Newgarden Had to “Respect the Limit” More in GTP than IndyCar

Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden discovered that he needed to “respect the limit a bit more” in an LMDh sports car such as the Porsche 963 compared with an IndyCar.

The American driver is making his GTP debut in today’s Motul Petit Le Mans, joining title contenders Matt Campbell and Felipe Nasr in the No. 7 factory Penkse Porsche.

Newgarden, who drives for Team Penske in the NTT IndyCar Series, told reporters that it took some time for him to adapt his steering inputs to match the prototype’s demands.

Petit Le Mans represents his second sports car race of the year after he joined Tower Motorsports for the season-opening Rolex 24 at Daytona in the LMP2 class alongside fellow IndyCar driver Scott McLaughlin, Kyffin Simpson and Johm Farano.

“I think from a demand standpoint on the driving style difference, in this car you have to respect the limit a bit more than in an IndyCar,” Newgarden explained.

“In IndyCar it allows you to attack constantly with minimal loss. If I over-drive a corner in an IndyCar I might lose a tenth. In this car, I could lose half a second if I over-drive the corner.

“It demands a bit more respect. There is a high limit, high capability, but you can overstep it easily here. So from a driving standpoint, it’s hard to find that initially.

“When I first drove the car, I was just trying to find the respect that I needed for the racecar.”

Newgarden tested the Porsche 963 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Road America and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, where he is competing this weekend, in preparation for his first race in the car.

“In the beginning I [overdrove] for sure,” he recalled.

“Coming from the IndyCar, I’m used to just attacking 100 percent. In this car, you can still attack, but you have to attack with a little more discretion.

“Finding that balance was probably the most difficult part in the beginning.”

Newgarden felt as though his Petit Le Mans preparations went “pretty smooth” despite only driving in the second of three practice sessions and completing 16 laps.

The 10-hour enduro is set to mark his first competitive appearance at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in professional racing, 15 years after he beat current BMW GTP driver Connor De Phillippi in the final round of the 2008 Skip Barber National series.

“All of it’s pretty challenging compared to where I’ve come from,” said Newgarden.

“The IndyCar is very mechanical in that there’s not many systems you’re changing on the fly constantly. Whereas this car is very technologically advanced. It’s an impressive racecar, and it demands a lot of the driver.

“Learning all the systems and potential requests that the team at any time is the challenge I’ve had to go through. And then you have the other small detail differences that I’m not used to.

“Whether it’s a red light at pit exit: we don’t have that in IndyCar. Just remembering that you always have to be looking for a detail like that.

“For me, the procedural differences are critical to get right, and where my mind has been going into [the race].”

Despite being new to the WeatherTech Championship, the GTP class and the Porsche 963, Newgarden is hoping to contribute positively to his co-drivers’ title aspirations.

After Friday’s drizzly qualifying session, Nasr and Campbell are 72 points behind championship leaders Filipe Albuquerque and Ricky Taylor.

“It’s a big opportunity for the team,” Newgarden stated. “Everybody understands the objective and that’s to bring two cars home safely, and hopefully in the championship position.

“For me, it’s a tremendous honor to be here with Porsche. It’s an iconic brand and manufacturer. Team Penske feels like home to me and there’s a history between the two

“I’m grateful for the opportunity. I do feel confident, but at the same time I’m trying to stay focused like everybody on the team, so that we can just do the job properly.”