Tag Archives: Porsche
Maria Sharapova driven to Pre-Wimbledon party in a Porsche 918 Spyder by Mark Webber
French Open winner, Maria Sharapova, is picked up from The Goring hotel in Central London by Porsche Works Driver and ‘world’s fastest chauffeur’ Mark Webber, in the plug-in hybrid Porsche 918 Spyder and driven to the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Pre-Wimbledon Party at the Kensington Roof Gardens. Photo Picture date: Thursday June 19, 2014. Hitting 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds and with a top speed of 214 mph, the 918 Spyder is the most powerful road car Porsche has built to date, yet is exempt from the Congestion Charge as the plug-in hybrid super sports car emits less CO2 than most small cars and many other hybrid vehicles. Photo credit should read: Matt Alexander/PA Wire
Stuttgart. Their first appearances at the world’s most famous tournament traditionally come not on the green grass but on the red carpet – at the WTA’s Pre-Wimbledon Party.
Porsche Brand Ambassadors Maria Sharapova and Mark Webber arrive with a Porsche 918 Spyder super sportscar for the WTA Pre-Wimbledon Party at Kensington Roof Gardens on June 19, 2014 in London, UK
As the partner of the prestigious event, Porsche for the first time ensured that the players were driven quickly and safely from their hotels through London’s traffic to the Kensington Roof Gardens venue.
French Open winner, Maria Sharapova, is picked up from The Goring hotel in Central London by Porsche Works Driver and ‘world’s fastest chauffeur’ Mark Webber, in the plug-in hybrid Porsche 918 Spyder and driven to the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Pre-Wimbledon Party at the Kensington Roof Gardens. Photo. Picture date: Thursday June 19, 2014. Hitting 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds and with a top speed of 214 mph, the 918 Spyder is the most powerful road car Porsche has built to date, yet is exempt from the Congestion Charge as the plug-in hybrid super sports car emits less CO2 than most small cars and many other hybrid vehicles. Photo credit: Matt Alexander/PA Wire
Superstar Maria Sharapova had the pleasure of not only an exceptional car but also a special chauffeur: the Porsche Brand Ambassador and recent French Open winner was chauffeured by Porsche works driver Mark Webber in a Porsche 918 Spyder, the super sports car with its innovative plug-in hybrid technology.
Porsche Brand Ambassadors Maria Sharapova and Mark Webber arrive with a Porsche 918 Spyder super sportscar for the WTA Pre-Wimbledon Party at Kensington Roof Gardens on June 19, 2014 in London, UK
The CO2 emission of the 918 Spyder is so minimal that it is exempted from the London Congestion Charge. When arriving at the red carpet, the exceptional car and its famous occupants both attracted a lot of attention from the waiting fans.
“What a fantastic way to arrive at the party,” enthused Maria Sharapova. “To be in the fastest Porsche with a racing driver like Mark is amazing. And it’s great too to be driving in a city like London running only on electric power – the 918 Spyder is an unbelievable car!”
French Open winner, Maria Sharapova, is picked up from The Goring hotel in Central London by Porsche Works Driver and ‘world’s fastest chauffeur’ Mark Webber, in the plug-in hybrid Porsche 918 Spyder and driven to the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Pre-Wimbledon Party at the Kensington Roof Gardens. Photo. Picture date: Thursday June 19, 2014. Hitting 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds and with a top speed of 214 mph, the 918 Spyder is the most powerful road car Porsche has built to date, yet is exempt from the Congestion Charge as the plug-in hybrid super sports car emits less CO2 than most small cars and many other hybrid vehicles. Photo credit : Matt Alexander/PA Wire
“Having just driven the Porsche 919 Hybrid race car at the Le Mans 24 Hours last weekend, I already know that this technology can produce incredible results,” said Mark Webber. “The 918 Spyder is the closest thing to a road-going version, and it’s just as amazing – especially as it can be driven into London for free. And of course it’s great fun to drive Maria around in it!”
Mark Webber, Porsche works driver
Other top tennis stars like Serena and Venus Williams, Victoria Azarenka, Eugenie Bouchard, Ana Ivanovic and Andrea Petkovic were all chauffeured to the red carpet in a Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid.
Andrea Petkovic arrives with a Porsche Panamera for the WTA Pre-Wimbledon Party at Kensington Roof Gardens on June 19, 2014 in London, UK
Andrea Petkovic arrives with a Porsche Panamera for the WTA Pre-Wimbledon Party at Kensington Roof Gardens on June 19, 2014 in London, UK
Victoria Azarenka arrives with a Porsche Panamera for the WTA Pre-Wimbledon Party at Kensington Roof Gardens on June 19, 2014 in London, UK
Eugenie Bouchard arrives with a Porsche Panamera for the WTA Pre-Wimbledon Party at Kensington Roof Gardens on June 19, 2014 in London, UK
Dominika Cibulkova arrives with a Porsche Panamera for the WTA Pre-Wimbledon Party at Kensington Roof Gardens on June 19, 2014 in London, UK
Daniela Hantuchova arrives with a Porsche Panamera for the WTA Pre-Wimbledon Party at Kensington Roof Gardens on June 19, 2014 in London, UK
Wimbledon is the third Grand Slam tournament of the year and begins on the grass courts of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in the London suburb on coming Monday. Porsche Team Germany’s Angelique Kerber, Sabine Lisicki, last year’s runner-up, and Andrea Petkovic are all seeded.
SOURCE: Porsche AG / Corporate Communications
World Rally Champion Sébastien Ogier returns to Porsche cockpit
Sébastien Ogier (F)
Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup – Monaco 2013
| Press Release | 19/06/2014 |
Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, Spielberg/Austria
Stuttgart. Prominent guest drivers regularly take up the challenge of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. Last season nine-time WRC champion Sébastien Loeb and five-time Le Mans winner Emanuele Pirro pitted themselves against the best Porsche sprint pilots.
Sébastien Ogier (F)
Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup – Monaco 2013
This coming weekend (20-22 June) the reigning World Rally Champion Sébastien Ogier races a Project 1 team campaigned 460 hp Porsche 911 GT3 Cup at round three at Spielberg (Austria), where he faces 27 Porsche specialists. The 30-year-old Volkswagen WRC pilot has already had a taste of the Supercup action last year when he contested the race in Monaco.
Sébastien Ogier (F)
Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup – Monaco 2013
“Obviously racing on a circuit is very different from rallying. But every race driver has a passion for speed and so it’s always exciting to gain new experiences,” stated Ogier.
In 2013, the Frenchman clinched the world championship title for Volkswagen and has won four of six WRC rounds contested so far this year. Before he tackles the “Lotos Rally Poland” from 27-29 June, Ogier is eager to put in a strong performance at Spielberg.
Sébastien Ogier (F), Sébastien Loeb (F)
Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup – Monaco 2013
The Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup is contested as support to Formula 1 nine times this season. One race is held at each of the eight European rounds, with the season wrapped up with a newly-scheduled double-header from 31 October to 2 November in Austin (Texas). Regarded as the pinnacle of Porsche’s 19 national one-make race series, the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup has become a launching platform into professional motor racing.
“We are delighted that famous guest drivers are always keen to take up the challenge in our series. Having Sébastien Ogier at Spielberg and Patrick Dempsey at Hockenheim for Porsche AG we have two prominent guest drivers with us again this season,” says Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Manager Jonas Krauss.
Source: Communication Porsche AG / Motorsport Press
Porsche with the 919 Hybrid before the start in Le Mans, Preview of the 24 hours of Le Mans, LMP1 (3rd race of the WEC)
Porsche Team, Porsche 919 Hybrid: #20 Timo Bernhard, Brendon Hartley, Mark Webber,
Porsche 919 Hybrid #14: Romain Dumas, Neel Jani, Marc Lieb
| Press Release | 06/06/2014 |
Porsche 919 Hybrid, Porsche Team: Romain Dumas, Neel Jani, Marc Lieb
Stuttgart. After an absence of 16 years, Porsche will once again compete in the top category of what is certainly the world’s toughest car race, which starts at 3:00 pm on June 14, 2014. Porsche is fielding its most innovative prototypes at the 24 hours of Le Mans.
The two Porsche 919 Hybrid cars with start numbers 14 and 20 will be driven by two trios of drivers: Romain Dumas (France), Neel Jani (Switzerland), Marc Lieb (Germany) and Timo Bernhard (Germany), Brendon Hartley (New Zealand), Mark Webber (Australia).
2014 Le Mans cars
These six world-class drivers have between them a total of 37 appearances at Le Mans. Despite being a record holder at Le Mans with 16 overall victories, this year the sports car manufacturer has no experience to benefit from. For the first year of the LMP1 project the target is to get one of the fast Porsche 919 Hybrids to the finish line at the marathon.
Quotes before the race:
Fritz Enzinger, Vice President LMP1:
“Porsche is facing the biggest moment of the LMP1 project – its first start in the top category at Le Mans in 16 years. Whatever the results, we have successfully completed a lot of stages to get here. Above all, we have established a strong, innovative engineering team in the Porsche Development Centre in Weissach. The new know-how generated in-house by the great efforts of all those involved is something that no one can take away from Porsche. The pole position in Spa showed that the Porsche 919 Hybrid is fast, and, as newcomers, we earned respect for this achievement. I am very proud of this young team, which is as competent in its technology as it is in its drivers. I wish each individual the best of luck and success in this marathon.”
Alexander Hitzinger, Technical Director LMP1:
“The challenge of developing a car for Le Mans was always to build a fast yet durable car. The constraints of the new race regulations have made this task even more difficult, but fascinating as well. Even in areas that were routine for the competition, we had no experience whatsoever. Nonetheless, we chose the boldest solution for our drive concept, because it offered the best future potential. In the pre-testing period, the aerodynamics that were once again modified to achieve lower air drag for the Le Mans event proved themselves, as did advanced developments that enhanced durability. The Porsche 919 Hybrid is our first LMP1 race car design. It is fast – but not all of its potential has been realised yet; that is the reality.”
Alexander Hitzinger, Technical Director LMP1
Andreas Seidl, Team Principal LMP1:
“The operating task for a Le Mans team is enormous. We had to build an organisation with new personnel from the ground up. They are all excellent people. But even a hundred top soloists must first learn to play together as an orchestra. Responsibilities, communication, procedures, manual tasks – everything must mesh together perfectly. We have only competed in two races so far: in Silverstone and in Spa-Francorchamps. Everything went remarkably well. Our training was intensive. The team will have carried out 1,573 pit stops up to race week at Le Mans. We have also tested at night. Nonetheless, we have not yet experienced the stresses of a 24-hour race as a team. Everyone is looking forward to this challenge.”
Andreas Seidl, Team Principal Porsche Team
Drivers, starting number 14:
Romain Dumas – 36, France.
(13 races: overall victory 2010, 3rd place overall 2007, class victory GTE 2013, 2nd place GT class 2001 and 2002, 3rd place GT class 2004)
Porsche works driver Romain Dumas
“Le Mans is the most famous and toughest race in the world, and it is even more special for me as a Frenchman. I have been driving here since 2001, and I also lived here. In 2010 I won the race; I would love to repeat that one day – together with Porsche. So many people have been anticipating this return to LMP1 by Porsche. It makes me very proud to be one of the six drivers here. I have wanted to be with Porsche ever since my father put me in a 962 as a child. My favourite part of the track is the Porsche bends. Not because of their name, but because they are so quick and difficult. When you race down the Hunaudières at 330 km/h at night – all by yourself in your own world – you live a dream. You see and smell what is happening around the track. But you have to remain focused. We want to get to the finish line.”
Neel Jani – 30, Switzerland.
(5 races since 2009)
Porsche works driver Neel Jani
“Le Mans is living motorsport history. That is more true of Porsche than with any other brand. To be part of the return to the top class after 16 years is a dream come true for me. Most racing car drivers would agree. It is a great honour, but also a tremendous responsibility. My best result at Le Mans was in 2012 when I finished fourth with a privateer team. I knew I could only improve on that result in a good factory team. Now I have reached that point. But, regardless of which class or which car, this race stirs up an emotional feeling. I will never forget my first time racing at night; it was awesome. Yet, it is important to block out all of that and concentrate on doing your best – for yourself and your team-mates. We want to be competitive in our first year.”
Marc Lieb – 33, Germany.
(8 races: class victory GTE 2013, class victory GT2 2010, class victory GT 2005, 2nd place GT class 2003)
Porsche works driver Marc Lieb
“Porsche took me on board in 2000 when my bank account was empty and the prospects for my Formula racing career had almost run out. It means a lot to me to now be part of a return to the top class, especially since we have this incredible technology that our engineers have created for the 919 Hybrid. Starting in the LMP1 class changes your perspective entirely compared to racing in the GT categories. You look less in the rear-view mirror and more at the cars out front that you are going to lap. Radio contact with the pit crew is also much more intensive to achieve efficient energy usage. The racing is incredibly tough for everyone involved. Whenever I won class victories, the most enjoyable thing for me was to look down from the podium and gaze at the tired but happy faces of the mechanics.”
Drivers, starting number 20:
Timo Bernhard – 33, Germany.
(7 races: overall victory 2010, class victory GT 2002, 2nd place GTE class 2013, 2nd place GT2 2005)
Porsche works driver Timo Bernhard
“In my first start for Porsche in 2002, Le Mans was stunning. And people always asked me: When will you return to the top league. I was involved with the building of the LMP1 team right from the start, and in 2013 I drove at the roll-out, then did testing and development work. The entire time I had the big goal in mind; I can hardly express how much I am ready for it now. The week leading up to the race will still be intensive, right up to the starting ceremony. I always found it satisfying to be the starting driver, and to finally close the door after all the pre-race show was over. And then at some point on this long circuit you find a very special rhythm. Especially at night when everything gets even faster, and when it might drizzle or rain … It is indescribable; there is a certain magic to it.”
Brendon Hartley – 24, New Zealand.
(2 races since 2012)
Porsche works driver Brendon Hartley
“For me, Le Mans is my whole passion. I have the feeling that racing here fulfils the entire reason I climbed into a kart for the first time at six years of age. To now start as a Porsche factory driver, for the greatest sports car icon is like a dream. And then there is this special project with technology that never existed before. Hybrid systems, all-wheel drive, intuitive operating systems – the Porsche 919 is fantastic. Sometimes I can hardly believe that I have been chosen to sit in this car. I especially like Le Mans at night; that is the best. The lights fly past you, and everything feels a lot faster. You nearly get tunnel vision – that is when the cockpit is the perfect place for me. I also have a sporting score to settle at Le Mans.”
Mark Webber – 37, Australia.
(participated 1998 and 1999 at Le Mans but not in the race; 9 Formula-1 victories)
Porsche works driver Mark Webber
“To return to Le Mans is emotionally very special for me. Le Mans stands for endurance, trial of man and machine, an incredibly long day, often with changing conditions and, above all, there is the teamwork. Naturally, I want to leave here with happier memories than previously, which should not be too difficult. And, of course, I want to win this race sometime. We have a fast car with fantastic technology. I also like the seating position, tucked behind the windscreen, and I am looking forward to the night-time driving at Le Mans. The team is still very young, but the bonding in the team has been very quick. If we were to come up with a good result in our first year that would be a massive statement for Porsche as a brand.”
Porsche 919 Hybrid, Porsche Team: Timo Bernhard, Brendon Hartley, Mark Webber
Facts and figures:
• With 16 overall victories, Porsche is the record holder at Le Mans.
• The first Porsche overall victory dates back to 1970 (Hans Herrmann/Richard Attwood in a 917 KH Coupé), and the last victory to date was on June 7, 1998 (Laurent Aiello/Allan McNish/Stéphane Ortelli in a Porsche GT1).
• According to the official archives, 812 Porsche cars have raced at Le Mans, and that too is a record.
• The fastest qualifying lap was driven by Hans-Joachim Stuck in 1985 in a Porsche 962 C (average speed 251.815 km/h). That record will likely stand for eternity, since chicanes installed in 1990 now break up the long Hunaudières straight.
• The longest race distance was covered by Timo Bernhard/Romain Dumas/Mike Rockenfeller in 2010 in their overall victory for Audi, a total of 5,410.713 km (397 laps, average speed 225.45 km/h).
• The Porsche 919 Hybrid car numbers 20 and 14 stand for the year of the return.
• In qualifying (Wednesday and Thursday until midnight), every driver must run at least five laps in the dark. While WEC rules call for averaging the two fastest laps of two drivers (i.e. the mean of four lap times), the classic Le Mans method is to simply take the fastest lap driven with the car.
• The Le Mans night is one of the shortest of the year: the sun sets on Saturday at 9:55 pm, and it rises again on Sunday at 5:53 am.
• In normal racing mode (without any safety car periods), the Porsche 919 Hybrid must refuel every 13 to 14 laps.
• Refuelling and wheel changing may only be made sequentially, not at the same time. Only two mechanics may work simultaneously when wheel changing. That takes a lot longer than in Formula One, for example.
• Drivers are normally only changed when new tyres are needed.
• Two fuel tank fills with one set of Michelin tyres are the absolute minimum; three should be standard, and sometimes it might even be possible to do four – an open issue and a tremendous challenge for the drivers.
• During the race, no driver may drive for more than four hours within a six-hour period. No driver may drive for more than 14 of the 24 hours.
• Due to the length of the circuit, there are three safety cars at Le Mans.
• The equipment taken to the track – in addition to the two race cars – includes a spare chassis, six engines, five front gearboxes, five rear gearboxes, six front wings and six rear wings, 80 rims, over 100 radios and headsets.
• The amount of electrical energy that a driver can use for what is known as boosting is limited. The Porsche 919 Hybrid may consume exactly 1.67 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity on each 13.629 km long lap.
• In 2013, the Le Mans victor completed 348 laps. Over this distance, the 919 Hybrid would generate and utilise 581.2 kilowatt hours (kWh) from its energy recovery systems – an amount of electrical power that would light a 60-Watt incandescent light bulb for a full 9,687 hours. Or expressed differently: this amount of energy would power the new Volkswagen e-Golf, which is currently the most energy-efficient electric car in the compact class, over 4,576 kilometres – enough to drive one-way across the USA from New York to Los Angeles.
• All in all, there is even more honour and glory to be won at Le Mans: twice as many points are awarded than in the other seven races for the World Endurance Championship (WEC) that are each six hours long.
• In the WEC standings, the Porsche team with 36 points is currently behind Toyota (84) and ahead of Audi (28) after two of eight races.
• The Porsche 919 Hybrid was designed and built at the Development Centre of Porsche AG in Weissach. 230 team members work there.
• The core team of Porsche for LMP1 racing at the race circuit in Le Mans consists of 86 team members (engineers, mechanics, team management). Add to that personnel from communication and marketing, sponsoring and driver support.
• For Le Mans week, supplies include well over 1,000 team shirts and other clothing.
• The shopping list for food and refreshments for the team and the media hospitality area include: 50 boxes of salad, 50 kg of strawberries, 300 melons, 1.2 metric tonnes of meat, 500 kg of fish, 600 kg of noodles, 2,000 eggs and 1,100 loaves of bread.
• While most of the team members catch some sleep during the night of the race whenever they have time and space, the drivers have beds in containers located behind the pit. It is impossible to get a quiet rest, sleep from exhaustion is more likely.
• The organiser, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), expects over 250,000 spectators at the race.
Schedule of the Porsche LMP1 team:
The technical inspection of the 56 racing cars, which are subdivided into four classes, is done on the Sunday before the race, June 8, at the Place de la République. A public event in the middle of the city. The scrutineers examine the cars, and the 168 drivers must present their paperwork. The Porsche LMP1 team is scheduled for this inspection on Sunday between 3:15 pm and 4:15 pm. The last teams will complete this technical part of the administration by 6:00 pm on Monday.
Tuesday, June 10:
2:00-2:30 pm Porsche team photo (LMP1) at start/finish line
2:30-3:00 pm Meet the team (LMP1), team and media hospitality
5:00-6:30 pm Autograph session, pit lane
Wednesday, June 11:
2:30-3:00 pm Meet the team (LMP1), team and media hospitality
4:00-8:00 pm Free practice
10:00 pm-midnight Qualifying
Thursday, June 12:
3:30-4:00 pm Meet the team (LMP1), team and media hospitality
7:00-9:00 pm Qualifying
10:00 pm-midnight Qualifying
Friday, June 13:
10:00 am – 8:00 pm Pit walk
1:00-2:00 pm Porsche press conference in the large guest hospitality area
5:30-7:30 pm Driver parade in the downtown area
Saturday, June 14:
09:00-09:45 Warm-up
2:22 pm Beginning of race start ceremony
3:00 pm Start of race
• Live communication from the box on Twitter @PorscheRaces.
• You can experience the race from an in-vehicle perspective and track the vehicles by GPS and live timing at http://www.porsche.com/mission2014.
SOURCE:
Product and Technology Communication
Motorsport Press
Porsche – Our return: The right accessories for returning to Le Mans
Porsche Factory Team 1968
| Press Release | 02/06/2014 |
Porsche Factory Team 1969
Stuttgart. The time has come: On June 14th, 2014, Porsche will return to the starting line by entering the most prestigious Le Mans discipline after an absence of 16 years – the LMP1 Prototype class.
With 16 overall victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, no other car manufacturer has ever been so successful. In honour of Porsche returning to the world’s most famous endurance race, Porsche Driver’s Selection is introducing the historic Factory Team Collection and the Racing Collection.
Vic Elford and Kurt Ahrens jr 1970
The Factory Team Collection consists of three replica jackets as worn by the Porsche factory team between 1968 and 1970. The green factory driver jacket, the red factory mechanic jacket and the wine-red factory team jacket recreate the originals down to the last detail. At the time, the original jackets were only produced in very small quantities and were passed down from driver to driver, making them even more sought-after. In order to create the replicas, the original jackets were borrowed from former drivers and crew members and lovingly recreated over a development period of two years. This year’s Le Mans race will be the first time these one-of-a-kind replicas will go on sale.
Factory Driver Jacket
The three jackets contain a pass holder in the right-hand breast pocket. This pass holder is attached via an elasticated string and was used by the crew to gain access to the paddock or pits.
Porsche Factory Team 1968
The retro look is completed by a genuine replica of the stitched Porsche crest from the 1960s on the breast pocket of each jacket. The green factory driver jacket was worn by drivers such as Richard Attwood, Hans Herrmann, Jo Siffert or Brian Redman.
The lightly padded jacket is equipped with a zip fastening that the drivers could undo swiftly in order to get ready for the race. In addition to the Porsche crest on the breast pocket, the jacket features a genuine reproduction of the stitched Porsche lettering from the 1960s on the back.
Factory Driver Jacket
The red factory mechanic jacket is a replica of the jackets worn by the pit crew. Just like the driver jacket, this lightly padded quilted jacket is equipped with a zip fastening that allowed the mechanics to quickly get ready for the pit stop. The factory mechanic jacket also features both the Porsche crest and a genuine reproduction of the stitched Porsche lettering from the 1960s on the back.
The wine-red factory team jacket boasts two large pockets and a windbreak that lines the inside of the sleeves. The hood on the lightly padded quilted jacket is located on the inside of the collar and can be taken out when required.
Factory Mechanic Jacket
To further mark Porsche’s return to Le Mans, the Racing Collection has been designed using inspiration from the newly developed LMP1 Porsche 919 Hybrid racing car. The hand-crafted 1:8 scale model of the Porsche 919 Hybrid is fully exclusive and accurate down to every detail. Strictly limited to 100 units, this resin model features the signatures of this year’s Porsche factory drivers. The high-quality design is presented on a wooden base in an acrylic display case (69 x 36 x 26 cm) with a limited-edition plaque. At first, the model can be pre-ordered during the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and can subsequently be pre-ordered in Porsche Centres.
Model Car Porsche 919 Hybrid
Limited to 2014 units, another highlight of the collection is the Racing Chronograph, featuring a satin-finished housing made from hardened aluminium. A stainless steel clasp engraved with “Our Return” and an engraving of the limited edition number on the reverse make this watch an exclusive accessory both on and off the race track.
Racing Chronograph
For true collectors, there is also the high-quality 919 Hybrid model car, made from resin using a scale of 1:43 and based on the promotional Porsche 919 Hybrid shown in March 2014 in Geneva. Completing the Racing Collection are a unisex windbreaker, a polo shirt for women and men, a baseball cap and an umbrella.
Racing Chronograph
Both collections will be on sale during the 24 Hours of Le Mans race.
Completing the Racing Collection are a unisex windbreaker, a polo shirt for women and men, a baseball cap and an umbrella.
Unisex Windbreaker
Unisex Windbreaker
Polo Shirt Women
Polo Shirt Women
Polo Shirt Men
Polo Shirt Men
Baseball Cap
The Racing Collection is available worldwide in all Porsche Centres and online at http://www.porsche.com/shop; the Factory Team Collection will be available from September.
Not all products are universally available.
Source: Communication Porsche AG
Porsche 919 Hybrid arrives at the Sarthe, Sports Car WEC, Pre-race test Le Mans 24-Hours/France – LMP1
2014 Le Mans cars
Porsche 919 Hybrid, Porsche Team: Romain Dumas, Neel Jani, Marc Lieb, during the 2014 Le Mans 24 hours test day, on June 1st 2014, at Le Mans circuit, France. Photo Florent Gooden / DPPI
| Press Release | 01/06/2014 |
Stuttgart. At the official pre-race test for the 24-hour race, the Porsche 919 Hybrid did its first laps in Le Mans on Sunday.
Porsche 919 Hybrid, Porsche Team: Timo Bernhard, Brendon Hartley, Mark Webber,during the 2014 Le Mans 24 hours test day, on June 1st 2014, at Le Mans circuit, France. Photo Florent Gooden / DPPI
During the morning session the Porsche Team covered 90 laps with the two innovative prototypes on the 13.629 kilometre track. In the afternoon the distance achieved was 103 laps.
Porsche 919 Hybrid, Porsche Team: Timo Bernhard, Brendon Hartley, Mark Webber
Because about nine kilometres of the legendary circuit are on public roads, normally it is impossible to test at the “Circuit de la Sarthe”.
Porsche 919 Hybrid, Porsche Team: Romain Dumas, Neel Jani, Marc Lieb
Inside and around the paddock the infrastructure for the huge Porsche works entry on 14th/15th June is coming together – be it engineers’ offices, container buildings for the drivers to rest in or spare parts logistics and storage. The aerodynamic package of the Porsche 919 Hybrid had been modified for the high-speed track. The test programme went according to plan.
Porsche 919 Hybrid, Porsche Team: Timo Bernhard, Brendon Hartley, Mark Webber
Andreas Seidl, Team Principal LMP1:
“This has been a very productive day. We travelled to Le Mans with a long to-do list and managed to tick off every single topic without experiencing any unpleasant surprises. Both cars ran trouble-free and all the drivers were on duty. With the number 14 Porsche 919 Hybrid we focused on tyre evaluation in the morning, while the number 20 car was busy with mechanical and aerodynamic set-up work. In the afternoon the job lists for the cars were swapped. Race control did several simulations, which have been good drills for our team and drivers too. For example safety car periods and the so called ‘slow zones’ were practiced. We now have a lot of data to study.
Porsche 919 Hybrid, Porsche Team: Timo Bernhard, Brendon Hartley, Mark Webber
Today was a very good preparation for the drivers, engineers and mechanics – actually for everybody in the team. We would never have made it this far without our development department in Weissach – therefore thank you very much to all our colleagues at home.”
Porsche 919 Hybrid, Porsche Team: Timo Bernhard, Brendon Hartley, Mark Webber
Drivers Porsche 919 Hybrid #14
Porsche Team: Romain Dumas, during the 2014 Le Mans 24 hours test day, on June 1st 2014, at Le Mans circuit, France. Photo Florent Gooden / DPPI
Romain Dumas:
“In the morning I was only able to do a few clear laps before the safety car came out. But in the afternoon it was much better, and we learnt a lot. Our car still tends to understeer and we will keep working on this for the race week. But both cars ran trouble-free, and that was our number one target.“
Porsche Team: Neel Jani
Porsche Team: Neel Jani
Neel Jani:
“Overall it was a positive day, but we still have work to do. In the morning I found it quite difficult. The track was extremely dirty and we had to calibrate the hybrid system. But it was our car that was doing the most laps in the morning session. In the afternoon I was doing set-up work and I think we have found a good direction.“
Porsche Team: Marc Lieb, during the 2014 Le Mans 24 hours test day, on June 1st 2014, at Le Mans circuit, France. Photo Florent Gooden / DPPI
Marc Lieb:
“It was great fun to drive the Porsche 919 Hybrid on this track. In the morning we were testing tyres and I have been quite happy with the results. In the afternoon we switched to set-up work and did a good long run. The car became quicker and quicker, which obviously is promising. “
Drivers Porsche 919 Hybrid #20
Porsche Team: Timo Bernhard
Timo Bernhard:
“All went according to plan – even if others were on top of the time sheets. We did our fastest lap in the middle of a long run. We found a baseline set-up very quickly this morning. The car feels good, so I’m quite confident. This test is the only opportunity to drive here and we made the most of it. We will stay focussed and will turn the newly collected data into solutions. For example, we want to use the potential of the tyres better over the long runs.”
Porsche 919 Hybrid, Porsche Team: Timo Bernhard, Brendon Hartley, Mark Webber
Brendon Hartley:
“It was a great start for me here on this fantastic race track. We had no problems with either car and were able to try a lot of interesting things. We are improving in tyre management on long runs as well, and it was a good day for us.“
Porsche Team: Andreas Seidl, Mark Webber
Mark Webber:
“I was really looking forward to taking the car round here for the first time. I always enjoyed this track and the long lap. To come here with the Porsche 919 Hybrid is a big day for all of us and it ran smoothly. First thing in the morning I got my ten rookie laps out of the way, which are mandatory at the pre-race test when you haven’t raced here for a while. We then quickly were able to start working on the balance and set-up of the car. We are constantly improving and again we learnt a lot.”
Porsche 919 Hybrid, Porsche Team: Romain Dumas, Neel Jani, Marc Lieb, during the 2014 Le Mans 24 hours test day, on June 1st 2014, at Le Mans circuit, France. Photo Florent Gooden / DPPI
Porsche 919 Hybrid, Porsche Team: Romain Dumas, Neel Jani, Marc Lieb, – during the 2014 Le Mans 24 hours test day, on June 1st 2014, at Le Mans circuit, France. Photo Florent Gooden / DPPI
Source: Product and Technology Communication, Porsche AG
Porsche teams conduct successful Le Mans test, Sports Car WEC, test day Le Mans 24 Hours, France, GT
Porsche 911 RSR, Porsche Team Manthey: Marco Holzer, Frederic Makowiecki, Richard Lietz
| Press Release | 01/06/2014 |
Stuttgart. At the traditional test day on the Circuit des 24 Heures on Sunday, teams and drivers entered the last and decisive preparation phase leading up to the Le Mans 24 Hours. The legendary long distance classic will be run on 14/15 June as round three of the Sports Car World Championship (WEC). Porsche Team Manthey’s two Porsche 911 RSR, which scored a double class win at their first Le Mans outing last year in the GTE Pro class, concluded a testing programme without any technical problems in dry and partly sunny conditions.
Porsche 911 RSR, Porsche Team Manthey: Patrick Pilet, Joerg Bergmeister, Nick Tandy
The three Porsche customer outfits Dempsey Racing-Proton, IMSA Performance Matmut, and Prospeed Competition, also used the test day to set up their cars for the challenging 13.629 kilometre circuit. They are contesting the GTE Am class. The Le Mans 24 Hours runs for the 82nd time this year and is regarded as the highlight of the season.
Porsche 911 RSR, Porsche Team Manthey: Marco Holzer, Frederic Makowiecki, Richard Lietz
Porsche factory pilots Joerg Bergmeister (Germany), Patrick Pilet (France), and Nick Tandy (Great Britain) took the number 91 Porsche 911 RSR through its paces. Their works driver colleagues Marco Holzer (Germany), Frédéric Makowiecki (France), and Richard Lietz (Austria), who celebrated his third Le Mans victory last year, shared driving duties in the second 911 with starting number 92 run by the Porsche Team Manthey squad. The team entrust the two factory-911 to the same driver line-ups for the race.
Porsche 911 RSR, Porsche Team Manthey: Marco Holzer, Frederic Makowiecki, Richard Lietz
Hartmut Kristen, Head of Porsche Motorsport:
“Basically our drivers are happy with the handling of the 911 RSR. Now we’ll focus on preparing for the race. Unfortunately Joerg Bergmeister had to make a brief excursion into the gravel trap and slightly damaged the number 91 Porsche 911 RSR when he avoided another car. It didn’t make sense to do the repairs here. We’ll take a good look at it when we get home, after all, we want to drive this car in a fortnight at the 24 hour race. I don’t think all the manufacturers laid their cards on the table today, so as to avoid risking being penalised. It would have been better to find a regulation where you don’t have to be afraid of being punished for a good performance, like what happened after our double victory at the season-opener at Silverstone. The current situation doesn’t do a season highlight like the 24 Hours of Le Mans justice.”
Porsche 911 RSR, Porsche Team Manthey: Joerg Bergmeister
Joerg Bergmeister (#91):
“Basically a test day is to gain as much information as possible. Unfortunately I missed the braking point in the Ford curve and actually wanted to drive straight ahead through the gravel trap to avoid hitting the kerbs at the edge. But the car took off, flew far and landed hard. For this reason, the afternoon session fell flat.”
Porsche 911 RSR, Porsche Team Manthey: (l-r) Patrick Pilet, Richard Lietz, Frederic Makowiecki
Patrick Pilet (#91):
“It’s always wonderful to be back in Le Mans. It’s my all-time favourite track. And today I immediately felt great here. Our car has a great set-up and I’m certain that we’ll tackle the race well prepared.”
Porsche 911 RSR, Porsche Team Manthey: Patrick Pilet, Joerg Bergmeister, Nick Tandy
Nick Tandy (#91):
“This test in particular is always a good chance to see how the car handles on this rather unique track. Towards the end of the morning session we began to change certain things on the set-up. It’s important on such a day to make the best use of the little time you have. I’m sure we’ve done this today.”
Porsche Team Manthey: Marco Holzer
Marco Holzer (#92):
“I didn’t contest Le Mans last year so it felt great to turn some laps on this fantastic circuit again. This morning we had a lot of dirt on the track which gave very little grip, but over the course of the day the conditions improved. Today it was all about exploring how our tyres behave on this very special circuit and how the grip level changes. We managed to do what we had planned and we can now head to the race feeling quite confident.”
Porsche 911 RSR, Porsche Team Manthey: Richard Lietz, Frederic Makowiecki
Frédéric Makowiecki (#92):
“We tried out several things on the car, but the many safety car phases, which were intended as a practice for the race, made this somewhat difficult. Still, this test day was a good preparation for the race. We learned a lot and I hope that we can use what we’ve learned in two weeks.”
Porsche Team Manthey: Richard Lietz, Marco Holzer, Olaf Manthey
Richard Lietz (#92):
“The test day ran well and we made the best use out of it. First and foremost it was about seeing how the tyres and the car worked together on a circuit that at times runs on a normal country road. I feel we’ve made progress and I’m looking forward to the race.”
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is contested on 14/15 June as round three of the Sports Car World Endurance Championship WEC on the Circuit 24 Heures in Le Mans/France. Double points towards the championship are awarded for drivers, teams and manufacturers.
Dempsey racing Proton: Patrick Dempsey
Dempsey racing Proton: Patrick Dempsey
Dempsey racing Proton: Patrick Dempsey, Joe Foster
Source: Communication Porsche AG, Motorsport Press
24 hours of Le Mans, Interview with Wolfgang Hatz, “Porsche is part of Le Mans, and Le Mans is part of Porsche”
| Press Release | 30/05/2014 |
“Porsche is part of Le Mans, and Le Mans is part of Porsche”
Stuttgart. This coming Sunday on June 1, the entries for what will be the 82nd running of the legendary 24 hours of Le Mans will be testing at the famous track. It is the final test prior to arguably the toughest motor race in the world. Porsche vehicles have been on the starting grid continuously for 63 years, and the German sports car manufacturer is the record holder with 16 overall victories and 103 class victories. The most recent class victory was last year with two 911 RSRs one-two in the GTE Pro category. To date, the last overall victory was 16 years ago, as Porsche has not competed in the top class since 1998. Porsche returns there this year and faces the new FIA-efficiency regulations with the innovative 919 Hybrid, which limits the energy consumption per lap. In parallel to this, the GT team is trying to build on the success of the previous year. A gigantic factory involvement. There are also six private Porsche teams starting the event; the most well known driver and team owner is Patrick Dempsey, racing car driver and American actor. As Member of the Executive Board, Research and Development, at Porsche AG, Wolfgang Hatz is responsible for the Porsche factory involvement.
Wolfgang Hatz, Porsche Motorsport Night of Champions 2013
Mr Hatz, when and why did Porsche decide to return to the top class of the sports car World Endurance Championship (WEC) and Le Mans?
Wolfgang Hatz: “This was in 2011. We were and still are well positioned in the GT category, but it is time for the brand to re-enter at the elite level. The options for this are easily understandable. There is Formula 1, and there is the WEC with Le Mans. An essential criteria for the decision was the desire to establish the project at Porsche itself, so the expertise would be developed and remain in-house. The World Endurance Championship including Le Mans suits us best, it is a real team sport. This is especially true of the team of drivers. But we also needed to create the infrastructure for this first: new buildings, a team of 230 people, every other one of which is an engineer.”
Did the historical connection to Le Mans also play a role?
Wolfgang Hatz: “Porsche is part of Le Mans, and Le Mans is part of Porsche. They fit together. Nevertheless, no one makes these kind of investments due to nostalgia; they have to pay off in the future. As far as I can remember, there was never a regulation that gave the engineers so much freedom and required so much innovation. The obligation towards producing a hybrid and the efficiency formula represent revolutionary challenges. I am proud that our engineers ventured the furthest of any. Ultimately, Porsche customers will benefit from this.”
Porsche Team: Alexander Hitzinger, Wolfgang Hatz (Vorstand Forschung und Entwicklung Porsche AG), Fritz Enzinger, Leiter LMP1 (r)
Can you explain this in laymen’s terms?
Wolfgang Hatz: “Our combustion engine is the finest and most efficient engine ever developed by Porsche. This compact two litre, four cylinder, turbo engine with direct fuel injection and a performance of over 500 PS drives the rear axle. It is the smallest engine with the least number of cylinders in the top category of the race. Our engineers also combined a fundamentally new exhaust gas energy recovery system with this engine. No one else has that. We store the energy recovered from the otherwise unproductive flow of escaping exhaust gasses in a battery. We store energy, which we generate during braking on the front axle in the same battery. When the driver retrieves energy from this reservoir comprised of the latest type of battery cells, several hundred horsepower drive the front axle. During this phase, the driver has a powerful all-wheel drive at his disposal. Our car is the only one in the field which converts energy that would otherwise simply be wasted and makes it useable, not only when braking, but also when accelerating. This represents an immense potential for future road sports cars.”
Porsche Team: Romain Dumas, Wolfgang Hatz (Vorstand Forschung und Entwicklung Porsche AG)
Are the efficiency regulations not to the detriment of racing itself?
Wolfgang Hatz: “Not at all; the races at Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps have demonstrated this. The prototypes have plenty of power available; whether this is from the internal combustion engine or electrical does not matter. They must use all of the energy on each lap, otherwise it is a waste. Nothing can be saved here. These endurance races are sprints over incredible distances.”
The World Championships comprises eight races, but the focus is on Le Mans. When would the factory involvement be considered a success?
Wolfgang Hatz: “It would be terrific, if the GT team could build on the success of the previous year. However, that is literally more difficult because we had to add weight in accordance with the regulations. Porsche Team Manthey headed by Hartmut Kristen has extensive experience, which may make the decisive difference at Le Mans. The situation is completely different in the case of the Porsche team headed by Fritz Enzinger in the LMP1 class: We have no experience there at all. 2014 is a year of learning. Not admitting that would mean miscalculating Le Mans. At Spa-Francorchamps, the Porsche 919 Hybrid impressively demonstrated that the necessary speed is there with pole position and the fastest race lap. Our competitors know we are a force to be reckoned with. However, the 919 Hybrid has not yet covered the complete Le Mans distance in racing conditions. In this respect, it would be a success if one LMP1 finishes the event. Succeeding with both would be fabulous.”
Porsche Team: Timo Bernhard (l), Wolfgang Hatz (Vorstand Forschung und Entwicklung Porsche AG)
At Silverstone, we saw you emotionally applauding the podium place in the overall standings in the pouring rain. Isn’t that the high demand Porsche imposes on itself?
Wolfgang Hatz: “That was a great moment of joy. But I am not losing sight of reality over this. We were not top-notch at Silverstone. We also benefited from the competition’s problems. But we did complete the first six-hour race with this extremely complex car and a team that has never competed before at a circuit. All the processes, especially under chaotic weather conditions, worked very well for the debut. And everyone worked extremely hard for this. The drivers showed their enormous skills but also a lot of discipline. The podium was a great experience for all of us. And we had a one-two in the GT class. The picture we saw on Sunday in England was terrific.”
Where will you be watching the 24 hour race from?
Wolfgang Hatz: “I will be on duty and will not be a spectator. Of course, I spend most of the time in the pit. I attend every race and was at the tracks for almost all the tests. Mostly, by the way, by the side of Matthias Müller, Chairman of the Executive Board, and that will also be the case on June 14/15. Come, what may.”
Source: Porsche Product and Technology Communication, Motorsport Press
Porsche ‘Rolling Museum’ highlights 2014
Last year the anniversary “50 years of the 911” was celebrated at the Goodwood “Festival of Speed”.
| Press Release | 22/04/2014 |
An action-packed year awaits the racing legends of the Porsche Museum
Stuttgart. This year, the Porsche Museum will again be showcasing racing vehicles from the marque’s successful history at the most prestigious classic car events around the globe. Calendar highlights for the ‘Rolling Museum’ will include the Mille Miglia and the Goodwood ‘Festival of Speed’. The brand ambassador’s key dates for 2014 are already set:
From 15th to 18th May the Porsche Museum will be entering an impressive starting field for the 1,000 miles of the legendary Mille Miglia. Competing in the famous long-distance road race will be a 550 Spyder, two 356 Coupés and a 356 Speedster. The drivers of the unique vehicles will include Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, and racing legend Jacky Ickx. For both drivers and vehicles the Mille Miglia is still a challenge today, as the new route of 1,750 kilometres is covered in just four days and leads in the main through differing weather zones.
From 15th to 18th May the Porsche Museum will be entering an impressive starting field for the 1,000 miles of the legendary Mille Miglia.
From the 6th to 7th July, the Porsche Museum’s classic racing cars will participate in the traditional ‘Paul Pietsch Klassik’. Over a course of 450 kilometres two-time rally world champion Walter Röhrl and Le Mans winner and DTM champion Hans-Joachim Stuck will be driving a 911 Carrera 2.7 RS and a 911
Speedster across the south-west of Germany.
This summer Walter Röhrl will participate in the “Paul Pietsch Klassik” across the south-west of Germany with the Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS.
The Goodwood ‘Festival of Speed’ is inconceivable without a Porsche. An annual event since 1993 on the estate of Lord March in West Sussex, it takes place this year from 26th to 29th June. The ‘Festival of Speed’ is the largest event of its kind anywhere in the world. The spectators can look forward to seeing numerous famous classic Porsche cars. The focus this year is on the ‘Turbo’ theme. The cars to be seen will therefore include a Porsche 959 Group B, a 964 Turbo, a 993 Turbo and a Porsche 935, known as the ‘Baby’ due to its scaled down 1.4-litre engine. Also awaiting the visitors are two special Porsche 917s: the Porsche 917 KH, which brings back memories of the first overall Porsche victory at Le Mans, and the Porsche 917/30, which was developed for the CanAm race series.
Again this year the participants of the Mille Miglia will be guided through the narrow alleys of Italy.
Coinciding with Porsche’s return to the 24-hour endurance race with the Porsche 919 Hybrid, a number of famous Porsche vehicles will also be appearing at the Le Mans Classic from 4th to 6th July. This summer the Porsche Museum is sending four participants to France – a 911 Carrera RSR Targa Florio, the Porsche 935/77 Group 5 racing car, a 911 Turbo Cabriolet and a 911 Turbo 3.0.
From 10th to 12th July, the Porsche Museum will then be lining up several historic legends at the ‘Ennstal Classic’, where this year Porsche will be the main theme. With a hill prologue, tours through the Tauern Mountains and a city grand prix, the three-day event provides a festival of motoring for drivers and spectators. In addition to a number of Porsche 356 cars, one of which will be driven by Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, a 911 2.2 Targa will also compete. The visitors will have the chance to admire the skills of former racing drivers such as Walter Röhrl in a 718 WRS, Jacky Ickx in the legendary 550 A Spyder and current Porsche works driver Marc Lieb in a GT1’98 as they take part in the ‘Chopard Grand Prix von Gröbming’.
The Porsche Museum will also be taking its classic cars to the ‘6th Schloss Bensberg Classic’, which takes place around the Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg from 18th to 20th July, and from 14th to 17th August it will be present at the famous ‘Pebble Beach – Concours d’Elegance’ event in California. From the 21st to 24th August the Porsche Museum will then be lining up in the ‘Sachsen Classic’ in Saxony. In the course of this classic car rally, vehicles including a 356 Speedster, a 911 Targa and a 911 Turbo will cover a course of 610 kilometres from Zwickau to Chemnitz all around the Vogtland region.
With its concept of the ‘Rolling Museum’ Porsche is taking a very special approach. Practically all of the museum exhibits are roadworthy and thus fulfil the original purpose for which they were built: to be driven. And the specialists of the Porsche Museum workshop ensure that both before and during every tour of duty the rolling ambassadors of Porsche history are well prepared and in top fit form for every event. Unlike almost any other motoring museum the Porsche Museum thus stands for variety and vibrancy. Instead of a conventional, static exhibition, as a result of the exhibits being continuously rearranged it offers a constantly changing scene in Zuffenhausen.
More details are available online at http://www.porsche.com/museum.
Source:
Communication Porsche AG
Porsche Museum
WEC: 3,556 kilometres for the Porsche 919 Hybrid at the Prologue in Paul Ricard
Sports Car World Endurance Championship (WEC)
Stuttgart. The Porsche Team enjoyed two intensive days of testing with the newly developed 919 Hybrid, entered in the top class of Le Mans Prototypes, during the official Prologue of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) at Paul Ricard.
It was the first time the Porsche Team had shared a test with the whole WEC field and was able to get a first impression about the differences in speed between the various classes.
On the 5.791 kilometre long track the difference between the overall fastest lap of the LMP1 car (1:41.289 minutes, Porsche 919 Hybrid, Brendon Hartley) and the slowest GT car was around 20 seconds. The team had another first a few days earlier on the same track when it took part in a private test with two cars.
In total both driver line-ups – Romain Dumas/Neel Jani/Marc Lieb (car no. 14) and Timo Bernhard/Brendon Hartley/Mark Webber (car no. 20) – completed 614 laps (3,556 kilometres) on Friday and Saturday. They practiced countless driver changes and worked together with the Porsche Team’s engineers to further improve the car’s set-up.
Team principal Andreas Seidl:
“The Prologue was an excellently run test by the WEC organisation and we were able to complete our programme. After concentrating on long distance racing during our private test, when we covered two six hour race distances, we have now also tested our qualifying performance. We made good progress in all areas – be it team-work, performance or reliability. But we know very well that we cannot catch up overnight with the advantage our competition has in terms of experience, and we have quite a lot of homework to do before the season’s opening race on 20th April in Silverstone.“
Off the track another important point has been clarified. The Porsche 919 Hybrid has finally been homologated for the six megajoule class. This classification defines the amount of recuperated electrical power which can be boosted per lap. At the same time, the megajoule class defines the amount of fuel which can be used per lap.
Alexander Hitzinger, Technical Director LMP1:
“To decide on the best megajoule class requires a complex calculation. To put it simply, you can say we have designed our energy recovery systems as big and heavy as the overall car concept allowed. With the amount of energy we can recuperate this way, we fit well into the six megajoule class.“
Matthias Müller, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG, as well as Wolfgang Hatz, Member of the Executive Board Research and Development, gathered first hand information about the project’s progress at the track from Fritz Enzinger, Vice President LMP1.
Drivers’ quotes
Romain Dumas (no. 14):
“We made huge progress. In my opinion, the Prologue was even better than we ourselves expected it to be beforehand. But the expectations from the outside world are enormous. It is impressive how we have been welcomed here. But we keep focussing on the next target: to finish the 6 Hours of Silverstone.“
Neel Jani (no. 14):
“Our development speed was as strong as the mistral wind on the long straights here at Paul Ricard. Overall our results are fine. We were able to solve problems and to discover new ones, which will be looked at now. The partnership with Romain and Marc fits. In terms of set-up, we work in the same direction.“
Marc Lieb (no. 14):
“In every regard it was a good test for the whole team. And it was also very important to gain first hand experience of the speed differences between the cars. In Silverstone this will be much more intensive: Paul Ricard is quite a long race track and during testing not all of the cars are running at the same time.“
Timo Bernhard (no. 20):
“To me this was the most important test of all. Certainly if I compare the state of the car now to the roll out last June, but more importantly regarding the team spirit and how we work together. Not least of all what you can tell from the test results is very good news for the fans, as all three LMP1 cars are so close together.”
Brendon Hartley (no. 20):
“Operating as a Porsche works driver for the first time and in the top class of Le Mans Prototypes was an impressive experience. Having topped the time sheets is certainly not the most important thing in our test programme, but personally for me it is the icing on the cake.“
Mark Webber (no. 20):
“This test here was a big milestone. To enter two cars for the first time was a tremendous amount of hard work for the crew on the operational side. Smooth running was a well-deserved award and a good tonic for the guys after a long week. Every day we run we find more areas to improve, which is very encouraging. The track lay-out at Paul Ricard seems to suit our car very well. I’m curious to find out how we can perform in Silverstone.“
Notes:
One of the attachments is the press kit for Porsche’s return to top level motorsport, including technical details of the 919 Hybrid and driver portraits.
The attached video clip features current footage of the car on track and interviews from Paul Ricard and is royalty free for publishing.
Further news and comprehensive TV footage material will be available for download from Monday, 31st March, on the Porsche press database.
@PorscheRaces is the new Twitter channel of Porsche Motorsport. This brief messaging service informs you about upcoming Motorsport events by Porsche Motorsport, and during races it reports live from the pits about driver changes, weather conditions, tyre selections and background information.
Source: Porsche AG
Product and Technology Communication
Motorsport Press
New Special Exhibition: “24 Hours for Eternity. Le Mans.” First presentation of the 919 Hybrid in the Porsche Museum
| Press Release | 25/03/2014 |
From March 26 to July 13, 2014, the Porsche Museum presents a comprehensive special exhibition about Le Mans.
Stuttgart. The Porsche Museum in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen is getting attuned to the return of the sports car maker to Le Mans: with a comprehensive special exhibition from March 26 to July 13, 2014, Porsche is taking a look back not only to its multiple previous successes at the French endurance race.
The present-day Le Mans commitment is also being placed on centre stage: for the first time, the Porsche 919 Hybrid will be presented to the greater public at the Porsche Museum. The car celebrated its premiere only three weeks ago at the Geneva Motor Show.
Until May 4th, 2014, the 919 Hybrid mock-up will be on display at the Porsche Museum.
The exhibition at the Porsche Museum is transformed to a racing track in homage to the famous endurance race. The focus will be on the 919 Hybrid, the fastest research lab and most complex racing car Porsche has ever built. The onset of the Porsche Le Mans history in 1951 marks the beginning of the “24 Hours for Eternity” special exhibition.
For the first time on display: The Porsche 908/02 Spyder LH with the nickname „shark fines“ achieves the 3rd place in the overall classification.
Re-enactments of racing situations from the victorious racing years on life-sized prism walls and track sections such as the Hunaudières straight will guide the museum visitor through the special exhibition.
New: Re-enactments of racing situations from the victorious racing years of Porsche will be presented on life-sized prism walls.
More than 20 different racing cars tell the unique and exciting history of this legendary 24-hour race. Alongside the 919 Hybrid, you can see at the Porsche Museum for the first time the 1969 Porsche 908/2 Spyder long tail, the 1971 Porsche 911 T/R, the 1974 Porsche 911 3.0 RSR as well as the 1981 Porsche 936/81 Spyder and many more. The Porsche 936, which already captured the races in 1976 and 1977, is reactivated in 1981 for the 24-hour race. With 360 km/h, the 936 is the fastest vehicle in the field on the Mulsanne straight and brings its drivers Jacky Ickx and Derek Bell the sixth overall victory – with a lead of 14 laps.
Also Porsche`s last winner car of Le Mans from 1998 will be displayed: the Porsche 911 GT1 `98.
The cars on exhibit also include the 1979 Porsche 935, the Porsche 911 GT2 Le Mans, the 1994 Porsche 962 GT Dauer Le Mans as well as the WSC LMP1 of 1998. With the 962 GT Dauer Le Mans, Porsche competed in the 24-hour race under the direction of the Joest team in 1994. With this car, Mauro Baldi, Yannick Dalmas and Hurley Haywood took home the 13th overall win for Porsche. The model that Hans-Joachim Stuck, Danny Sullivan and Thierry Boutsen drove awaits the visitor here in the museum. This and other historical tales of the famous race will come alive in the special exhibition. Various historical and technological small exhibit pieces such as helmets, a brake disc from the Porsche 956 and the diary of Ferry Porsche from the collection of the Porsche corporate archive round off perfectly the historical journey through time of Porsche at Le Mans.
On the weekend of the race, June 14th to 15th, visitors can follow the race live as part of a public viewing in the Porsche Museum (free entrance then).
On the weekend of the race, the Porsche Museum will be open for the first time for more than 24 hours straight, from Saturday, June 14, starting at 9:00 a.m., until Sunday, June 15, 6:00 p.m. Visitors and fans of the endurance race can follow the race live as part of a public viewing programme on several monitors inside and around the museum building. Entrance is free of charge on this racing weekend.
All 16 Porsche winners of Le Mans will be available as model cars in a scale of 1:43 in the shop of the Porsche Museum.
The museum shop has a selection of specific items as part of the Le Mans special exhibition for sale to the public. Along with posters, postcards and polo shirts, all 16 overall winners of Le Mans will be available as model cars in a scale of 1:43. The Porsche Museum is open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday admission is eight euros for adults. Reduced price tickets cost four euros. You’ll find more information on the Internet at: http://www.porsche.com/museum.
Source: Communication Porsche AG
Porsche Museum
LIVE FEED: Porsche at the Geneva Motor Show – Worldwide motorsport programme: premiere for the 919 Hybrid and 911 RSR
TUNE IN TO: Porsche at the Geneva Motor Show
Worldwide motorsport programme: premiere for the 919 Hybrid and 911 RSR
Stuttgart. At this year’s Geneva Motor Show Porsche is putting the focus on its return to the world of motorsports. The highlight is the world premiere of the new Porsche 919 Hybrid for the top category of the sports car World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2014, with the 24 Hours of Le Mans as the undisputed highlight of the season. The new efficiency-based regulations of the WEC stipulate innovative hybrid drives. The 919 Hybrid can therefore be regarded as a research laboratory for the technology of future production vehicles. The innovative prototype will be flanked on the stage in Geneva by the Porsche 911 RSR, as it will in all eight WEC races. What’s more, Porsche is presenting the Macan S Diesel1) to the public for the first time, whilst the 911 Targa2) is celebrating its European debut.
The press conference with all premieres will take place on 4 March 2014 at 8:20 CET at the Porsche stand, GENEVA PALEXPO, hall 1.
The conference will be broadcast live on the Internet (http://www.porsche.com/mission2014) and via satellite.
Europe / Middle East – live HD Feed
Date: March 04, 2014
Time: 08:20-08:35am CET / 07:20-07:35am GMT
Satellite: EUT 10 A
Transponder (digital): F5, Channel 13-24
Downlink Frequency: 12.699,330 MHz
Polarisation: X
Video Std: 1080i/50 Hz PAL
Audio Channels: Channel 1: IT ; Channel 2: English
Modulation: DVB-S2 / 8PSK
Symbol rate: 14.400 Msym/s
FEC: 3/4
MPEG: 4:2:2 / MPEG2
Encryption: No encryption
Europe / Middle East – live SD Feed
Date: March 04, 2014
Time: 08:20-08:35am CET / 07:20-07:35am GMT
Satellite: EUT 10 A
Transponder (digital): F6, Channel E
Downlink Frequency: 12.712,830 MHz
Polarisation: Y
Video Std: 625 PAL / 16:9
Audio Channels: Channel 1: IT ; Channel 2: English
Modulation: DVB-S / QPSK
Symbol rate: 6.6665 Msym/s
FEC: 7/8
MPEG: 4:2:2 / MPEG2
Encryption: No encryption
USA / Canada / South America – live HD Feed
Date: March 04, 2014
Time: 02:20-02:35am EST / 07:20-07:35am GMT
Satellite: IS 805 on 304,5° east
Transponder (digital): 14/14, Channel GH
Downlink Frequency: 4.022,000 MHz
Polarisation: Y
Video Std: 1080i/59,9Hz in NTSC
Audio Channels: Channel 1: IT ; Channel 2: English
Modulation: DVB-S2 / 8PSK
Symbol rate: 14.400 Msym/s
FEC: 3/4
MPEG: 4:2:2 / MPEG2
Encryption: No encryption
USA / Canada / South America – live SD Feed
Date: March 04, 2014
Time: 02:20-02:35am EST / 07:20-07:35am GMT
Satellite: IS 805 on 304,5° east
Transponder (digital): 24/24, Channel E
Downlink Frequency: 3.999,500 MHz
Polarisation: X
Video Std: NTSC 16:9
Audio Channels: Channel 1: IT ; Channel 2: English
Modulation: DVB-S / QPSK
Symbol rate: 6.6665 Msym/s
FEC: 7/8
MPEG: 4:2:2 / MPEG2
Encryption: No encryption
South-Africa – live SD Feed
Date: March 04, 2014
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Product and Technology Communication
Porsche Motorsport Press – Holger Eckhardt
Porsche extends Matthias Müller’s contract by five years, Supervisory Board expresses confidence in Chairman
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Supervisory Board expresses confidence in ChairmanPorsche extends Matthias Müller’s contract by five years
 Supervisory Board of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, reappointed the Chairman of the Executive Board, Matthias Müller, for further five years Stuttgart. In its meeting today, Friday 28 February 2014, the Supervisory Board of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, reappointed the Chairman of the Executive Board, Matthias Müller, for further five years. Matthias Müller has been Chairman of the sports car manufacturer since 1 October 2010. His new term of office will commence on 1 January 2015.
 Dr. Wolfgang Porsche and Matthias Müller open the Porsche Museum 50 Years of 911 anniversary The Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board and Chairman of the general and group works council of Porsche AG, Uwe Hück, emphasised the considerable increase in the number of employees, saying,
 The Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board and Chairman of the general and group works council of Porsche AG, Uwe Hück At its meeting today, the Supervisory Board of Porsche Automobil Holding SE, Stuttgart, also extended Matthias Müller’s appointment as Chairman of Strategy and Corporate Development for further five years, starting on 1 January 2015. Matthias Müller takes on this function as well as that of the Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG. Communication Porsche AG |
Maria Sharapova presents her Porsche Panamera GTS – Individual style to the last detail
Stuttgart/Moscow. During a visit to her hometown of Sochi, Russia, Porsche Brand Ambassador Maria Sharapova presents her interpretation of an exceptional sportscar in the luxury segment – the Porsche Panamera GTS “by Maria Sharapova”.
This unique Panamera is an outstanding example of transforming a serial model with exclusive individual options into a truly unique and special masterpiece.
The Panamera GTS “by Maria Sharapova” demonstrates the most personal touch in terms of design, custom tailoring and exclusiveness – attributes typical of the international tennis athlete.
Maria Sharapova at the presentation of the “Porsche Panamera by Maria Sharapova
“Creating and specifying a very personal Porsche Panamera was such an exciting undertaking. It opens the door to a whole new design sensibility and allowed me to bring my own personal aesthetic.
I count myself not only as an athlete, but also as a designer – I’ve designed full collections of luxury accessories, apparel, and even candy for years,” said Sharapova.
“I never thought I would have the opportunity to add a car – especially a Porsche – to that repertoire. It’s an ingenious melding of the design world with automotive personalization.”
The presented model is distinguished by a number of options from the Porsche Exclusive program, which enlarge the wide range of Porsche Panamera modifications by exclusive features and which fulfil customer wishes beyond the usual mindset. And naturally this is always fully in line with all the quality and safety requirements of Porsche AG.
The exterior colour of the Panamera GTS is white; sporty, high-gloss touches on the exterior are provided by the black LED main headlights including the Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus (PDLS+), the tinted LED rear lights, the black tailpipe covers of the sports exhaust system and the 20-inch Panamera sports wheels in black.
Among the Exclusive options, the Porsche Panamera “by Maria Sharapova” is equipped with an extended leather trim in the interior with decorative stitching in crème. The instrument dials are painted in the body colour white as well as the vehicle key. The front and rear headrests are embossed with the Porsche crest and the armrests are customised with the “Panamera GTS” model logo. The carbon door sill guards feature individual “Maria Sharapova” lettering.
The Porsche Panamera GTS is equipped with a 4.8-litre V8 naturally aspirated engine with 440 hp (324 kW) at 6,700 rpm. It accelerates from 0 – 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds and outbursts the top speed of 288 km/h.
Panamera GTS: Urban fuel consumption 15.7 litres/100 km; extra-urban fuel consumption 7.8 litres/100 km; combined fuel consumption 10.7 litres/100 km; CO2 emissions 249 g/km; efficiency class: F
SOURCE: Porsche
Corporate Communications
The world’s very first Porsche design – the return of the “P1” …World premiere on the fifth anniversary of the Porsche Museum
World premiere on the fifth anniversary of the Porsche Museum: the return of the “P1”
Stuttgart. Since the construction of the first sportscar to bear the Porsche name – the Type 356 from 1948 – Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG has been regarded as the world’s leading sportscar manufacturer. Yet the company’s history dates back to a much earlier period: In 1898, Ferdinand Porsche presented the “Egger-Lohner electric vehicle, C.2 Phaeton model” (known as the “P1” for short) – the world’s first Porsche design.
Porsche engraved the code “P1” (standing for Porsche, number 1) onto all of the key components.
After 116 years, the original and unrestored vehicle has been recovered and is set to enrich the Porsche Museum’s collection as a technical and historical worldwide sensation.
Five years since it opened in January 2009, the addition of this design sees the Porsche Museum reorient its permanent exhibition. Alongside a restructuring of the layout for the area dedicated to product and motorsport history, the “P1” now forms a centrepiece used to introduce visitors to the first part of the exhibition – the “prologue”.
The highly compact electric drive, weighing just 130 kg, offered an output of 3 hp.
The innovative vehicle concept of the “P1” will bridge the gap between the past and present-day developments such as the Porsche 918 Spyder. As a technological benchmark, the 918 Spyder follows a long tradition that first started 116 years ago with the “P1”.
The draft of “Egger-Lohner electric vehicle C.2 Phaeton”.
The “P1” – designed and built by Ferdinand Porsche – was one of the first vehicles registered in Austria, and took to the streets of Vienna on June 26, 1898.
In 1898, Ferdinand Porsche presented the “P1”.
Porsche engraved the code “P1” (standing for Porsche, number 1) onto all of the key components, thus giving the electric vehicle its unofficial name. The sheer volume of ideas realised within this vehicle remains remarkable even today. The highly compact electric drive, weighing just 130 kg, offered an output of 3 hp. For short periods, up to 5 hp could be achieved in overloading mode, allowing the P1 to reach up to 35 km/h. When driven in this manner, the vehicle speed was regulated via a 12-speed controller. The overall range of the vehicle could span up to 80 kilometres, a considerable feat for a vehicle of that period. A further innovation was the Lohner alternating vehicle body, which allowed the vehicle to be used in both summer and winter.
The overall range of the vehicle could span up to 80 kilometres.
The first practical test awaited the “P1” in September 1899 at the international motor vehicle exhibition in the German capital of Berlin. Even as early as 1899, the competition to produce the best drive systems was already fierce. A race for electric vehicles over a distance of 40 km was announced in Berlin for September 28 to test the performance of the vehicles, with a prize to be awarded to the winner. The route demanded a great amount of skill from the participants, who had to tackle challenges such as gradients. With three passengers on board, Ferdinand Porsche steered his “P1” across the finish line 18 minutes ahead of the next competitor. More than half the participants failed to reach the finish line due to technical difficulties. Ferdinand Porsche also came out on top in the efficiency test, as his “P1” recorded the lowest energy consumption in urban traffic.
On Friday, January 31, 2014, Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, and Matthias Müller, President and CEO of Porsche AG, will unveil the “P1” before an audience of invited guests. The following weekend, on February 1 and 2, the “P1” can be viewed free of charge as part of the celebrations to mark the fifth anniversary of the Porsche Museum.
On February 1st, 2014 for the very first time on display at the Porsche Museum: The first design of Ferdinand Porsche from 1898.
The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 to 18:00. For more information, please visit http://www.porsche.com/museum.
SOURCE
Communication Porsche AG
Porsche Museum
Porsche Factory Drivers Named for 2014 Porsche North America 911 RSR Entries
Patrick Long
Patrick Long, Richard Lietz, Nick Tandy , Michael Christensen Named as Season-Long TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Drivers; Patrick Pilet, Joerg Bergmeister to Join CORE autosport-prepared 911 Racers for 2014 Rolex 24
Stuttgart/Atlanta. Porsche AG and Porsche Cars North America (PCNA) have announced the factory drivers who will compete for the 2014 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship in the PORSCHE NORTH AMERICA CORE autosport-prepared Porsche 911 RSR GT-Le Mans class entries.
Nick Tandy
Car no. 911 will be driven by Nick Tandy (Great Britain) and Richard Lietz (Austria), while car no. 912 will compete with Patrick Long (USA) and Michael Christensen (Denmark) at the helm, with two additional Porsche factory drivers – Patrick Pilet (France) and Joerg Bergmeister (Germany) – joining the teams for the upcoming Rolex 24 at Daytona.
Joerg Bergmeister
The no. 911Tandy/Lietz/Pilet Porsche and the no. 912 Long/Christensen/Bergmeister entry will make their on-track debut at the ROAR Before the Rolex 24, January 3 – 5, 2014. The effort will utilize the new Porsche 911 RSR, the same as the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans LM GTE-Pro class-winning entries.
The headquarters for the program will be at Porsche Motorsport North America (PMNA) in Santa Ana, Calif. CORE autosport, Rock Hill, South Carolina, will act as the competition partner for the program.
Richard Lietz
There is a wealth of endurance racing championship experience with this driver lineup, with Lietz scoring class wins at both the Rolex 24 (2012) and the 24 Hours of Le Mans (2010, 2013); and Patrick Long winning his class at the Rolex 24 (2009), 12 Hours of Sebring (2005), 24 Hours of Le Mans (2004, 2007), and Petit Le Mans (2005, 2006, 2007).
Michael Christensen, Porsche Junior
Christensen, in his first year as a Porsche Junior in 2013, finished sixth in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup series season standings with one event win in addition to the Rookie of the Year title. Tandy finished the 2013 American Le Mans Series with a flare by co-driving the Team Falken Tire Porsche to the GT class victory at Petit Le Mans. As for the Rolex 24 third driver additions, Bergmeister and Pilet are endurance veterans as well. Bergmeister has won the Rolex 24 (2002, 2003, 2009), 12 Hours of Sebring (2004, 2005, 2008), 24 Hours of Le Mans (2004), and Petit Le Mans 2003 – 2007). Pilet, a former Porsche Carrera Cup France champion, has a win at the 24 Hours of Dubai to his credit.
The 2014 Rolex 24 at Daytona will take place January 25 – 26, 2014.
The 2014 Porsche 911 RSR
The new 911 RSR is based on the seventh generation of the iconic 911 sports car and follows in the footsteps of its successful predecessor, the 911 GT3 RSR. The new 911 RSR featured a win in its very first 24 Hours of Le Mans appearance in 2013. As with the production vehicle, the wheelbase grew by about four inches. A new development from Porsche Motorsport is the lightweight racing gearbox with the six forward gears selectable via paddles on the steering wheel. The 470 hp, 4.0-litre six-cylinder boxer engine was taken from the predecessor and optimized for 2014.
One of the development priorities of the new 911 RSR was finding a better weight distribution balance. The center of gravity is also significantly lower than that of its predecessor. Carbon fiber played a crucial role in the new design. The front and rear aero components, front and rear lids, doors, underbody, wheel arches, rear wing, dashboard and center console are constructed from the very light and strong material. Moreover, all windows are made of particularly thin and light polycarbonate. Also contributing to the weight reduction is the lithium-ion battery now available on many GT road-legal models.
The look of the new 911 RSR is dominated by the flared aero components and the deep cooling air intakes at the front. With a new air ducting, the radiator is now centrally-located in the front and even more effective than in the previous model. At the same time, the cockpit air-conditioning became more efficient. The quick-change concept of the body parts was specially adapted for endurance racing, allowing for easier maintenance and shorter repair times. The front end, front lid and rear panel are fitted with quick release systems and can be replaced within seconds.
Low positioned static cornering lights provide improved vision and enhanced safety during the night. The reflective labeling and anti-glare lighting of the control elements in the cockpit help ensure optimal legibility in the dark. The arrangement of the switches on the new steering wheel and the pilot-oriented center console were designed in co-operation with the ten Porsche works drivers. All works drivers took part in the design of the 911 RSR contributing their vast experience in GT racing.
In order to keep the engineers in the pits up-to-date with all relevant vehicle data, the live telemetry transmits more than 200 different measurements straight to the pit wall stand via an antenna on the roof. Additionally, all data is stored on a memory card onboard the vehicle.
Source: coremedia / Porsche
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VIDEO: Porsche LMP1 Regulations and Technology
2014 will see the introduction of completely new rules for the FIA World Endurance Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
These rules will restore prototype sport to the status which has always been a hallmark of the highest class in long-distance motor racing: putting tomorrow’s technologies through their paces today in the toughest of motorsports tests.
The LMP1 Regulations and Technology
Find out about the technical challenges in the new WEC regulations for the Porsche 919 Hybrid, our contestant for the 2014 24h of Le Mans in this video.
Works engagement with 919 hybrid and 911 RSR, Most comprehensive racing programme of all time
| Press Release | 14/12/2013 |
Works engagement with 919 hybrid and 911 RSR
Porsche 919 R Hybrid
Stuttgart. Porsche heads into the 2014 season with the most extensive motorsport programme ever. In addition to its new LMP1 project, Porsche Motorsport sends two GT works teams to compete on race tracks around the world. Porsche AG Team Manthey again fields two Porsche 911 RSR in the Sports Car World Endurance Championship (WEC), as well as at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
Porsche 911 RSR, Porsche AG Team Manthey: Joerg Bergmeister, Patrick Pilet
Porsche North America contests the new Tudor United Sportscar Championship with CORE autosport as the race team, with the new season kicking off at the Daytona 24 hour race on 25 January.
Matthias Müller, Porsche Motorsport Night of Champions 2013
Porsche Motorsport’s driver squad has also grown to record size.
For the upcoming season, Porsche has signed on 20 drivers including four Porsche juniors and a scholarship candidate chosen from the international one-make race series. All current Porsche factory pilots have received a contract for the 2014 season. “We’ve never had such a large driver line-up in the history of the company,” says Wolfgang Hatz, Board Member for Research and Development at Porsche AG.
Porsche 919 hybrid named, LMP1 driver squad complete
Porsche AG announces its driver line-up and the vehicle name for its return to the top category of the Sports Car World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2014, with the season highlight in Le Mans: On the occasion of the Porsche Night of Champions this Saturday in Weissach, the young New Zealander Brendon Hartley (24) and long-standing Porsche works driver Marc Lieb (33) from Germany have been confirmed as regular drivers in the LMP1 race car, officially called the “Porsche 919 hybrid”. Already signed on for the LMP1 project are the drivers Timo Bernhard (DE, 32), Romain Dumas (FR, 36), Neel Jani (CH, 30) and the Australian Mark Webber (37).
Driver squad Porsche LMP1, Mark Webber, Romain Dumas, Neel Jani, Timo Bernhard, Marc Lieb, Brendon Hartley (l-r)
Wolfgang Hatz, Board Member for Research and Development at Porsche AG, stated:
“We are very proud of our strong international driver line-up. Three of the six drivers come from our own Porsche driver squad, two were even Porsche juniors. This is something we are particularly proud of.” Hatz continued: “The vehicle name 919 hybrid follows on from the tradition of the Le Mans-winning 917, but it is also with a view to the 918 Spyder, and acknowledges the company’s embarkation into the hybrid future. With hybrid sports cars like the Cayenne as a SUV, the Grand Touring Panamera, and the 918 Spyder three-litre super sportscar, we are on the right track. But to continue leading the way in the future and to merge sportiness with sustainability, we need to keep learning. Maximum efficiency in energy consumption is the directive of the new WEC regulations for the works-entered class 1 prototypes – and that is also the direction for the automobile future.”
Wolfgang Hatz, Porsche Motorsport Night of Champions 2013
Fritz Enzinger, Head of LMP1, explained:
“We had a substantial number of applicants from all classes for the two 919 hybrids. We were looking for experience, sheer speed, technical understanding, and we wanted team players because this is more important in endurance racing than in any discipline.”
Strong driver squad wrapped up with Hartley and Lieb
Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas were the first drivers to be selected. The two bring the experience of seven overall victories each from 24 hour races – Nürburgring, Daytona, Spa and overall victory together in Le Mans with Audi. In July 2013, the ex-Formula 1 test driver Neel Jani joined the team, with Mark Webber onboard since the end of the 2013 Formula 1 season. Brendon Hartley and Marc Lieb now complete the squad.
Hartley left his homeland early to advance his racing career in Europe. Following on from successes in the Formula Renault and Formula 3 came the long-awaited Formula 1 contract – as a test driver but with precious little chance to race. Hence, parallel to his F1 commitments, Hartley turned to sports car racing. He said: “I’m incredibly proud that Porsche has chosen me. I was deeply impressed at my first outing in Le Mans. But to compete there in the LMP1 for an iconic company like Porsche is another dimension completely.”
Marc Lieb was 20 years old when his career as a race driver at Porsche took off: In the year 2000, he won the Porsche Junior driver selection. In addition to a raft of class victories, he also scored five overall wins at 24 hour races, four times on the Nürburgring, once at Spa. “I have been fortunate enough to celebrate victories with Porsche all over the world,” said Lieb, “even in the GT class at Le Mans. People there always asked when we would return to the LMP1 class. Since the project was given the go-ahead, I only wanted one thing: to be involved. Le Mans and Porsche, I can’t even begin to describe how excited this makes me feel.”
Mark Webber disclosed:
“For me a lot of it is familiar, a lot is foreign, everything is special. I’m absorbing every bit of information I can and I’m already looking forward to the next tests.” The nine-time Grand Prix winner took the wheel of the 919 hybrid for the first time several days ago in Portimão, Portugal.
Timo Bernhard has a few more kilometres to his credit. He said:
“I’ve been with Porsche for 15 years and I feel an immense responsibility that comes with the return to LMP1. In the development, all your skills as a driver are required. The first premise is not to drive fast, it’s more to feel what the car is doing and to share even the smallest details with the engineers.”
Romain Dumas, who celebrates his 36th birthday today on the Night of Champions, underlined:
“We are a good team for the development of the 919 hybrid. We have a lot of work ahead of us. The 2013 class victory with Marc Lieb and Richard Lietz in the factory-run Porsche 911 RSR was really great, but now we’re heading into new territory, and with all the complex technical innovations, our new squad faces an enormous challenge.”
Neel Jani summarises:
“It has always been my goal to one day fight for overall victory in the WEC and Le Mans. To do this you have to be part of a good works squad, and this is where I am right now. To compete for Porsche is a great honour and it comes with a lot of responsibility. We want to write a new chapter in the great history of Porsche motorsport, even if it takes time. The technology is completely new and we need to grow together as a team.”
Frédéric Makowiecki signed as Porsche works driver
Frenchman Frédéric Makowiecki (33) will join the ranks of Porsche Motorsport’s GT squad this coming season and pilot a 911 RSR. Makowiecki, who prefers to be called Fred Mako, is a regular competitor behind the wheel of Porsche race cars. He has collected more than nine years of experience in the cockpit of the 911. One of his greatest achievements was clinching the title of the Porsche Carrera Cup France in 2010.
Frédéric Makowiecki (FR)
“Frédéric Makowiecki is one of the fastest and most experienced GT pilots,” says Porsche Head of Motorsport Hartmut Kristen. “He has a great deal of experience on virtually all international race tracks and he knows precisely how to drive a Porsche 911 fast. I’m very much looking forward to working with him.”
Porsche acquires majority holding in Manthey Racing GmbH
Porsche has acquired a 51 percent stake in Manthey Racing GmbH and as such continues to expand its long and successful collaboration with the race outfit from Meuspath at the Nürburgring. “I’m sure this will help us to prepare even better for the challenges we are facing together in the WEC and I look forward to working with Olaf Manthey, Nicolas Raeder and Martin Raeder,” says Wolfgang Hatz.
Porsche 911 RSR, Porsche AG Team Manthey
Martin Ragginger wins Porsche Cup
After a successful season in international GT racing, Austrian Martin Ragginger (25) can celebrate winning the Porsche Cup as the best Porsche private driver in the world. On the occasion of the Night of Champions on 14 December in the R&D Centre at Weissach, Ragginger accepted the Porsche Cup from Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Porsche AG.
After earning 5,940 points this past season, Ragginger also takes home a new Porsche 911 Carrera S with a total value of more than 120,000 Euros. Second-placed Klark Quinn (AUS) is the recipient of 30,000 Euros, with Robert Renauer given 25,000 Euros for third place. The Porsche Cup comes with a total purse of 253,000 Euros. As the brainchild of Ferry Porsche, this trophy has been awarded every year since 1970 to the best private Porsche race driver. Pilots earn points towards the Porsche Cup in 18 international race series as well as at selected long distance races.
Professional racer Martin Ragginger, who contested his first kart race at the age of nine, competed in six race series during 2013. He celebrated his greatest success of the season at the 24 Hours of Dubai, winning the A6-AM class for GT3 vehicles. Ragginger also tackled the ADAC GT Masters at the wheel of a 911 GT3 R and concluded the season in fourth overall. The Austrian earned more points towards the Porsche Cup in the VLN on the Nürburgring, at the Campionato Italiano GT, in the Grand-AM and in the Blancpain Endurance Series.
Trailing Ragginger by just 110 points, Klark Quinn (31) came a close second in the fight for the Porsche Cup. Quinn secured the 2013 Australian GT Championship title, winning three out of twelve rounds of the Australian series, and climbing the podium eleven times. At the twelve-hour race at Bathurst, Australia, he achieved third place at the wheel of a Porsche 991 GT3 R fielded by his team “VIP Petfoods Racing”.
After an exciting season, Robert Renauer clinches the third spot on the Porsche Cup podium. The 28-year-old from Jedenhofen in Bavaria earned Cup points at 17 races. In the ADAC GT Masters, the qualified car salesman secured second place in the overall classification with his team Tonino powered by Herberth Motorsport. Renauer went on to score more points at rounds of the Campionato Italiano GT, as well as in the Blancpain Endurance Series and the GrandAM Rolex Sportscar Series.
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Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Deutschland 2013
Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup continues with Formula 1
The Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup continues to run as part of the Formula 1 weekends. The successful partnership, which began back in 1993, has now been extended for another three years, up to and including the 2016 season. For more than two decades, the flagship of Porsche’s one-make race series has been regarded as one of the major launching platforms for an international GT career.
“The Supercup is the crown of Porsche’s brand trophy series. It has everything that makes international motor racing great. Many of our works drivers are the best sports car pilots in the world and they came from the Supercup,” says Porsche Motorsport boss Hartmut Kristen. “We’re delighted to be able to continue offering our partners and fans exciting racing in such an attractive environment like the top league of motorsport.”
The Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup heads into its 22nd season on 11 May 2014 in Barcelona. Nine events with a total of ten races make up the calendar. A highlight of the season will be on 12 October at the Supercup debut on the new Formula 1 circuit in the Russian Olympic city of Sochi.
The 2014 Supercup calendar:
11.05. Barcelona/Spain
25.05. Monte Carlo/Monaco
22.06. Spielberg/Austria
06.07. Silverstone/Great Britain
20.07. Hockenheim/Germany
27.07. Budapest/Hungary
24.08. Spa-Francorchamps/Belgium
07.09. Monza/Italy
12.10. Sochi/Russia (2 races)
SOURCE: Porsche AG
Communication Porsche AG
Motorsport Press
Patrick Dempsey contests races again with Porsche in 2014-15, Successful partnership to be continued
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Successful partnership to be continued |
Porsche Carrera Cup Germany, 16 race, Hockenheim, Title fight goes down to the wire at last race of the season
| Press Release | 19/10/2013 |
Porsche Carrera Cup Germany, 16 race, Hockenheim
Stuttgart. The Porsche Carrera Cup Germany remains gripping until the end – only the title will be decided on Sunday.
On the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg, Christian Engelhart (D / Konrad Motorsport) won at the wheel of his 450 hp Porsche 911 GT3 Cup ahead of points’ leader Kévin Estre (F / Attempto Racing), and Nicki Thiim (DK / Attempto Racing) .
This puts Estre at the top of the overall standings with 229 points.
Engelhart sits second holding 221 points. With 20 points up for grabs at the 17th and final race of the season on Sunday,
Thiim in third overall (203 points) has to relinquish his hopes of taking home the title.
“It’s going to be incredibly exciting for the load-round, because I’m on pole position and Christian is right next to me in second,” Explained Estre.
“My third victory has given me enough self confidence to be champion,” stated Engelhart.
Porsche Everyday Dedeporsches Blog 