The Porsche Penske Motorsport works team has one goal at the 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 75th birthday of the sports car brand from Stuttgart: Outright victory on the Circuit des 24 Heures. To maximise the chances in the fiercely competitive new Hypercar class, Porsche fields a third hybrid prototype from the North American IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in addition to the two permanent FIA WEC entries. The 515+ kW (700 PS) LMDh racing cars run by the factory squad will fly a special livery, the colours of which are a salute to Porsche’s historic successes at Le Mans.

The event on the 13.626-kilometre Circuit des 24 Heures in Le Mans marks the annual highlight on the FIA World Endurance Championship WEC calendar. The first running of the race was in 1923 to showcase automotive innovation, durability and performance. The only time the classic was not contested in the city in north-western France was in 1936 (general strike in France) and between 1940 and 1948 (WWII and reconstruction). This year marks the 91st running and the 100th anniversary of the long-distance race.

On the occasion of the anniversary, the event organiser ACO (Automobile Club de l’Ouest) has added a few extra highlights to the special schedule. On Friday before the start of the race, there will be another presentation of all drivers at the racetrack in addition to the traditional drivers’ parade in the city centre. As part of a show-run of 40 legendary Le Mans vehicles, four Porsche racing cars will also lap the circuit on Saturday shortly before the 24-hour classic gets underway: Mark Webber drives a 936 Spyder, Timo Bernhard a Porsche 956, Marc Lieb a 962C and Stephane Ortelli climbs behind the wheel of his victorious vehicle from 1998, the Porsche 911 GT1.

Overview of teams and drivers
Hypercar class (Porsche 963):
Porsche Penske Motorsport (#5): Dane Cameron (USA), Michael Christensen (DK), Fréderic Makowiecki (F)
Porsche Penske Motorsport (#6): Kévin Estre (F), André Lotterer (D), Laurens Vanthoor (B)
Porsche Penske Motorsport (#75): Felipe Nasr (BR), Mathieu Jaminet (F), Nick Tandy (UK)
Hertz Team Jota (#38): António Félix da Costa (P), William Stevens (UK), Yifei Ye (CHN)

GTE-Am class (Porsche 911 RSR):
Proton Competition (#16): Ryan Hardwick (USA), Zacharie Robichon (CDN), Jan Heylen (B)
Project1 – AO (#56): PJ Hyett (USA), Gunnar Jeanette (USA), Matteo Cairoli (I)
Iron Lynx (#60): Claudio Schiavoni (I), Matteo Cressoni (I), Alessio Picariello (B)
Dempsey-Proton Racing (#77): Christian Ried (D), Mikkel Pedersen (DK), Julien Andlauer (F)
Iron Dames (#85): Sarah Bovy (B), Michelle Gatting (DK), Rahel Frey (CH)
GR Racing (#86): Michael Wainwright (UK), Ben Barker (UK), Riccardo Pera (I)
Proton Competition (#88): Harry Tincknell (UK), Jonas Ried (D), Don Yount (USA)
Proton Competition (#911): Michael Fassbender (IRL), Martin Rump (EST), Richard Lietz (A)

Drivers’ comments before the race
Dane Cameron (Porsche 963 #5): “I have high expectations for the Le Mans weekend. After more than a year and a half of preparation with the Porsche 963, it’s definitely the moment we’ve all been waiting for. It’s a very special feeling to finally be at the start of this race week. We have the chance to bring home the triumph at Le Mans – for Porsche and Mr Penske. At the same time, it’s a dream come true for me: I’ve always dreamed of racing for overall victory at Le Mans. I can’t wait and I’m sure I’m about to experience some very special days.”

André Lotterer (Porsche 963 #6): “I’m really looking forward to my comeback at Le Mans. This race is a highlight for me. Since I was only able to drive for one year in the former Porsche LMP team, I’m feeling super motivated to go racing with the new factory team. I’m hugely grateful to have this chance to experience the 100th anniversary of this classic – it’s a piece of history. I’m happy with my three victories but I want more. To achieve another win together with Porsche and Penske would be a dream.”

Porsche’s unparalleled track record at Le Mans
On 8 June 1948, the Porsche 356 No.1 Roadster was granted its road permit in Germany. This event 75 years ago marked the birth of the Stuttgart sports car brand. Just three years later, the manufacturer sent a delegation to the 24-hour race in Le Mans for the first time. With success: the two Frenchmen Auguste Veuillet and Edmond Mouche promptly clinched class victory at the wheel of the Porsche 356/4 SL Coupé. Since then, the Porsche brand has been represented on the grid of the world’s greatest endurance race every year. Thanks to 19 overall victories and 110 class wins to date, the sports car manufacturer from Stuttgart is by far the number one on the list of achievements of the organizer Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO).

24 Hours of Le Mans – Porsche’s outright victories
1970 – Herrmann (D) / Attwood (GB) – Porsche 917 KH
1971 – Marko (A) / Van Lennep (NL) – Porsche 917 KH
1976 – Ickx (B) / Van Lennep (NL) – Porsche 936
1977 – Ickx (B) / Haywood (USA) / Barth (D) – Porsche 936/77
1979 – Ludwig (D) / D. Whittington (USA) / B. Whittington (USA) – Porsche 935 K3
1981 – Ickx (B) / Bell (GB) – Porsche 936
1982 – Ickx (B) / Bell (GB) – Porsche 956
1983 – Schuppan (AUS) / Haywood (USA) / Holbert (USA) – Porsche 956
1984 – Pescarolo (F) / Ludwig (D) – Porsche 956
1985 – Barilla (I) / Ludwig (D) / Krages (D) – Porsche 956
1986 – Bell (GB) / Stuck (D) / Holbert (USA) – Porsche 962C
1987 – Bell (GB) / Stuck (D) / Holbert (USA) – Porsche 962C
1994 – Dalmas (F) / Haywood (USA) / Baldi (I) – Dauer Porsche 962 LM
1996 – Wurz (A) / Reuter (D) / Jones (USA) – TWR Porsche WSC-95
1997 – Kristensen (DK) / Alboreto (I) / Johansson (S) – TWR Porsche WSC-95
1998 – Aiello (F) / McNish (GB) / Ortelli (F) – Porsche 911 GT1
2015 – Bamber (NZ) / Tandy (GB) / Hülkenberg (D) – Porsche 919 Hybrid
2016 – Jani (CH) / Lieb (D) / Dumas (F) – Porsche 919 Hybrid
2017 – Bernhard (D) / Hartley (NZ) / Bamber (NZ) – Porsche 919 Hybrid

The schedule (all times CEST)
Wednesday, 7 June
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm: Free practice 1
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm: Qualifying
10:00 pm – midnight: Free practice 2

Thursday, 8 June
3:00 pm – 6:00 pm: Free practice 3
8:00 pm – 8:30 pm: Hyperpole
10:00 pm – 11:00 pm: Free practice 4

Friday, 9 June
2:00 pm – 4:30 pm: Drivers’ parade (city centre)
3:00 pm – 8:00 pm: Pit walk
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm: Drivers’ parade (racetrack)

Saturday, 10 June
Midday – 12:15 pm: Warm-up
12:30 pm – 1:10 pm: Parade of 40 legendary Le Mans vehicles
4:00 pm: Start 24 Hours of Le Mans

Sunday, 11 June
4:00 pm: Finish 24 Hours of Le Mans

Livestream
For those wanting to watch digitally and receive additional race statistics and data, both, Porsche and the WEC offer a livestream of the 24-hour race. On the Porsche Twitch channel, the entire race is streamed from the onboard camera.
Addtional livestreams are offered by the FIA WEC. Here, you can also watch the free practice session and the qualifying.