Porsche Penske Motorsport (PPM) has restructured its driver lineup for the upcoming IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship round at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, drafting Laurin Heinrich into the factory squad to replace Laurens Vanthoor behind the wheel of the #6 Porsche 963.
Heinrich will partner with Kevin Estre for the Sept. 20 race in a strategic move aimed directly at bolstering Porsche’s championship hopes. Heinrich currently stands as the highest-ranked Porsche driver in the standings, sitting 118 points behind title leader Jack Aitken in the Action Express Racing Cadillac V-Series.R.
Heinrich began the year contesting the opening two Michelin Endurance Cup rounds in PPM’s #7 entry before returning to privateer outfit JDC MotorSports, where he secured a victory at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. With Heinrich making the jump back to the factory team, Nico Mueller will take over his vacant seat in the #5 JDC entry.
Porsche LMDh factory director Urs Kuratle confirmed the roster change was made to prioritize the championship push.
“We want to give Laurin Heinrich the best possible chance in the fight for the IMSA drivers’ title, and we believe this is the best way to do that. It wasn’t an easy decision," Kuratle said. "We thank Laurens Vanthoor for his understanding in this unique situation.”
#IMSA - ⬇️ Driver announcement ⬇️
— Porsche Motorsport (@PorscheRaces) September 9, 2026
Factory driver @LaurinHeinrich_ will share the No. 6 #PorschePenskeMotorsport #Porsche963 with @KevinEstre while @Nico_Mueller is returning to customer team @JDCMotorSports for the penultimate @IMSA round at @IMS #Indianapolis#Raceborn pic.twitter.com/zTKwjAebBc
Porsche has not provided an official reason for Vanthoor’s absence from the #6 car for the event. The Belgian driver was originally slated to continue competing for Porsche in endurance rounds next season, even after recently signing with McLaren's Hypercar program for the 2027 FIA World Endurance Championship season.
UPDATE: Porsche shared a statement by Vanthoor via social media, which read, "Unfortunately, the current season hasn't gone as hoped with our #6 car. After the crash in the last race at Road America, we no longer have a chance in the championship. Since Laurin is the highest-ranked Porsche driver in the championship, I'm happy to step aside to give him the chance to drive our car and maximize his chances.
"I'll be back on the grid for the Petit Le Mans at the end of the season. We've set very high goals for that race, because neither I nor the Porsche Penske Motorsport team has ever won it. That's about to change. I wish Laurin the best of luck and success at the race in Indianapolis."
