Webber’s retirement opens LMP1 door for Bamber, or Tandy

Autosport

Porsche is set to replace Mark Webber in its LMP1 World Endurance Championship line-up with either Nick Tandy or Earl Bamber.

The 2015 Le Mans 24 Hours winners are “at the front of the queue” to take the seat for 2017 made vacant on the announcement of Webber’s retirement this week, says Porsche LMP1 team principal Andreas Seidl.

“We have the luxury of having two Le Mans winners on our GT programme,” he told Autosport.

“That they were able to win Le Mans with only one preparation race is incredible and shows that they would both be able to do a good job.”

Tandy and Bamber are both racing in the IMSA SportsCar Championship in North America with Porsche and also competed at Le Mans in the GTE Pro class on the factory squad’s one-off return to the WEC.

But Seidl refused to be drawn on which of the two would likely take the vacant seat alongside Timo Bernhard and Brendon Hartley.

“We will make the calls at the end of the season and then announce it in December or January,” explained.

“We are not confirming anything at the moment.”

Webber’s retirement opens LMP1 door for Bamber, or Tandy

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