The new Porsche LMP1 sports prototype has been unveiled at the Porsche Motorsport’s Research and Development Centre in Weissach, Germany. It will compete in the sports car World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 2014.
Little details are know so far, but it’s expected to run a hybrid petrol engine that’s closer to Toyota’s TS030 Hybrid endurance racer than the dominating diesel-electric Audi R18 e-tron quattro. Porsche factory drivers Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas will take the helm next year, with rumours suggesting Mark Webber will be joining the team sooner rather than later.
Porsche is the most prolific team in Le Mans history with 16 overall wins, including the record-breaking 1971 success. Stable mate Audi (both are now owned by the Volkswagen Group) isn’t far behind though and is catching up fast, racking up 11 victories over the last 13 years (not counting Bentley’s marketing-led 2003 triumph using a rebadged Audi car and team).
1998 was the last time Porsche stood on the overall top step, the 911 GT1 taking a famous one-two over Nissan’s R390 and the McLaren F1 GTR. Following that the GT1’s successor was abandoned and then turned into the road-going Carrera GT hypercar.
Porsche has not fielded a car in the top LMP1 class ever since, instead focussing on the lower divisions while Audi dominated the sport. Nevertheless, the RS Spyder and various incarnations of the 911 RSR have won their respective LMP2 and GT classes many times over in the same period.
History repeats itself as the RS Spyder’s engine will live on in the limited production 918 hypercar, proving that there’s much to learn in motorsports that can and will filter down to Porsche’s road cars. Audi’s production cars meanwhile only inherited the R8 name from its racecars, while the recent on-track push for electric tech is deemed not yet viable for production.
Now it’s down to this yet-unnamed LMP1 sports prototype racer to take up the challenge and beat Audi in what has become their own backyard over the last decade. Nothing like some healthy/heated sibling rivalry to spice up the drama.
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Good Luck Porsche!
Good news for Le Mans fans, there will be new announcement from private and Manufacturers LMP1 teams regards to latest development and commitment prior before the endurance race. Watch out for Nissan and Porsche debut.