LE MANS, France. (June 9, 2023) – As the motorsport world prepares for the excitement of this weekend’s centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Wright Motorsports is on site in France, in proud support of drivers Ryan Hardwick, Jan Heylen, Zacharie Robichon, and Charlie Luck as they compete in the historic activities. This is the second consecutive year that the team has had a presence at the iconic event, following drivers Fred Poordad, Jan Heylen, and Max Root finished fifth last year with Dempsey – Proton Racing.
“We’re a tight family here at Wright Motorsports, and we’re pleased to have a continued presence at Le Mans,” said Team Owner John Wright. “This race is held in the utmost regard, and we’re pleased to have our drivers make it up to this level again, proudly representing Porsche. We’re here to not only cheer them on but to also observe and take notes as we consider the continued growth of our future racing programs.”
Drivers Ryan Hardwick, Jan Heylen, and Zacharie Robichon race together for Wright in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, competing in the four North American Endurance Cup races in the GTD class. Before the trio races in two weeks at the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen at Watkins Glen International in New York, they are competing at Le Mans with Proton Competition in the No. 16 Porsche 911 RSR. The trio achieved endurance racing glory in 2022, winning the Rolex 24 At Daytona in the No. 16 Wright Motorsports 1st Phorm Porsche 911 GT3 R. They hope to again celebrate on the top step, this time at the illustrious 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is an iconic endurance sports car race held annually in Le Mans, France, now one of the oldest and most prestigious automobile races in the world. The event takes place on the Circuit de la Sarthe, a challenging combination of public roads and a dedicated racetrack, spanning a length of approximately 8.5 miles. The origins of the race date back to 1923 when it was first organized by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO). The race was initially conceived as a test of both speed and endurance, where manufacturers could showcase the reliability and performance of their cars over an extended period. Since then, the 24 Hours of Le Mans has become an ultimate test of man and machine. The 24 hours of racing action begins on Saturday, June 10 at 10:00 AM Eastern, and can be viewed live in the United States via MotorTrend TV.
Virginia Native Charlie Luck rounds out the Wright driver efforts in France, competing with IMSA LS Group Performance in the Road to Le Mans Cup, a support endurance race for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Racing the No. 76 Porsche 911 GT3 R (type 992) with co-driver Marco Seefried, the several-time-championship winner continues adding to his extraordinary list of achievements in motorsport. An impressive 58 cars will compete in the pair of GT3 and LMP2 races, taking place on Thursday, June 8 at 6:30 PM CEST, and Friday, June 9 at 11:30 AM CEST. Fans can watch live at live.lemanscup.com.
“Each of these drivers is such an important and valued part of our team, and I’m happy to be on the ground to support them on such a significant weekend,” concluded Wright. “We wish the best for them in their respective races, and hope they come back to our North American efforts with some additional hardware.”
Wright Motorsports
Wright Motorsports is the premier Porsche race engineering facility in Ohio and a multi-series and international racing team known for superb car preparation, expert race strategy, and driver development. Located in Batavia, Ohio, it is owned and directed by John Wright, a certified Porsche factory-trained technician. As a crew chief John Wright has played a key role in winning eight driver and seven team championships in World Challenge, IMSA (ALMS) and the Grand-Am Rolex Series. Wright Motorsports won the team championship in Porsche GT3 Cup USA in 2012, 2013, and 2015, and went on to win the Pirelli World Challenge Overall, Sprint, Team, and Manufacturer’s titles in 2017. In 2020, the team captured the GT World Challenge America Am championship. In 2021, Wright Motorsports had a wildly successful season, capturing nine championships across their five racing efforts.
