Porsche’s Campbell Looks Ahead to “Slightly Different” Role

Photo: Gruppe C Photography/Porsche

Matt Campbell said he’s looking forward to his top class debut in the 24 Hours of Le Mans next year as part of a full season switch to the FIA World Endurance Championship with Porsche Penske Motorsport.

The 28-year-old Australian, who was among the standout drivers in the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTP season, will make the switch to the globe-trotting series, in a driver swap with Dane Cameron, who returns Stateside.

While having finished fifth in the GTP standings with a victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to his credit, Campbell admitted that the move to Porsche Penske’s Mannheim, Germany-based WEC operation will take some getting used to.

He’ll share the No. 5 Porsche 963 in the eight-round championship with Fred Makowiecki and Michael Christensen.

“There’s obviously quite some changes,” Campbell told Sportscar365. “I’m stepping back from full-time in the IMSA championship after the first year with the team.

“I’d love to be able to stay but ultimately I have a really good opportunity to move over to the WEC and do full time and also compete at Le Mans for the first time in the top level class.

“That will be really, really exciting.

“Still being able to do the endurance races in IMSA, for me, which is really, really important, by racing the IMSA championship and three really cool races.

“Obviously it’s a slightly different role to what I’ve been used to this year in IMSA but nevertheless I think I’m going to enjoy it just as much.”

Campbell, who claimed GTE-Am class victory at Le Mans in 2018 in a Dempsey Proton Racing Porsche 911 RSR, missed out on this year’s French endurance classic as being the only full-time Porsche Penske driver to not have had a drive in the team’s three-car Hypercar class effort.

He was instead designated the team’s reserve driver, a role that was ultimately not needed.

“To be able to race at Le Mans in the top class is a dream come true,” Campbell said. “I’ll finally get to realize that next year.

“In 2024, the WEC is really exciting. When you look at how many cars are in the top class, I think 19 in total for the full season.

“With the new LMGT3 category, it’s changed a lot since the last time I was competing in the championship full-time, which was in 2021.

“I think it will be really cool to be able to be racing in the top class there.”

Campbell, who is poised to also take part in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring and Motul Petit Le Mans with the team, in addition to being confirmed in the No. 7 Porsche for next month’s Rolex 24, stressed the importance of being active in both series.

“I think it will be good to be racing in both championships as well, so you can get a feel of both cars and see how we’re progressing along as a team,” he said.

“We learn a lot between both championships during race weekends and testing and everything like that.

“Coming across we’ll be able to learn a few things between the two.

“The two operations are run very, very differently. Obviously in different parts of the world and in extremely different championships.

“I don’t see why it couldn’t be of help going across.”

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