WEC 24 Hours of Le Mans
Adapting to Hypercar from Formula E is “so easy” for Pascal Wehrlein – here’s why
Pascal Wehrlein is making his endurance racing debut this year, but says it’s not so hard coming from Formula E
Ben Vinel
Edited: Jun 11, 2025, 3:50 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
One of the most high-profile rookies at this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours, Porsche Penske Motorsport’s Pascal Wehrlein feels adequately prepared for the demanding French classic.
The former Formula 1 driver, DTM champion and reigning Formula E world champion took sixth on his endurance racing debut at the Daytona 24 Hours alongside Bryce Aron, Gianmaria Bruni and Tijmen van der Helm, then ninth at the Spa-Francorchamps 6 Hours with Kevin Estre and Laurens Vanthoor.
Wehrlein is now coming into Le Mans with a third set of team-mates, sharing the #4 Porsche 963 with Felipe Nasr and Nick Tandy. Following the test day, he feels confident in his ability to be quick, regardless of the Porsche LMDh prototype being extremely different to the Formula E machinery he drives most of the time – because it’s too different for the comparison to be relevant in any way.
“Obviously I've driven many categories in my career so far, so in general I have a very good understanding of what a car needs to be quick,” the German explained. “I've driven DTM, which is a prototype touring car; I've driven Formula 1, which has a lot of downforce; Formula E, and now LMDh. I would say I have quite a big toolbox of driving styles – and adapting quickly to it, I know what it takes.
“I feel like, also, the transition from Formula E to this car is so easy, because actually you don't have a wrong reference. The cars behave so differently that I don't compare it to Formula E, I don't take anything from that car, jump into this car and think, ‘yeah but here it felt like that’. It's completely different cars.
“I would assume, for example, if I put myself 10 years back, and sat in a DTM car and then drove this car, there would be a lot more going on in my head: ‘Yeah, but my DTM car is a bit like that, and now I'm in this’. It's so different. There's nothing to compare. It makes the transition quite smooth.”
Pascal Wehrlein, TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team
Photo by: Andreas Beil
Team-mates Nasr and Tandy are competing at Le Mans for the sixth and 13th time respectively, with the Briton having won the race overall in 2015, which represents a wealth of experience for Wehrlein to lean on.
Asked by Motorsport.com what advice his partners have given him, Wehrlein said: “So much. I think it would exceed your report!
“They've been so supportive. Felipe and Nick, the whole team – even Laurens, Kevin in Spa, my other team-mates.
“I've been asking a lot of questions, just because I know there are a lot of rookie mistakes and errors you can do, and I just want to jump that step. I want to be as well prepared as I can.
“A lot of it is actually procedures – rules, regulations, slow zones, all this stuff. A penalty here can be so costly.
“Timo [Bernhard] has been very supportive, giving a lot of advice on traffic management – how to place your car, where to place it.
“Jumping into the car, being on pace, on speed, that is not the thing. It's more about procedures, about how to be fast through the traffic and avoid losing a lot of time there.
“If you approach a corner and you see it's going to be tight to pass this LMP2 car or GT3 car, is it worth to push flat out and pass him, or will I not make it anyway, so it's better to save energy and save fuel? Just that – a bit of a different mentality.”
Photos from 24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday
WEC
61
Read Also:
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Ferrari ‘clearly faster’ than Toyota at Le Mans - Sebastien Buemi
Next article Le Mans 24 Hours: Cadillac sets blistering pace in opening practice to head Ferrari
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Ben Vinel
What would you like to ask Jack Miller?
MotoGP
Malaysian GP
What would you like to ask Jack Miller?
Lewis Hamilton: Kimi Antonelli “deserves to be the champion”
Formula 1
Formula 1
United States GP
19 h
Lewis Hamilton: Kimi Antonelli “deserves to be the champion”
More from
Pascal Wehrlein
Antonio Felix da Costa defends Jaguar, says Pascal Wehrlein took Jake Dennis out “on purpose”
Formula E
Formula E
London ePrix II
Antonio Felix da Costa defends Jaguar, says Pascal Wehrlein took Jake Dennis out “on purpose”
Pascal Wehrlein: Jaguar wanted to "destroy my race” in controversial London finale
Formula E
Formula E
London ePrix II
Pascal Wehrlein: Jaguar wanted to "destroy my race” in controversial London finale
Pascal Wehrlein responds to Porsche’s team tactics after dominant London win
Formula E
Formula E
London ePrix I
Pascal Wehrlein responds to Porsche’s team tactics after dominant London win
Latest news
"Just undriveable" – Isack Hadjar looking for answers after "massive" struggles in Austin practice
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
27 min
"Just undriveable" – Isack Hadjar looking for answers after "massive" struggles in Austin practice
Maverick Vinales: “If I stay at home, I don’t get paid”
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
56 min
Maverick Vinales: “If I stay at home, I don’t get paid”
The unexpected problem Honda encountered despite its second F1 power unit upgrade
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
1 h
The unexpected problem Honda encountered despite its second F1 power unit upgrade
MotoGP Australian GP: Full starting grid as four riders forced out of Phillip Island race
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
1 h
MotoGP Australian GP: Full starting grid as four riders forced out of Phillip Island race
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe