MAGIC OF LE MANS

The ninetieth 24 Hours of Le Mans is almost upon us. No fewer than ten 911 RSR-19S will take to the grid at Circuit de la Sarthe. The Porsche factory GT team is sending two cars into battle: the no.91 RSR will be driven by Gianmaria Bruni, Richard Lietz and Frédéric Makowiecki, while the no.92 RSR will be in the hands of Michael Christensen, Kévin Estre and Laurens Vanthoor.

Le Mans is the world’s oldest active endurance race. As most of you will already be aware, Porsche is the event’s most successful manufacturer, having achieved nineteen overall wins and hundreds of class victories. Porsche is also the only manufacturer to have contested Le Mans every year since 1951, when the lone 356 SL Gmünd Coupe carrying the company’s hopes of turning motorsport success into showroom sales kicked off the Stuttgart brand’s account in France in style. Headlines about wins are only half the story, though.

For this issue of 911 & Porsche World, we’ve delved into our favourite manufacturer’s illustrious past to bring you forty amazing Porsche tales from Le Mans. From the most amazing highs to the lowest of lows, more than seventy years of competing at Sarthe has yielded some of motorsport’s most extraordinary dramas. We’ve also included a number of fun facts from France you might not previously have been aware of. I hope you enjoy the article.

At the time of writing, we are a week away from the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, another Porsche stomping ground and one which sees many of the company’s works drivers behind the wheel of 911s fielded by Weissach’s customer teams. If you are yet to attend these daylong enduros in person, I urge you to make sure 2023’s events are pencilled in your diary — these are true bucket list bashes for any Porschephile. In the meantime, you can watch this year’s races live on each event’s Youtube channel. It’s not the same as being there, of course, but it’s a great way to show your support for the 911s batting for victory.