Three of the most successful drivers in the modern era of the Porsche factory driver roster will step away from full-time race duties with the marque in 2020.
Brendon Hartley, two-time World Champion Driver in the FIA WEC with Porsche, and 2017 Le Mans 24 Hours winner will go forward in his career with multiple programmes but without a Porsche contract.
Exclusively revealed earlier today on DSC, Hartley will continue into the 2020/21 season of the FIA WEC with Toyota Gazoo racing, and continues too in Formula E with GEOX Dragon, this in addition to F1 simulator duties with Ferrari.
Timo Bernhard is one of the longest serving Porsche Factory drivers, his link to the brand going back two decades to Junior driver status in 2000.
Those two decades brought an array of race and Championship wins:
Carrera Cup Deutschland 2001
Le Mans 24 Hours class winner 2002
Nurburgring 24 Hours class winner 2002 & 2003
Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona GT class winner
Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona overall winner 2003
Petit Le Mans GT class winner 2003 & 2004
American Le Mans Series GT class Champion 2004
12 Hours of Sebring class winner 2004
Petit Le Mans LMP2 class winner 2006
Nurburgring 24 Hours overall winner 2006-9 inclusive and 2011
American Le Mans Series LMP2 Champion 2007 & 2008
12 Hours of Sebring overall winner 2008
FIA World Endurance Championship Drivers World Champion 2015 and 2017
Le Mans 24 Hours overall winner 2010 (on loan to Audi) and 2017
More recently he has taken on the mantle as a team-owner and now Team Principal with Team 75 Bernhard, their Porsche-powered exploits including programmes in IGTC and ADAC GT Masters.
A statement this evening makes it clear that his driving days are ot yet done – he will still race in selected events/
Jorg Bergmeister too has a two decade link to the brand with again an array of significant race and Championship wins to his credit, almost his entire career with Porsche spent in GT racing (with the exception of a Championship-winning spell in Ford-powered Daytona Prototypes).
Carrera Cup Deutschland 2000
Porsche Supercup 2001
Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona GT class winner 2002, 2003, 2009
Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona overall win 2003
Le Mans 24 Hours GT class win 2004
ALMS GT2/ GT Class Champion 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010
Grand-AM DP drivers Champion 2006
Spa 24 Hours overall win 2010
Le Mans 24 Hours GTE Am class winner 2019
FIA WEC GTE AM class drivers Champion 2019
It should be added at this point that all three are individuals of the highest character. Timo and Jörg will make fine brand ambassadors.
