Tag: 911 RSR

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Porsche WEC

2015 LM24: Porsche preview

2015 24 Hours of Le Mans, Porsche preview

Porsche has entered three 919 Hybrids for Le Mans this year and after setting the fastest time in last month’s official test session at the Circuit de la Sarthe the team will have good reason to think it can claim victory #17 in the endurance classic.

The 2015-spec 919 is super fast in a straight line and that will hold them in good stead on the 13.629km Le Mans circuit.

Each of the three 919s will carry a unique livery, making them easy to spot. For example, and not so seriously, the red one is #17 and shall be known as Mark Webber’s car. The white one is #19, otherwise known as Nico Hulkenberg’s car. And the black one is #18, known as that other 919.

Joining the LMP1 effort will be four 911 RSRs, two each in the GTE Pro and GTE Am categories. For the ladies out there, you need to keep an eye on the #77 911 RSR which will be driven by Patrick Dempsey, and that other Patrick guy.

Porsche’s full pre-race press release and more pics can be seen after the break.

Porsche 919 Hybrid

#17 – Timo Bernhard (GER), Brendon Hartley (NZ), Mark Webber (AUS)
#18 – Romain Dumas (GER), Neel Jani (SUI), Marc Lieb (GER)
#19 – Earl Bamber (NZ), Nico Hulkenberg (GER), Nick Tandy (GB)

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Audi Porsche Toyota Video WEC

2014 Le Mans video updates

#7 Toyota TS040 Hybrid

The 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans is approaching half race distance and to date the race has been dominated by the #7 Toyota TS040 Hybrid. Alex Wurz is at the wheel right now and he holds a lead of over 2 minutes from the #2 Audi R18 e-tron quattro with André Lotterer at the wheel.

Intermittent and heavy rain patches affected the race early and ended the chances of the #8 Toyota and #3 Audi after a coming together on the Mulsanne Straight. The Toyota was able to limp back into the pits and get back running again and it’s now in P6 13 laps behind the leader. Alas for the Audi its race was over.

Porsche seemed to be running a split strategy with its two 919 Hybrids. The #14 car was running hot early in the race, mixing it with the leaders, until an electrical glitch limiting the car’s speed after 30 minutes forced the car into pitlane. Meanwhile, Timo Bernhard’s more circumspect approach in the #20 919 paid dividends when for a short while he lead the race. His lack of outright pace made him vulnerable, though, and Bernhard was soon swallowed up by the #7 Toyota and the #2 and #1 Audis.

Mark Webber has finally had his first competition experience at Le Mans after two failed attempts in the late 90s with Mercedes. He put in some solid laps, driving well into the night, but said after his stint they’re having to manage some problems. The car is running relatively smoothly in fourth place but is two laps behind.

There’s a selection of video highlights for you after the break, along with the following links to help you foolow the action.

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Porsche Video WEC

Patrick Dempsey is a Le Mans fighter

Patrick Dempsey

Porsche joins the ranks of producers for Lifestyles of the rich and famous. In its episode they bring Patrick Dempsey to life so he can wax lyrical about his fighting spirit. He tells us: “They know what you do for a living, but not what you live for.”

No, we’re not jealous of Patrick at all. Honest, we’re not!

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Motor Shows Porsche WEC

Geneva 2014: Porsche 919 Hybrid & 911 RSR

Porsche 919 Hybrid

Porsche has now released preliminary details for the 919 Hybrid, following the earlier leak. Not much else to add except to invite you to check out the images and information after the break.

Pics are also included for the 2014-spec 911 RSR which will fight for Porsche in the GTE Pro class during the FIA World Endurance Championship.

The full press kit from Porsche at the Geneva Motor Show is available below as well.

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Porsche WEC

Porsche names its LMP1 car the 919 hybrid

Porsche 919 hybrid event

Porsche held its annual Night of Champions event over the weekend and with that came the news its 2014 LMP1 racecar will be called the 919 hybrid.

Also, as expected, 33-year-old Marc Lieb and 24-year-old Brendon Hartley were named as the final two drivers to form the six-man squad charged with the responsibility of returning Porsche to the LMP1 category.

Porsche 919 hybrid driver line up

Wolfgang Hatz, Board Member for Research and Development at Porsche AG, stated: “We are very proud of our strong international driver line-up. Three of the six drivers come from our own Porsche driver squad, two were even Porsche juniors. This is something we are particularly proud of.

“The vehicle name 919 hybrid follows on from the tradition of the Le Mans-winning 917, but it is also with a view to the 918 Spyder, and acknowledges the company’s embarkation into the hybrid future.

“Maximum efficiency in energy consumption is the directive of the new WEC regulations for the works-entered class 1 prototypes – and that is also the direction for the automobile future.”

It’s not known publicly yet which drivers will share the two 919 hybrids, but looking at the lineup of the six should Porsche decide to go with height that could see Mark Webber share his car with Marc Lieb and Brendon Hartley. Which would leave the other 919 with a crew of Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas and Neel Jani. You’d be happy with that if you were Porsche, you’d think.

In other news Porsche now has a 51% stake in Manthey Racing, a team which has celebrated success at circuits around the globe, notably including 24 hour endurance race victories at Le Mans and the Nürburgring.

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Porsche WEC

Porsche has class

Porsche 911 RSR

Porsche has released a short highlights package from their winning effort at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. They’re a company that has achieved great things at La Sarthe.

There’s the 16 outright wins, of course, but by winning the GTE Pro and Am categories this year they racked up the 99th and 100th wins for Porsche at the famous race.

Not a bad way for the new 991-based 911 RSR to debut in its first Le Mans race. We wonder what their return to LMP1 will bring in 2014?

And, as the closing sequence shows of the highlights video, Porsche is also a company that has a lot of class.

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