- Long-distance classic in France celebrates its 100th anniversary
- Porsche Penske Motorsport fields three hybrid prototypes with special liveries
- Privateer squad Hertz Team Jota runs another Porsche 963
- Porsche donates to three organizations through “Racing for Charity”
- Customer teams tackle the GTE-Am class with eight 911 RSR
The Porsche Penske Motorsport works team has one goal at the 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 75th birthday of the sports car brand from Stuttgart: Outright victory on the Circuit des 24 Heures. To maximise the chances in the fiercely competitive new Hypercar class, Porsche fields a third hybrid prototype from the North American IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in addition to the two permanent FIA WEC entries. The 515+ kW (700 PS) LMDh racing cars run by the factory squad will fly a special livery, the colours of which are a salute to Porsche’s historic successes at Le Mans.
During recent tests on the racetracks in Watkins Glen (USA), Le Castellet (France) and Monza (Italy), Porsche Penske Motorsport prepared meticulously for the upcoming challenge twice around the clock. The UK customer squad Hertz Team Jota fields an additional Porsche 963 in the top class. In the fight for overall victory, Porsche goes up against competition from manufacturers such as Ferrari, Cadillac, Toyota and Peugeot.
“The 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans is a very important event, especially for Porsche,” states Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President of Porsche Motorsport. “Our brand turns 75 this year. No other manufacturer can look back on such an illustrious history at Le Mans as Porsche. We’ve achieved 19 overall victories and 110 class wins – and that’s certainly not the end of it: we’re aiming for our 20th success at the Sarthe! On the occasion of the big anniversaries, we’re fielding three Porsche 963 with our works team. What’s more, the Hertz Team Jota outfit tackles the race with another prototype from Weissach. We hope we’re able to fight for the win in the highly competitive Hypercar top class.”
“We’re very excited about the big anniversary at Le Mans,” explains Urs Kuratle, Director of Factory Motorsport LMDh. “At test sessions, Porsche Penske Motorsport has systematically prepared for the upcoming highlight. However, you can only simulate the unique features of the Circuit des 24 Heures to a limited extent on other racetracks. We used the test day at Le Mans intensively to set up our three Porsche 963 for this high-speed circuit. We’re currently unable to make any statements about the balance of power in the Hypercar class. But one thing is certain: With three Porsche 963 fielded by the works team and another one run by the Hertz Team Jota customer squad, we’re in the best possible position.”
“To get to this point really was a huge team effort on both sides of the Atlantic,” comments Jonathan Diuguid, Managing Director Porsche Penske Motorsport. “While one car has been prepared in Mooresville, USA and two in Mannheim, Germany, there is only one team – Porsche Penske Motorsport – and all entries are prepared to exactly the same high standard. We’ve now completed our rollouts at Weissach and Watkins Glen and our three Porsche 963 are en route to the biggest endurance race of the year, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The pressure is about as high as it can be: to win the 100th 24 Hours of Le Mans on the 75th anniversary of Porsche sports cars would be a dream come true for us all. However, while that is the goal, we must focus first on each day as it comes.”
“Racing for Charity”: Porsche donates towards treatment for sick children
For each race lap completed by the three works-963, Porsche donates 750 euros in keeping with the 75th anniversary of the Porsche sports car. After the highlight of the year finishes on Sunday, the total amount will be donated to three non-profit organisations that, among other things, are dedicated to supporting and helping seriously ill children around the world.
The race
The storied circuit south of the city with its 150,000 inhabitants consists mainly of public roads. Normally, hundreds of trucks and cars drive over the legendary Mulsanne Straight every day on their way from Le Mans to Tours. The fast Porsche curves are both famous and notorious: high speeds and narrow run-off zones pose special challenges and ensure spectacular race action. The French long-distance classic is regarded as critical for the world championship season: The FIA WEC awards double points for placings at Le Mans – for example, the winner gets 50 instead of 25 world championship points.
Porsche teams and drivers
Sharing driving duties in the two works-Porsche 963 from the FIA WEC are the regular drivers from the 2023 season. Dane Cameron from the USA, Michael Christensen from Denmark and the French local hero Frédéric Makowiecki join forces in the No. 5 cockpit. The three-time Le Mans overall winner André Lotterer from Germany shares the No. 6 sister car with Laurens Vanthoor from Belgium and Kévin Estre from France. The IMSA drivers Felipe Nasr from Brazil, Mathieu Jaminet from France and Briton Nick Tandy helm the third No. 75 Porsche 963. The 38-year-old from Bedford won Le Mans in 2015 at the wheel of a Porsche 919 Hybrid – the No. 19 car was the third and additional Porsche fielded in the top class. Driving Hertz Team Jota’s No. 38 entry is the works driver António Félix da Costa from Portugal, Will Stevens from the UK and Yifei Ye from China. The 22-year-old Asian receives support from Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific as a Selected Driver.
In the total of eight Porsche 911 RSR tackling the GTE-Am class, works driver Richard Lietz will compete in Proton Competition’s No. 911 entry. The Austrian shares the customer car with Martin Rump from Estonia and Hollywood actor Michael Fassbender. This marks the second outing at the Le Mans 24 Hours for the Irishman. The two former Porsche Juniors Julien Andlauer (France) and Matteo Cairoli (Italy) are among the drivers of the other privately-run 911 race cars. The Iron Dames squad relies on its all-female crew of Belgian Sarah Bovy, ex-DTM driver Rahel Frey from Switzerland and Michelle Gatting from Denmark.
