Porsche Penske Confirms Continued Use of Team Orders Following Sebring Incident

Porsche Penske Motorsport (PPM) has affirmed its intention to continue utilizing team orders in future races, despite the controversy that arose during the 12 Hours of Sebring. Jonathan Diuguid, President of Team Penske, stated that the team would "absolutely" employ team orders again, emphasizing that such decisions are made with the best interests of the overall program in mind. This stance comes after a contentious finish at Sebring where a team order was issued, leading to significant discussion within the racing community.

The incident at Sebring involved the #7 Porsche 963, driven by Dane Cameron, Felipe Nasr, and Matt Campbell, and the #6 car of Nick Tandy, Mathieu Jaminet, and Frederic Makowiecki. With approximately 30 minutes remaining in the race, the #7 car was leading when a full-course yellow flag was deployed. During this period, the team instructed the #7 car to allow the #6 car to pass, a decision that ultimately cost the #7 crew a potential victory. The #6 car went on to win, while the #7 finished second.

Diuguid explained that the decision at Sebring was complex, influenced by various factors including tire degradation, fuel strategy, and the unpredictable nature of the race's closing stages. He highlighted that the team's objective is to maximize its chances of winning races and championships, and team orders are a tool to achieve this. The team's management maintains that while individual drivers and crews may be disappointed in the moment, the overarching goal is program success, which sometimes necessitates difficult strategic calls. The team has communicated its rationale to all involved parties and is moving forward with a unified understanding of its operational strategy.