prototypes and then do the big races in GTs.

“I still enjoy GTs and I don’t want to give it up completely, but the top class is where you want to be, and now I had a taste, I don’t want to give it up!”

Proton is set for another season of running dual IMSA and WEC campaigns, and has targeted the addition of a second 963 for the latter series.

Picariello didn’t express a strong preference between the two championships, for his main 2025 program, but admitted that his perception of the WeatherTech Championship had changed as a result of his outings for Proton this year.

“Last year I would have said differently, but now that I tried it, and I understand it, I really like IMSA,” said Picariello.

“I think it’s somewhere that customer teams can fight a bit more because of the format of the races.

“I would be happy either way, WEC has a bit more ‘hype’ around it, but IMSA is maybe a bit more fun because of the circuits and the spirit of the paddock.”

One series that won’t feature on Picariello’s schedule in 2025 is SUPER GT, despite rumors of an imminent shake-up of the Nissan GT500 stable.

The Belgian previously tested the NISMO Z GT500 car at Fuji Speedway last December, and while he admits he has remained in touch with the Japanese marque, he stated the number of clashes with other series make a drive impractical.

“I have been in contact with [Nissan], but doing SUPER GT only is not really an option for me,” clarified Picariello.

“There are many clashes; next year there is a clash with the Spa 24 Hours [and the Sepang SUPER GT round].

“I think you really have to commit to racing in Japan, or not do it at all, and I am not ready to commit.”