In 2024, Michael Christensen enters his second season in the Porsche Penske Motorsport (PPM) program. He will contest the full FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season behind the wheel of the No. 5 Porsche 963 LMDh. Christensen will once again be paired with Frederic Makowiecki and the duo will also be joined by IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race winner Matt Campbell.
One of the early defining moments of Christensen's career happened in the fall of 2011. Going up against many other talented young drivers from around the world, he shined during a grueling selection process and was accepted into the Porsche Junior youth development program. Christensen continued to excel as he joined the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland in 2012. With consistently good performances and a win at Hockenheim, he grabbed his chance and climbed the ladder into the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup.
In 2013, he promptly won the rookie classification and he claimed a race victory at Nurburgring. The strong Supercup results earned Christensen an opportunity as a Porsche works driver, beginning in 2014. In his rookie season as a works racer, Christensen promptly won the 12 Hours of Sebring.
In his first WEC season, Christensen posted three GTE Pro class victories in 2015. He continued to race in both Europe, as well as the U.S. in 2017 and the following year he broke out with a GTD class victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona before earning a class runner-up result in the Petit Le Mans season finale at Road Atlanta.
Biography
In 2024, Michael Christensen enters his second season in the Porsche Penske Motorsport (PPM) program. He will contest the full FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season behind the wheel of the No. 5 Porsche 963 LMDh. Christensen will once again be paired with Frederic Makowiecki and the duo will also be joined by IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race winner Matt Campbell.
One of the early defining moments of Christensen's career happened in the fall of 2011. Going up against many other talented young drivers from around the world, he shined during a grueling selection process and was accepted into the Porsche Junior youth development program. Christensen continued to excel as he joined the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland in 2012. With consistently good performances and a win at Hockenheim, he grabbed his chance and climbed the ladder into the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup.
In 2013, he promptly won the rookie classification and he claimed a race victory at Nurburgring. The strong Supercup results earned Christensen an opportunity as a Porsche works driver, beginning in 2014. In his rookie season as a works racer, Christensen promptly won the 12 Hours of Sebring.
In his first WEC season, Christensen posted three GTE Pro class victories in 2015. He continued to race in both Europe, as well as the U.S. in 2017 and the following year he broke out with a GTD class victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona before earning a class runner-up result in the Petit Le Mans season finale at Road Atlanta.
The 2018 season brought more success for Christensen as he won the GTE Pro class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Returning to WEC competition in 2019, Christensen was part of the winning class effort at the 24 Hours of Spa. Christensen tied for third in the 2020 GTE Pro class championship behind a pair of victories and in 2021, he won the 24-Hour race at Nurburgring in WEC and finished second in class at Petit Le Mans.
Working with current PPM teammate Kevin Estre, Christensen finished second in the WEC GTE Pro class last season. Christensen and Estre secured class wins from the pole at both the 1000 Miles of Sebring and the Six Hours of Fuji in 2023. The performance paved the way for the Danish Porsche works driver to join PPM in its maiden WEC season, racing the hybrid Prototype Hypercar.
As the factory Porsche 963 gained pace throughout the seven-round championship, the No. 5 team scored a season-best fourth-place result at the six hours of Monza. In addition to racing the Porsche 963 in WEC, Christensen also competed in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship endurance races at Daytona and Sebring in the No. 7 Porsche.
Christensen and PPM has their sights set even higher in 2024, as they chase their first WEC victory.
2021 - Porsche Driver Motorsport
1st ADAC Total 24h-Race Nürburgring (GT3)
2nd 10h Petit Le Mans (GTLM)
World Endurance Championship (GTE Pro, 3 podiums)
VLN/Veranstaltergemeinschaft Langstrecke Nürburgring (2 wins)
2020 - Porsche Works Driver
World Endurance Championship (GTE Pro, 4 podiums, 2 wins, 3rd Driver Championship)
Total 24h of Spa (Pro)
VLN/Veranstaltergemeinschaft Langstrecke Nürburgring
2019 - Porsche Works Driver
World Endurance Championship (GTE Pro, 3 podiums, 1 win, Driver Championship)
24 Heures Du Mans (GTE Pro)
1st Total 24h of Spa (Pro)
2021 - Porsche Driver Motorsport
1st ADAC Total 24h-Race Nürburgring (GT3)
2nd 10h Petit Le Mans (GTLM)
World Endurance Championship (GTE Pro, 3 podiums)
VLN/Veranstaltergemeinschaft Langstrecke Nürburgring (2 wins)
2020 - Porsche Works Driver
World Endurance Championship (GTE Pro, 4 podiums, 2 wins, 3rd Driver Championship)
Total 24h of Spa (Pro)
VLN/Veranstaltergemeinschaft Langstrecke Nürburgring
2019 - Porsche Works Driver
World Endurance Championship (GTE Pro, 3 podiums, 1 win, Driver Championship)
24 Heures Du Mans (GTE Pro)
1st Total 24h of Spa (Pro)
2018 - Porsche Works Driver
1st 24 Heures Du Mans (GTE Pro)
World Endurance Championship (GTE Pro, 4 podiums, 2 wins, 3 podiums)
2017 - Porsche Works Driver
World Endurance Championship (GTE Pro, 3 podiums)
1st Rolex 24 at Daytona (GTD)
2nd 10h Petit Le Mans (GTD)
2016 - Porsche Works Driver
World Endurance Championship (GTE Pro)
Tudor United SportsCar Championship (GTLM, 2 podiums)
VLN/Veranstaltergemeinschaft Langstrecke Nürburgring
2015 - Porsche Works Driver
3rd World Endurance Championship (GTE Pro, 3 wins, 1 podium)
Tudor United SportsCar Championship (GTLM, 1 podium)
VLN/Veranstaltergemeinschaft Langstrecke Nürburgring (2 class win)
2014 - Porsche Works Driver
6th Tudor United SportsCar Championship (GTLM class, 1st Sebring, 4 podiums)
1st North American Endurance Cup Driver Championship (GTLM class)
2013 - Porsche Junior Driver
6th Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup (Rookie of the Year, 1 win, 3 podiums)
ADAC Zurich 24h-Race Nürburgring
VLN/Veranstaltergemeinschaft Langstrecke Nürburgring
2012 - Porsche Junior Driver
FIA Institute Young Driver Excellence Academy Award Winner
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland (1 win, 2 podiums)
2011 - GP3 Series Championship (2 podiums)
2010 - GP3 Series Championship
2009 - BMW Junior Driver
4th Formula BMW Europe Championship (7 wins)
Danish Automobile Sports Driver of the Year
2008 - BMW Junior Driver
6th Formula BMW Europe Championship (Rookie of the Year)
2nd Formula BMW World Final/Mexico City
2007 - 3rd CIK-FIA European KF1 Championship
1st German DKM Championship
1st Danish Formula A Champion
2006 - 2nd CIK-FIA World Formula A Championship
1st German DKM Championship
1st Macau Grand Prix Formula A