Motorsport: Bittersweet weekend for Hartley

Timo Bernhard, Brendon Hartley and Earl Bamber celebrate at Le Mans. Photo / Getty Images

Fresh off signing a fulltime contract with Formula 1 team Toro Rosso Kiwi racer Brendon Hartley will endure a bittersweet weekend in Bahrain.

The 28-year-old will compete in his final LMP1 World Endurance Championship event with the factory Porsche team, who are withdrawing from the category despite winning the world title and Le Mans 24 Hour race this year.

"It is going to be emotional for everyone," Hartley told The Herald. "We are all going to be giving it our all to get the race win and to sign the project off with the result that it deserves.

"We are going to celebrate it and enjoy it and have some laughs but at the same time we know it is the last time we are all doing it together.

"It has been a big part of everyone's lives. Everyone has dedicated a lot of time and effort and we have shared a lot of success together.

"I am going to enjoy every last moment of it."

The chance to race in the WEC with Porsche proved the watershed moment in Hartley's career, helping him reach his ultimate goal of competing in Formula 1 at a time when it appeared that dream had evaporated.

It was the success he had with the factory Porsche outfit and the relationships he formed that made him an attractive option for Toro Rosso.

"It was a huge break for me four years ago. It was a dream come true and it has been massive," Hartley said.

While Hartley will have his attention squarely on his Formula 1 campaign there is the chance that he remains involved with Porsche in some capacity next year and beyond.

Hartley suggests Porsche will maintain a high-level involvement in motorsport and he is keen to continue working with them.

"Porsche have been great - all the employees are staying on," he said. "It isn't like every employee is out of a job. They are moving on to new projects. There is Formula E coming up as well and there are rumours of Formula 1.

"Porsche are always going to be involved in motorsport."