Patrick Dempsey Unlikely to Drive in 2016

Photo: Porsche

While his name will be on the side of a GTE-Pro class Porsche, Patrick Dempsey may not drive at all in next year’s FIA World Endurance Championship as the Hollywood actor/racer focuses on family and acting commitments in 2016.

Speaking with Sportscar365’s Tony DiZinno at Saturday’s Porsche “Night of Champions” awards dinner in Weissach, Dempsey said he hasn’t completely ruled out driving but admitted it looks less likely he’ll be behind the wheel of a race car next year.

The decision to scale back driving commitments comes after Dempsey’s best year yet in racing, having scored his first career win in the WEC Six Hours of Fuji in October and finishing on the GTE-Am class podium at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The Dempsey Proton name will appear on a factory-supported Porsche 911 RSR that will be driven by newly crowned WEC GT champion Richard Lietz and Michael Christensen next year, which is believed to fulfill the second of a two-year contract Dempsey had with Porsche.

However, it’s understood a GTE-Am class Porsche could still be fielded for Dempsey in selected WEC races, should his schedule allow.

Dempsey missed last month’s WEC season-ending Six Hours of Bahrain due to filming commitments.

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