Porsche driver Michael Christensen has said he would love to stay within the World Championship next 12 months despite speculation linking him with a move to the IMSA SportsCar Championship.
Last month, Porsche revealed that the 963 LMDh will likely be making changes to its factory crew in its third season within the Hypercar and GTP classes of WEC and IMSA respectively.
These could include a possible driver swap between the 2 series, just like how Dane Cameron and Matt Campbell swapped positions ahead of 2024.
There remains to be the potential for reducing Porsche's WEC line-up to have two drivers in each automotive for the six-hour races that make up half of next 12 months's eight-round calendar.
Amid possible driver reshuffles, including rumors that Christensen may very well be moved to IMSA, the 24 Hours of Le Mans class winner said he would favor to stay within the WEC in 2025, which can be his tenth consecutive 12 months within the championship world.
He explained that Porsche Penske Motorsport's WEC side knowledge, in addition to the automated start at Le Mans, are the essential explanation why staying put is more tempting for him than returning to the series where he spent one season racing a Porsche 911 RSR ten years ago within the GTLM class.
“I've always preferred the WEC, I really like it [series]”- The Dane told Motorsport.com.
“I raced in IMSA in 2014, my first 12 months as a factory driver, and I enjoyed it. I actually think IMSA is cool too, but I felt more at home in WEC.
Christensen raced in IMSA throughout the 2014 season
Photo: Richard Dole
“Championships are built this fashion, it's true [based] in Europe, the racetracks, the team and the way the pit stops are done – all this stuff are more familiar [to me].
“On top of that, and doubtless most significantly [thing] is that you may have the arrogance to begin at Le Mans. You work with [same] the Le Mans team you race with [in all other] also all races. That's why, after all, I prefer to compete within the WEC.
“When it involves next 12 months, there hasn't really been any communication between us, not less than me and Porsche. So far they’ve not communicated anything.
“All I know is the rumors going around the paddock, but whether it's true or not, I have no idea.”
Christensen and his teammates within the No. 5 Porsche, Campbell and Frederic Makowiecki, currently sit fifth within the drivers' standings ahead of November's finale in Bahrain.
The championship is led by sister Porsche, crewed by Kevin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor and Andre Lotterer, with the trio having a 35-point lead with just 39 to go on the crucial bonus point moment.
Porsche has not yet announced when it’ll use the primary of 5 evo jokers approved as a part of the 963 LMDh's original five-year lifecycle.
A planned upgrade to the hybrid engine, which involved changing the crankshaft to a 90° from 180°, was abandoned when the engine could complete this 12 months's Le Mans with none major reliability issues.
#5 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Matt Campbell, Michael Christensen, Frederic Makowiecki
Photo: Alexander Trienitz
The German manufacturer leads each the WEC and IMSA rankings as their seasons come to an end in November and October respectively.
Christensen said there have been still some areas where Porsche could improve the 963, highlighting the straight-line speed deficit on the Circuit de la Sarthe that contributed to the finish off the rostrum within the WEC's premier event this 12 months.
“There is always something to update, there is always something to improve, we saw this also at the beginning of the project and we still have some things that are not solved and that cannot be solved through configuration,” he explained.
“We definitely have some things we must always deal with to try to improve. Whether this is feasible under the regulations, I do not know. The management knows this.
“But we actually have things to enhance and we will want more, for instance top speed at Le Mans.
I can't say why we're not ok there, but we're missing quite a bit [of stop speed].
“When you have a look at the information from Le Mans, obviously it's only one race, but it surely's crucial race and with quite a lot of points, in order that and a few [other] mechanical details.
“A few things we should focus on. I'm not sure if change is possible. There is always something to improve.”
