Lieb Set for Porsche LMP1 Reserve Driver Role at 24H Le Mans

Photo: Porsche

Reigning FIA World Endurance Champion Marc Lieb will be Porsche’s LMP1 reserve driver for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, team principal Andreas Seidl has revealed.

Seidl confirmed that the 36-year-old German, who along with Romain Dumas and Neel Jani claimed overall victory in last year’s French endurance classic, will be on standby should one of Porsche’s six full-season drivers not be able to take part in the race.

“As we know, officially, per the regulations, you can’t have a spare driver,” Seidl told Sportscar365. “It’s not [technically] allowed.

“But obviously we have a very strong guy waiting in the background for us, who could jump in if anything could happen in the Le Mans week.

“Again, it’s down to the stewards to decide if you get the allowance or not.”

Lieb will get his first laps in Porsche’s 2017-spec 919 Hybrid in a test at Motorland Aragon next weekend, which will mark Porsche’s final endurance test prior to Le Mans.

“We will put him into the car at Aragon for some stints to have him ready again,” Seidl said.

“It’s also great from his side to be available for us. He has a new job at Porsche and is very busy there. But he knows the way around Le Mans so it’s a perfect solution for us.”

Lieb, who recently accepted an engineering position within the company, took part in February’s Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour, finishing 2nd overall and winning the GT3 Pro-Am class in a Porsche 911 GT3 R.

Toyota Gazoo Racing team director Rob Leupen revealed last month that Ryo Hirakawa will serve as its reserve driver for the race.

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