ACTOR MICHAEL FASSBENDER TAKES ON LE MANS WITH PORSCHE
His racing exploits recorded for posterity on Youtube
"I've just always felt drawn to going fast into a corner – and fast out – and just naturally felt connected to it. And now I want to go to the ultimate place.” So says Hollywood actor Michael Fassbender of his ambitious attempt to race at Le Mans, which is currently being chronicled on Youtube.
If that sounds improbable, the Irish actor has won behind the wheel of a Ferrari 488 Challenge in the Daytona Ferrari Challenge series in the US. What’s more, Fassbender, whose screen credits include antihero Magneto from the X-men universe, has none other than Porsche guiding his route to Circuit de la Sarthe.
The whole thing is being recorded for posterity by Porsche and showcased on its official Youtube channel. The first season has already begun and it shows Fassbender undergoing intensive training courtesy of the Porsche Super Sports Cup series in Germany, where he's behind the wheel of a 911 GT3 Cup car for the Porsche-affiliated Manthey Racing Team. Fassbender’s racing career began in late 2016 when he began training for the Ferrari Challenge. He reportedly scored a podium at his first race. In his second season, he upped the ante to one win and five podiums out of 11 races.
The first few episodes of Michael Fassbender: Road to Le Mans are compelling viewing, with Fassbender falling off the track, crashing into competitors and generally looking out of his depth in what is presumably a more competitive series than the Ferrari Challenge, albeit the footage is no doubt edited to up the drama. The content is surprisingly gritty and candid, given it’s on Porsche’s official channel, with Fassbender unloading numerous expletives and the sense of scrutiny highly elevated.
"I think it's the history of the place. I think it's the drivers that crashed there, or competed there, or won there. To be a part of that would be, you know, unbelievable," Fassbender says of Le Mans.
Multiple series of his exploits are implied, but it’s not clear whether the aim is an assault on Le Mans in 2020 or beyond. It may be the case that the precise timing of his Le Mans debut depends on his progress in the Super Sports Cup. However, Fassbender is seen in an early episode test driving the 911 RSR that he will presumably be campaigning at Le Mans. What we can say for sure is that the production is very high quality and authentic. A must watch, we reckon, regardless of whether you are a fan of the actor himself.