By Adam Tate, Managing Editor
Worldwide film star Patrick Dempsey is set to take a step back from his racing commitments in the World Endurance Championship this year. The 50 year old calling for at least a temporary hiatus behind the wheel. He will remain the co-owner of the Dempsey Proton Porsche team and still attend some of the races in that capacity but his personal life and shooting schedule are to put an end to his time driving the car, something he has done the past three seasons where he earned much praise for his improvement behind the wheel. He released the following statement on his website.
“My motorsports journey has been a rewarding one and allowed me to meet so many interesting people.”
While the focus so often is the performance of the car, in reality it is all the various personalities, from team mates to competitors to officials to fans that I remember the most. I have loved being part of part of different teams and sharing the experience with so many great friends. I want to thank everyone who made this possible and helped me along the way. I also wanted to especially thank the fans for their support and friendship. None of this would happen without you buying the tickets and attending the races, so I am grateful for that investment in my passion. It makes me especially happy to see how many people have become race fans during my racing career. At this point in my life, after an amazing season thanks to my friends at Porsche and TAG Heuer, I need to take a step back and focus on both my family and my acting career.”
“Dempsey-Proton Racing will continue on racing a Porsche 911 RSR in the World Endurance Championship season. I hope my schedule permits me to enjoy some race weekends at least as a team owner.”
“I need to especially thank Porsche for their unbelievable support for me and my family as I made the tough decision to take a step back. I will never forget it. Life has taught me that it is impossible to predict the future. I am excited to see what kind of journey I can make and enjoy.”
Image: Porsche
