Six months after importing Italian Riccardo Corte from Ferrari to engineer Kai Allen, the team has nabbed German Alexander Lieschke from Porsche.
Lieschke has spent more than 13 years with Porsche in Germany, including seven in its Formula E program and an earlier stint on its now-defunct LMP1 operation.
Set to arrive in October, Lieschke will be slotted into a newly created role as head of simulation and performance engineering, reporting to head of race engineering Jack Bell.
It’s the latest statement of intent from the Grove operation, which will occupy the top garages for the first time at the NTI Townsville 500 this weekend, having taken the lead of the teams’ championship.
Grove’s success this year has come despite the departure of two of its most high-profile staffers – former team principal David Cauchi and technical director Grant McPherson.
“Alexander is the latest in a series of recruits to the team who will allow us to continue pushing ourselves and deliver genuine gains in every aspect of what we do,” declared CEO Brenton Grove.
“We’ve been very clear that we will search globally to find the best people to join our program, and this is another step in that direction.
“To have someone of Alex’s global motorsport experience and success join our existing highly talented engineering group is a testament to the level we are working towards.
“The experience and expertise Alexander brings to Penrite Racing is an exciting prospect for the whole team as we continue to chase championships and further race wins.”
Lieschke’s focus at Porsche is said to have centred around “improving engineering tools, data analysis and simulation workflows, enhancing trackside performance for Porsche’s customer and factory race teams”.
Data analysis and simulation are areas of ever-increasing focus among Supercars teams in the era of the control specification Gen3 cars.
“To be joining the Groves and the entire team at Penrite Racing is an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” Lieschke said.
“The Supercars Championship is known throughout the motorsport world as one of the most competitive racing categories anywhere, so every bit of performance is crucial to ultimate success.
“I’ve followed Supercars from afar for many years and I cannot wait to get to Australia, become part of Penrite Racing and work with what is clearly a very talented and knowledgeable team of people.”
“Stephen and Brenton have laid out a strong vision for what they want to achieve, and their goals align with my ambitions to deliver innovation and improvement across the team’s engineering development, both now and into the future.”
The Groves have a global view of motorsport thanks in part to their years of involvement in GT racing, which included time with Porsche.
Brenton Grove recently declared international drivers are being considered as it plans ahead for Matt Payne’s expected departure when his current contract expires at the end of 2027.
Overseas talent in Grove’s ‘contingency plans’ for Payne exit
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