JOTA to Run Hertz-Backed Customer Porsche LMDh

Car rental company Hertz and LMP2 team JOTA have joined forces for a privateer Porsche LMDh program in the FIA World Endurance Championship’s Hypercar class next year.

Hertz confirmed on Saturday that it will be the title sponsor for a privateer entry with the recently-presented Porsche 963, while multiple 24 Hours of Le Mans class winner JOTA will provide race operations.

The entry will also be backed by Singer Group, which comes on board as a sponsor.

The number of cars has not been specified, however Sportscar365 understands that a two-car full-season effort is in the works.

No drivers have been named but it’s believed that Antonio Felix da Costa, who recently helped JOTA to claim a dominant LMP2 class win at Le Mans, is in the frame for a seat.

“We’re excited to sponsor a new Hertz racing team and partner with JOTA and Singer to join one of the most thrilling and prestigious race series in the world,” said Hertz CEO Stephen Scherr.

“Hertz intends to transform the future of mobility through technological innovation and a digital-first customer experience, and we look forward to bringing our brand to millions of car racing fans at next year’s World Endurance Championship.”

JOTA co-owner David Clark added: “Racing with Hertz and Singer is a momentous milestone for JOTA.

“We have enjoyed hard-won success at a global level in recent years, particularly at Le Mans.

“With this new team, we will be in a very strong position to keep our momentum going when sportscar racing truly enters a golden period in 2023.”

According to an announcement from Hertz, more details about the “new Hertz-sponsored racing team” including the car livery will be revealed at a later date.

It has not been disclosed which of the involved parties owns the car for the second confirmed customer Porsche 963 program, which follows JDC-Miller Motorsports confirming that it will run an LMDh car in the WeatherTech Championship next season.

Porsche placed a maximum of four LMDh cars on the global customer market ahead of its return to the top category of sports car racing.

They will compete with the factory Porsche Penske Motorsport team which is running two cars in the WEC’s Hypercar class and the WeatherTech Championship GTP class.

Porsche on Friday confirmed an eight-driver lineup for the works program involving Kevin Estre, Michael Christensen, Andre Lotterer, Laurens Vanthoor, Matt Campbell, Mathieu Jaminet, Felipe Nasr and Dane Cameron.