Porsche to rival Audi at Le Mans
2011-07-06 09:29
ADVANTAGE AUDI? NOT FOR LONG: Porsche’s last works car at Le Mans was this 911 GT1. Now we’re likely to see a 918 racer in LMP1 by 2014.
Porsche, at 16 wins the most successful name in Le Mans racing, has announced it will return to the race by 2014.
Its cars will compete in the premier Le Mans Prototype Class 1 division (LMP1).
Le Mans is an inextricable part of the Porsche saga. Cars such as the 917, 935, 956 and 962 established its heritage as the definitive German performance-car brand but no works team has raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans for more than a decade - it was in 1998, when it 911 GT1 car won.
SIBLING RIVALRY...
Although Porsche dabbled in prototype endurance racing with its RS Spyder from 2005-07 (in the American Le Mans Series, as a LMP2 entry) and had success with its 3.4-litre V8 (including eight overall class victories, embarrassingly outclassing allegedly superior LMP1 cars), stifling regulations quickly dissolved interest.
The configuration of class-leading LMP1 Le Mans cars has changed substantially since Porsche last race a full factory team - diesel is king now and has been since 2000. Audi has won 10 of the last 12 of the classic French endurance races (generally regarded as the greatest prize in team motorsport) and is now the second most repeated name on the trophy – something with which Porsche is obviously not comfortable.
Sibling rivalry over technology development, in an open secret between the two premium VW Group brands. Porsche, not surprisingly, is keen to interrupt Audi’s endurance-racing success, especially since the latter has collected 10 wins in 12 years. Porsche debuted in 1951 at Le Mans and ended full-factory support in 1998, managing 16 victories in that time – a substantially lower win rate than Audi...
COY RETORT
"Motorsport was always an essential part of the Porsche brand," says company boss Matthias Mueller, "so it was only a matter of time before we returned as a factory to the top league of racing."
Audi Motorsport's retort has been predictably coy. "This is the decision of the Porsche company, a decision in which Audi was not involved. Audi relishes the prospect of every strong new opponent at Le Mans and in the new FIA Sportscar World Championship. Porsche’s entry into the LMP1 class is evidence of the high level of attraction of sport prototypes."
No details of the car Porsche plans to race have been disclosed but with Le Mans organisers incentivising innovation, its 918 hybrid is the most likely candidate.
