Thomas Laudenbach has been appointed as the new head of Porsche Motorsport, taking over from Fritz Enzinger.

The latter, aged 65, has led the German marque’s racing department since 2011, overseeing successes in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

“We cannot thank Fritz Enzinger enough for his enormously successful work over the past 10 years,” said Michael Steiner, member of the executive board for research and development at Porsche AG.

“He shaped an era at Porsche Motorsport that led us to incredible triumphs and title wins.

“Motorsport has played a very special role in Porsche’s corporate strategy. We’ve always used the racing platform as a test laboratory for the latest technologies.

“Thomas Laudenbach has everything it takes to successfully continue on this path. We look forward to the future of motorsport, in which we want to take an active role in shaping.

“The Mission R concept presented at the IAA MOBILITY showcases an exciting preview of what’s to come.”

Enzinger said he’s filled with “pride and gratitude” when reflecting on his tenure.

“It was an incredibly intense time,” said the Austrian.

“The development of the LMP1 programme, the hat-trick at Le Mans and the world championship titles with the 919 Hybrid, the title wins with the 911 RSR, our entry into Formula E and the preparation of our LMDh engagements from 2023 onwards have demanded fortitude and focus from us all.

“Such successes are always the result of excellent teamwork.

“My greatest respect and thanks go out to everyone who contributed to this – in the cockpit, on the racetrack, in Weissach, Flacht and Zuffenhausen.

“My thanks also go to the strong Porsche customer teams who, among other achievements, clinched overall victories in the 24-hour races at the Nürburgring and in Spa-Francorchamps.”

Enzinger hailed the choice of his successor, a Chilean-born engineer who joined Porsche in 1998.

“I’m thrilled about the trust that’s been placed in me and excited about the tasks ahead,” Laudenbach said.

“The big goal is to build on the great successes that have been achieved under the direction of Fritz Enzinger.

“It’s a wonderful challenge. We will adapt motorsport to the changed conditions in the automotive industry – from customer racing to factory involvement in the major racing series around the globe.

“We have our sights firmly set on claiming our 20th Le Mans victory, we want to win world championships – both in endurance racing and in Formula E.

“It’s also important to continue developing our customer racing. With the Mission R concept study, we are showing how attractive this can look.”

Among projects on the horizon is the launch of Porsche Penske Motorsport, which will compete in IMSA and WEC from 2023.