Porsche enters the world’s hardest race, the Le Mans 24-Hours, with the 919 Hybrid as a record holder, title defender and leader in both the manufacturers’ and drivers’ world championships.

For Porsche it is the third entry in Le Mans after returning to top level motorsport. In 2015, at only the second try, Porsche managed a one-two result. The 919, with its ground-breaking downsizing two-litre V4 turbocharged petrol engine and its two energy recovery systems (brake and exhaust energy), has been significantly developed. It produces a system power of 662kW and hits the Le Mans roads with an aerodynamic configuration for low drag. On the long straights the 919 frequently reaches top speeds above 320km/h.

The six works drivers have between them participated in the Le Mans race a total of 49 times. Bernhard, Hartley and Webber finished second last year and now drive the futuristic prototype with the number one. Dumas, Jani and Lieb came fifth in 2015 and share the number two Porsche 919 Hybrid. Last year’s winning car was in the hands of Earl Bamber, Nico Hülkenberg and Nick Tandy.

As the most successful manufacturer in the history of the prestigious long distance classic, Porsche is again represented by a large contingent. In the strongly supported GT classes, a total of seven 911 RSR tackle the world’s toughest automobile race: The Porsche Motorsport factory squad fields two 911 RSR with the overall Le Mans winners Earl Bamber and Nick Tandy and with five nine-eleven contenders campaigned by customer teams. With the two 919 Hybrid in the LMP1 class, Porsche is represented at Le Mans by total of nine vehicles and 16 works drivers.

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is legendary. In the list of winners, the best racing drivers in the world have been immortalised. Even Hollywood has honoured the prestigious long distance race in the French province: The 1970 film Le Mans featuring Steve McQueen in the lead role is regarded as one of the best racing movies of all time. The race, run for the first time in 1923, is not only famous around the world for the 13.629-kilometre Circuit des 24 Heures with its combination of racetrack and normal national roads as well as its legendary corners like Mulsanne and Tertre Rouge. The almost five-kilometre-long Mulsanne straight also sets this racetrack apart.

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