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Heinrich with JDC for Long Beach a āfun scenarioā says Porsche Penske enduro teammate Andlauer
TL;DR
Julien Andlauer will race against Lauren Heinrich at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach after Heinrich is loaned to JDC-Miller MotorSports. This change follows their successful start in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Key points
- Julien Andlauer and Lauren Heinrich will race against each other.
- Heinrich is loaned to JDC-Miller MotorSports for the Acura Grand Prix.
- Both drivers previously shared the #7 Porsche 963 in IMSA races.
- The change is due to a shift to sprint races limiting drivers per car.
- Andlauer views the situation positively despite potential championship complexities.
Porsche Penske MotorsportJDC-Miller MotorSportsAcura Grand Prix of Long BeachIMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
Motorsport photo
Julien Andlauer will go from sharing a race seat to potentially trading paint with Lauren Heinrich at this weekendās Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.
The two drivers, along with FelipeĀ Nasr, shared driving duties in Porsche Penske Motorsportās (PPM) #7 Porsche 963 that was victorious in the opening two rounds - Rolex 24 At Daytona and Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring - to start the 2026 campaign in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. With the schedule shifting from the endurance rounds to the first sprint race of year that limits two drivers per car, Heinrich was, moreless, loaned out to privateer JDC-Miller MotorSports and will co-drive the #5 Porsche 963 alongside Tijmen van der Heim.
Although the situation could deliver some complexities related to the overall championship standings,Ā Andlauer is looking at the positives.
āIt's going to be more of a fun scenario,ā saidĀ Andlauer, 26. āWe talked about it recently and it's great for him to get more track time in the car, even though he doesn't need it because he's already flying.
āI think it is going to be cool to have another Porsche fighting maybe a bit more up front. Yeah, I don't know what to think on the other hand; hopefully it's not going to be too quick on the other car! And don't take our points. But no, I have to say it's cool for it. It's gonna be great for him just to be even better for the end of the season together with us for the last round.ā
Not only will it be interesting to see how Heinrich gets on as he navigates the historic 1.968-mile, 11-turn temporary street circuit for the first time in his career, but doing so with a Porsche 963 without this yearāsĀ Evo updates. As a factory outfit, PPM moved forward with the latest aero updates, while JDC-Miller Motorsports opted to stick with the 2025 specifications due to cost. In some ways that could become favorable for him as the latest Balance of Performance (BoP) hit PPM harder than JDC-Miller MotorSports.
#5 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963: Tijmen van der Helm, Nico Pino, Kaylen Frederick
Q&A
What is the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach?
The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is a prominent motorsport event that features various racing series, including the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Why is Lauren Heinrich racing for JDC-Miller MotorSports?
Lauren Heinrich is racing for JDC-Miller MotorSports due to a shift in the race schedule that limits each car to two drivers, leading to his temporary loan from Porsche Penske Motorsport.
Who are the drivers sharing the #7 Porsche 963 in the IMSA series?
The drivers sharing the #7 Porsche 963 are Julien Andlauer, Lauren Heinrich, and Felipe Nasr.
What impact does Heinrich's loan have on the championship standings?
Heinrich's loan to JDC-Miller MotorSports could complicate the overall championship standings due to the change in driver lineups for the race.
