Rockenfeller Returns to GTP in Proton Porsche for Long Beach

Photo: Porsche

Ford Performance factory driver Mike Rockenfeller will make his return to Porsche 963 machinery in this weekend’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, having been confirmed in the No. 5 Proton Competition entry alongside Gianmaria Bruni for the 100-minute contest.

Rockenfeller, who took part in last year’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship rounds in JDC-Miller Motorsports’ Porsche 963, has since moved to Ford Multimatic Motorsports for its factory GTD Pro effort with the Ford Mustang GT3.

GTD Pro, however, in not in action at Long Beach this weekend, allowing the 40-year-old German to make his GTP return.

“I’m really looking forward to my first race with Proton Competition,” said Rockenfeller.

“It’s a huge challenge for me to get everything right in Long Beach. Time is of the essence. My last race with the 963 was last year’s Petit Le Mans. Long Beach is very special and the competition is fierce, especially in our class.”

The German squad is split between two continents this weekend, fielding Porsche 963s and Mustang GT3s in both the WeatherTech Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship, which races at Imola.

Neel Jani, Julien Andlauer and Rockenfeller’s GTD Pro co-driver Harry Tincknell are set to pilot Proton’s WEC Hypercar entry in Italy.

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