Heinrich Proud to ‘Prove’ Factory GTP Chance Was ‘Right Call’

Photo: Jurgen Tap/Porsche

Laurin Heinrich said he was proud to “prove” that getting the nod to join Porsche Penske Motorsport and become a fully-fledged factory driver was the “right call.”

The 24-year-old, in only his second race with the Porsche 963, or in any prototype for that matter, teamed with Julien Andlauer and Felipe Nasr to win last weekend’s Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Heinrich, in his GTP class debut, became the first German driver to win the Florida endurance classic overall in 16 years, dating back to Mike Rockenfeller’s victory in an Action Express Racing Riley-Porsche DP in 2010.

While he made his first top-class outing in last November’s FIA World Endurance Championship season finale in Bahrain, Heinrich headed into the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season opener with extremely limited testing experience with the car.

However, he proved his worth, recording the fourth quickest 50-lap average in the race, behind only Matt Campbell, Frederik Vesti and Alex Palou, and ahead of co-driver Nasr, who claimed a historic three-peat.

In fact, Heinrich was so excited for the chance that he nearly slipped out of the car while climbing in for his first stint.

“I went off to an exciting start,” revealed Heinrich in the post-race press conference. “I don’t know if it was on camera, but while I tried to slide into the car, I slid off the car.

“Luckily there was also a driver helper who pushed me into the car because otherwise I would be on the floor.”

Heinrich took over the No. 7 Porsche from Andlauer while in the lead, and while initially losing out to the No. 93 Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-06 of Kaku Ohta, drove to the front.

“Once you get the first drive [done] you have something to build on,” said Heinrich.

“But jumping into the car which was at that point already I think in second place or even first place… my heart rate was, I think, over 200 bpm, not doing anything, just by being excited.

“Once I got my laps in and everything went pretty well, I can still recall the stint I did before the long yellow which was in those foggy conditions.

“I get goosebumps talking about this because in the end, racing a Porsche, a 963 through the fog down the back straight, you don’t see the Bus Stop at all, and at some point you have to turn left.

“I mean, this is a childhood dream. It’s something so cool to do. I hope anyone in life can one time experience something like this, which is so exciting.”

Heinrich praised the Porsche Penske squad for giving him all of the tools needed to get up to speed quickly.

“There was a lot to learn for me, and still, I’m so thankful for the team,” he said. “They are supporting me so much.

“In the end, there’s some tools in these cars. You can manipulate the balance and stuff. And I don’t have so much experience yet, but I have a great team around me.

“I tell them my problems over the radio and they come up with solutions, and in the end every solution they gave me yesterday and today in the race worked out.

“They played a huge role in us performing so well on track.”

Heinrich Pays Tribute to Father, Porsche for “Incredible” Progression

Having only made his GT3 debut three years ago, Heinrich said his rapid progression through the Porsche Pyramid even surprised himself.

“The journey has been so quick,” he said. “I joined the Porsche family in 2022 as a Porsche Junior and in the end now, 2026, to stand here as a full-on factory driver racing for the factory team and winning the Rolex 24 is incredible.

“I know my father was probably glued to the screen [watching the Rolex 24 at home], and he played a huge role for me to be here today. In the end, he put all the effort he could.

“I did my first year racing in cars in our own family team because we didn’t have the budget to join a professional team.

“When I think back how we raced then and how I’m racing nowadays, it’s an incredible journey and it makes me extremely proud.

“But [I’m] also thankful for the opportunity that Porsche provides us young talents going through the junior ranks, Cup racing, and now being a factory driver.”

Heinrich was the only driver added to the Porsche Penske roster this year, which contracted from eight to six drivers amid the manufacturer’s exit from Hypercar in the WEC.

“It was obviously always my goal to be at some point part of the factory program in LMDh, [but] at the same time when I was getting closer to this program, some parts of the program started winding down a little bit,” he said.

“I knew there was less opportunities on the table.

“In the end then to still get the call to be here supporting Felipe and Julien as an Endurance Cup driver makes me extremely proud of the trust Porsche put into me and the potential they see in me to give me this responsibility.

“I’m extremely happy, and also to some extent, you always think how’s is going to play out for myself.

“In a way, it also came a bit unexpectedly. Then I’m really happy that today I could prove that it was the right call.”

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John