Official Porsche team arrives at the third round of the season as championship leader and aims to repeat its success on the Californian street circuit
Porsche will compete in the IMSA Long Beach round, scheduled for April 18, with a special Apple Music livery on its two Porsche 963 prototypes. The initiative marks another chapter in the partnership between the German automaker and the streaming platform, at one of the most traditional and technically demanding races on the calendar.
After victories at the Daytona 24 Hours and the Sebring 12 Hours, both achieved by Porsche Penske Motorsport, the series now leaves Florida and heads to California. Unlike the endurance races that opened the season, the Long Beach event will last just 100 minutes, making it one of the shortest races on the IMSA calendar, alongside Detroit.
The relationship between Porsche and Apple Music has existed for several years. Since the launch of the Taycan in 2019, the manufacturer has offered native Apple Music integration, becoming a pioneer in this type of feature. Through the Porsche Advanced Cockpit, customers gained direct access to the platform’s catalog inside the vehicle.
On the sporting side, Porsche arrives strongly for the third round of the season. The factory team leads the championship and has a strong recent record in Long Beach. It was at this circuit that the Porsche 963 scored its first victory in 2023, later winning again at the Long Beach Grand Prix in 2025.
The street circuit, temporarily laid out in Southern California, is 1.968 miles long and features 11 corners. Often compared to Monaco in Formula 1, it runs around the Long Beach Convention Center and is known for its standout sections, such as the seaside straight, the tight hairpin at the end of the lap, and the presence of the historic Queen Mary ocean liner in the background.
In car #6, Porsche will field Kévin Estre from France and Laurens Vanthoor from Belgium. The #7 Porsche 963, winner at Daytona and Sebring, will be driven by Frenchman Julien Andlauer and Brazilian Felipe Nasr.
According to Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President of Porsche Motorsport, the new livery represents another special moment in the brand’s 75-year motorsport celebrations. He highlighted the pride in the collaboration with Apple Music and said the car design is expected to draw significant attention from fans, just like the Mobil 1 themed effort at Sebring.
Urs Kuratle, Director of Factory Motorsport LMDh, also emphasized the team’s strong start to the season but warned of an added challenge at Long Beach. According to him, recent results have led to increased weight on the cars, which could make it harder to fight for another win.
In addition to the two factory Porsche 963 entries, the Long Beach weekend will also feature a special GTD-class appearance. The AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R, known as “Roxy,” will compete as a guest entry.
With more than 200,000 spectators annually, the Long Beach Grand Prix is one of the most popular motorsport events in the United States. This weekend, alongside IMSA, the IndyCar Series will also be in action, with Porsche partner Team Penske fielding three cars on the grid.
Source and images: Porsche. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
