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JDC-Miller MotorSports fills out the No. 85 Porsche 963 driver line-up for the 2025 Twelve Hours of Sebring

Katie Church on March 10, 2025

Savage, MN (March 10, 2025)

JDC-Miller MotorSports is pleased to announce the addition of Swiss Formula E driver Nico Müller to its driver lineup for the 73rd Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. Müller will join full-season drivers Tijmen van der Helm and Gianmaria Bruni behind the wheel of the team’s No. 85 Porsche 963 GTP.

The 33-year-old Müller is a seasoned professional with a decade of experience in multiple disciplines, including GT and Prototype endurance racing, DTM, and most recently, Formula E. He rounds out a JDC-Miller MotorSports driver lineup with considerable Sebring experience. Nico’s previous Sebring experience was with WEC, participating in the 1000km in 2022 in LMP2 and in 2023 in a Peugeot Hypercar. Nico also competed in the 2022 24 Hours of Daytona in LMP2. He is a Porsche factory driver and currently drives a Porsche 99X in the Formula E World Championship. JDC-Miller MotorSports is thrilled he could fit this race into his extremely busy schedule.

This will be Van der Helm’s 4th 12 Hour, three of which are with JDC-Miller MotorSports. Bruni will take his 13th green flag this year and has had considerable success at the fabled track with a Sebring 12 Hour GT class win, WEC 1000km GT class win, as well as four other podiums.

JDC-Miller MotorSports has enjoyed success at Sebring, as well. Most recently, the team took the top step of the podium with an overall win in 2021, the second step in 2022, and a third in LMP3 in 2023, prior to the delivery of their current Porsche 963.

Quotes:

John Church, Managing Partner, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“We have a great driver line-up for this year’s Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. Adding Nico to our already strong driver line-up with Tijmen and Gimmi, builds on the confidence we have coming off our very strong run at Daytona. Thanks to our friends at Porsche for all their efforts in making it happen.”

Gianmaria Bruni, Driver, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“I am really looking forward to the 12 Hours of Sebring with JDC-Miller MotorSports. I’ve raced here a dozen times with some success, so it’s a special place for me. It is hard on cars and drivers, but the JDC-Miller MotorSports team knows what it takes to win at Sebring. Hopefully, we can build on our strong effort at Daytona, keep improving, and get on the podium. “

Tijmen van der Helm, Driver, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“It’s great to be heading back to the Florida sunshine. I really enjoy the challenge of Sebring. The traffic and the concrete surfaces, as well as how competitive it is for all 12 hours. It is different than other races. Difficult in an enjoyable way. JDC-Miller MotorSports know what it takes to win there, so I am optimistic for a good result.”

Nico Müller, Driver, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“First of all I’d like to thank JDC-Miller MotorSports, Porsche, and my Formula E Team, Andretti FE, who have made this last-minute project possible. I can’t wait to turn my first laps in the Porsche 963 and compete in my first prestigious Sebring 12-hour. It’s great being back in IMSA. I have previously competed at Sebring when WEC was part of the “Super Sebring” weekend. I loved following the IMSA action during the 12-hour. It’s known as the toughest race on the IMSA calendar. I am confident that together with JDC-Miller MotorSports, Gimmi, and Tijmen, all who bring lots of Sebring 963 experience to the table. That strong foundation will speed up my 963 learning process. One more good omen: Yellow is one of my favorite racing colors!”

Solid Start for Unitronic JDC-Miller Motorsports at Daytona Opener

Katie Church on February 1, 2025

January 28, 2025

Daytona Beach, FL — Unitronic JDC-Miller Motorsports kicked off their 2025 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season with a strong P7 finish in the BMW M Endurance Challenge at Daytona International Speedway. Competing in a stacked field of 27 GS competitors, the result marks an impressive debut for the team’s new Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport and sets a promising tone for the season ahead.

Unitronic JDC Porsche Daytona

Strong first showing for the #17 Porsche

With plenty of time to dial in the setup and get comfortable with the new race machine during the ROAR Before the 24, Chris Miller would start the 4-hour BMW M Endurance Challenge from P9 after Thursday’s qualifying session. His stint was marked by several battles to maintain position, allowing the #17 Cayman GT4 RS to remain on the lead lap.

Chris Miller

Nearly two hours into Friday’s race, Mikey Taylor would take over the reins and impressively climb as high as P2, fending off numerous attacks from a chasing Ford Mustang GT4 duo. Ultimately, the team would have to settle for a P7 finish but the long race demonstrated the Porsche’s potential and provided many valuable insights for future improvements.

Unitronic JDC Porsche Daytona

Drivers optimistic for season ahead

Chris Miller reflected, “After a long offseason and a ton of hard work by everyone involved in this program, it felt pretty special to finally get to drive our new race car. We knew there would be a lot to learn but the Unitronic JDC-Miller Motorsports crew was up to the task, changing components between every session as we worked to find a setup for the race. Thanks to their efforts, we made a lot of progress with the car and felt optimistic about our chances at a good result.“

“As racers we are rarely satisfied with anything but a win. Finishing seventh is not where we know we can be but it’s a solid start and a place we can build from. I think we showed ourselves that we have the pieces and potential to run at the front and we are all motivated and looking forward to Sebring already!“

Chris Miller Mikey Taylor

Mikey Taylor added, “A great start to our new season with a new car! We knew it wasn’t going to be easy without any testing and learning the new class and car, but the team did a great job in preparing for the event as much as they could and we worked through everything we had time for! The speed in the race is something we can build on, and we know what we need to work on for Sebring! A very positive start to our relationship with Porsche and some good points to get the championship going!“

Unitronic JDC Porsche Daytona

Next round just weeks away

Looking ahead, the Unitronic JDC-Miller Motorsports team is setting its sights on the next challenge at Sebring International Raceway. Known for its notoriously bumpy surface, the 3.7mi track will require the team to fine-tune their vehicle setup once more. Despite the upcoming challenge, the team is eager to tackle this next hurdle and build on their solid start for the second round of the 2025 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Season.

Unitronic JDC Porsche Daytona

Photos by Digi Kühlt

JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963 Finishes 6th in the 2025 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona

Katie Church on January 28, 2025

SAVAGE, Minn. (January 27, 2025) — JDC-Miller MotorSports secured 6th place in
the 63rd running of the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona with their Porsche 963 GTP. The
team completed 780 laps of the 3.54-mile Daytona road course, finishing just 109
seconds behind the overall winning No. 7 Porsche. The car averaged 115.439 MPH
over the 2,774 miles it covered during the race.

The chilly Florida temperatures posed a challenge for the team, starting at 59°F and
dropping to 48°F by 3 AM. All four drivers had to skillfully manage tires and brakes that
were difficult to get up to and maintain the desired operating temperature. The No. 85
Porsche began the race in 5th place and spent most of the 24 hours running in either
5th or 6th place among the 12 GTP class entries. A total of 61 cars across all classes
started the race.

The car performed flawlessly throughout this classic event, and the JDC-Miller drivers
brought it home without a scratch—a remarkable feat given the heavy traffic they
navigated each lap. Driver Gianmaria Bruni led the team with 562 overtakes during the
238 laps he drove, while Tijmen van der Helm closely followed with 404 overtakes in the
198 laps he completed.

Quotes:

John Church, Managing Partner, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“I am extremely proud of everyone on the team for the incredible effort that went into our
6th place finish at the Rolex 12 Hours of Daytona. It was one of those events where
there was a lot going on and everyone pulled together and got it done. Tijmen worked
closely with Gimmi and got Bryce and Pascal well-versed in how to race this car. They
kept the car damage free which isn’t easy to do at Daytona. All the guys on the pit-box
worked together to deal with the low ambient temperatures to find solutions and
maximize what we could get out of the car. Our pit stops were very good both day and
night. Overall, an excellent start to the 2025 season and I’m really looking forward to
Sebring and the rest of the season.”

Gianmaria Bruni, Driver, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“First of all, I’m very happy with a P6 finish in the race for JDC-Miller MotorSports. The
boys worked very, very hard. We had an issue with brake temperature from the start of
the race, that was tough to resolve. We were not able to put the proper temperature into
them, and then keep the temperature for the whole stint. This changed our entire race
strategy. As the day got warmer, our car balance was perfect. We were very competitive
late in the race and had a good potential to be in the top three or four. I am looking
forward to Sebring. I’m very happy to be here in IMSA with JDC-Miller MotorSports.”

Tijmen van der Helm, Driver, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“A long 24 hours. We had some problems in the beginning with the brakes which we
tried to work around, but couldn’t really do much about. I think we did quite a good job.
There were some minor mistakes, what happens normally in a 24 hour race. I think we
deserved a bit better place than 6th based on everyone’s performance. 
Now we work
on what we have learned and make Sebring as good as possible.”

Pascal Wehrlein, Driver, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“First of all, thanks to everyone involved for this opportunity. It was a long, 24-hour race,
a lot of fun, and a lot of driving. Each time I was in the car, it improved. Racing at night
is pretty cool and something I had not done before. I had a lot of good fights and at the
end we finished in P6. The car was reliable, which was great. Only a couple of issues
which I think hurt a bit of our performance, but nevertheless, for me, it was a great
experience. I want to thank everyone on the team for this opportunity. It was great.“

Bryce Aron, Driver, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“I liked this a lot. This was many new experiences for me. I want to thank everyone at
JDC-Miller. It’s been an awesome time getting up to speed in the GTP car and for the
first time doing an endurance race and racing at night. Really enjoyed the challenge
and the race. A very special experience. Thanks to the team and my teammates for all
their help in making it so special. Hope to do it again in the future.”

JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963 Qualifies 5th for the 2025 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona

Katie Church on January 28, 2025

SAVAGE, Minn. (January 23, 2025). JDC-Miller MotorSports driver Gianmaria Bruni
qualified the JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963 GTP from the 5th position for the 63rd
running of the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona.

It was a very challenging qualifying session for the Italian driver due to very brisk and
blustery 49° F (9°C) weather conditions and the short 15 minute qualifying session. The
session was further shortened by a red flag just as the tires on Bruni’s No. 85 Porsche
were coming up to temperature. When the session resumed, Bruni skillfully used just
two laps to bring his tires up to tempersture and used his remaining single lap to set the
5th place time, which was just .479 seconds off the pole position.

With qualifying behind them, the confident team shifts its focus to final preparations for
the 24 hour race. Bruni will be joined by Dutch driver Tijmen van der Helm, German
Pascal Wehrlein, and American Bryce Aron.

Quotes:

John Church, Managing Partner, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“We would have loved to have a little more time in the session as things were really
coming together to put up a really good laptime when the red flag came out. It is a bit
frustrating to spend a lot of the session trying to get temperature into the tires. We are
really happy with P5 but had a few more spots in our sights the whole session. Gimmi
was outstanding at getting the most possible from his cold tires. We think this starting
position reflects how competitive we are currently and will be in the race.”

Gianmaria, Driver, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

It was very cold! I think we had a good qualifying. We had to do the best we could in
short time we had after the red flag. The team did a really, really, good job to prepare
the car. I think it was a good lap, very close to the top four cars. We are ready now for
the important part – the race on Saturday and especially Sunday.

I’m really happy to to be racing in America with JDC-Miller MotorSports and can’t wait to
start this race and to race all season with this team.”

WEHRLEIN BREAKS NEW GROUND AT DAYTONA WITH SPORTSCAR DEBUT

Katie Church on January 28, 2025

January 23, 2025

From www.monacoincrease.com

Monaco Increase Management’s Formula E World Champion Pascal Wehrlein is embarking upon a fascinating new stage of his successful racing career this weekend in the 63rd edition of the 24 Hours of Daytona, the iconic endurance race taking place at the Daytona International Speedway in Florida.

Porsche factory driver Wehrlein, who is currently in the middle of defending his Formula E title after two rounds of the all-electric series, has teamed up with the Minnesota-based US racing squad JDC-Miller Motorsports for his endurance racing debut in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, one of the toughest and most prestigious sportscar races in the world.

After F3, DTM touring cars (a title he won in 2015), two years in Formula 1 with Manor and Sauber, five seasons as factory Porsche driver in Formula E, the 30-year-old German is now dovetailing the electric championship with the occasional sportscar race.

This weekend he will be at the wheel of the #85 Porsche 963 LMDh in the IMSA GTP category, a car he has piloted once before as official Porsche driver, during a collective development test at Sebring in 2022. His teammates in this new adventure will be the experienced Italian GT and endurance racing ‘veteran’ Gianmaria Bruni, Dutchman Tijmen van der Helm and American Bryce Aron.

Wehrlein, who drove the car, affectionately nicknamed ‘Yellow Submarine’, for the first time in December and also put in more useful mileage in last weekend’s pre-race ‘ROAR before the 24’ test session, will start from fifth place on the grid for Saturday’s race after designated driver Bruni lapped in today’s 15-minute Qualifying with a time of 1m34.374s.

With the starting-grid now locked in, Pascal will have three more Free Practice sessions to familiarize himself with the #85 Porsche 963 before the race gets underway at 1.40 pm (Eastern Time) / 19.40 (CET) on Saturday 25 January.

Photos: Courtesy of Porsche

WEHRLEIN AND BRUNI TEAM UP FOR ENDURANCE RACING DEBUT WITH JDC-MILLER MOTORSPORTS

Katie Church on January 28, 2025

January 22, 2025

From www.monacoincrease.com

With one day to go before qualifying gets underway at Daytona for the opening round of the WeatherTech IMSA SportsCar Championship, the Florida circuit is a hive of activity as the drivers prepare for the iconic 24-Hour endurance race.

As well as exchanging information about the race, in which they will make their debut in the #85 Porsche 963 LMDh GTP machine, Pascal Wehrlein and Gianmaria Bruni – two of the drivers in the four-strong JDC-Miller MotorSports team – have a particular connection that ties them to the Monaco-based MIM driver management company.

The manager of the 30-year-old German, 2024 Formula E World Champion and factory Porsche driver, is of course the CEO of MIM, Salvatore Gandolfo, while the 43-year-old Gianmaria ‘Gimmi’ Bruni is an ‘old’ acquaintance and friend of Gandolfo.

The two Italians have in fact known each other since 1997, when Bruni was starting his racing career in Italian Formula Renault Campus, a title he won the following year, and when ‘Gandi’ was the CEO of Spain’s famous Campos Racing Team.

Over the years, Bruni has constructed a stellar career in all categories of motorsport ranging from Formula 3 and Formula 3000, a year in Formula 1 with Minardi in 2004, to international GT and Endurance racing – which includes three class wins in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

For his IMSA SportsCar rookie debut therefore, Pascal – who like Bruni can also boast a short spell in F1 on his racing CV – now teams up with Bruni, factory Porsche driver for the last eight years, who joined the private JDC-Miller Motorsports team for a full season of IMSA racing in 2025 after the German manufacturer dropped several drivers from its line-up in December.

Bruni’s most recent experience with the Porsche 963 was last year when he campaigned the customer team Proton Competition entry in IMSA, finishing ninth overall, while this year Wehrlein is aiming to dovetail the defence of his Formula E title with the occasional select endurance race, starting with the Daytona 24 Hours.

This weekend, the reigning Formula E World Champion and the experienced Bruni will be flanked in the JDC squad by the other full-season drivers, Tijmen van der Helm from the Netherlands and American Bryce Aron.

Photos: Courtesy of Porsche