Porsche Rules Out New 963 Customers for 2024

Photo: Gruppe C Photography/Porsche

Porsche has ruled out new customers for its 963 prototype next year, with the manufacturer’s focus on delivering additional cars to its existing customer base in 2024 according to Porsche Motorsport North America President and CEO Volker Holzmeyer.

The German brand has so far delivered four of the Multimatic-chassied LMDh cars this year, with two cars having gone to Proton Competition and a single car each to Hertz Team JOTA and JDC-Miller Motorsports.

It’s understood that all three teams could have additional cars next year, with JOTA preparing to double its effort in the FIA World Endurance Championship and Proton expressing a desire to purchase up to another two cars.

JDC-Miller, meanwhile, is in the “final details” of purchasing a second car, to initially be used as a spare, according to Holzmeyer.

“We announced already that we will not push on having any more cars for next season on the grid,” he told Sportscar365.

“We’ve made discussions with Proton and JOTA about second cars but at the end we don’t have a rush, we want to make it right.

“To enter customer cars the same time as the factory car, it was already a lot of stress that we put on ourselves.

“Now I think it’s time to settle, do everything right, get it aligned and then maybe think of adding any other cars [in 2025].”

Porsche’s focused customer effort comes at a time when it is developing updates to the car that will have to be rolled out across both the factory Porsche Penske Motorsport operation and all customers, per LMDh regulations.

“Of course customers are interested and for us it makes sense if the existing teams add another car, which just reduces the level of complexity,” Holzmeyer said.

“Teams have one [team] engineer to talk to, one parts guy to talk to, so it’s easier to make the operations smoother than bringing a different team up to speed.

“That’s why we’re focusing on bringing the existing teams. Maybe they add a car, but no new [teams].”

Holzmeyer said he’s been proud of what’s been achieved in the first year of the car, particularly the interaction between teams, including the works squad and customer relationship.

“A lot of people ask us why did we stress ourselves to do it [for year one]?” he said. “But it’s working out. Teams are helping each other with parts. Penske is integrated and is helping out with parts.

“If we have a shortage, we have it sorted. It’s about working together.

“Of course when it comes to the pure performance, there’s a war because teams are operating, and everyone has to figure out the last performance details themselves, so the performance details are not shared between teams and the factory.

“But everything else, it’s a joint venture and it feels good.”

Porsche 911 GT3 R Production Not Yet Restarted

Holzmeyer confirmed that production of the Type-992 Porsche 911 GT3 R has not yet restarted, following previous confirmation from Porsche Motorsport boss Thomas Laudenbach that it had paused new car sales in the summer due to supply chain issues.

“Not yet,” Holzmeyer said on a potential restart. “We will first figure out our supply issues and get teams everything they are waiting on.

“We are not proud of this season. At Porsche, we always have the highest standards and expectations. We didn’t meet that completely, to be honest this year.

“So once that is figured out we will continue production but so far it’s still stopped.”

Sportscar365 understands that multiple teams, both in North America and Europe, are awaiting further notice on the revised timeline.

“It means, of course, we have people requesting cars for Daytona,” Holzmeyer said. “At the moment we cannot give any delivery dates. We have to wait.”

Holzmeyer insisted that the recent launch of the Porsche 911 GT3 R rennsport, which is largely based on the GT3 car, will be the “second priority” in terms of production.

A total of 77 track-day cars are due to be built, with production not starting until mid 2024.

“By then it will have to be figured out,” Holzmeyer said. “If not, then the [911 GT3 R rennsport] would be delayed a little bit.”

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