Porsche’s Le Mans Journey
Porsche Victorious without Repairs in Le Mans 2016
This year’s Le Mans race was a nail biter, with the Porsche team battling to stay ahead of their contenders for lead position. Toyota looked set to win, until technical difficulties forced the vehicle off the track and into the pit for repairs. In this post, we’ll get into some of the history and details of this incredible race.
History of the Le Mans
2016 saw the 84th 24 Hour Le Mans take place. As the oldest endurance race in the world, Le Mans has taken place every year since 1923 near the French town of Le Mans. Not only does the race test the skills and endurance of its drivers, but also the efficiency of its vehicles. Hot, summery weather and scattered showers often prove a challenge for the drivers, who must stay alert and in communication with their pit crews.
Roughly 50 cars compete on the track at the same time, although there are separate classes and prizes. Each qualifying team has three drivers per car, who swop out every few hours. Each driver is not allowed to drive for more than four consecutive hours in a six-hour period, or for more than fourteen hours total. These safety rules were implemented in the 80s and 90s to prevent a single driver from trying to complete the 24-hour race by themselves.
The efficiency of each vehicle becomes vital in keeping drivers on the road for long periods of time with as few pit stops and repairs as possible. In this regard, the superior German engineering of Porsche has proved itself time and time again: Porsche had won 17 constructor titles at Le Mans, with their 2016 win making the 18th win for the company.
2016 Le Mans
Heavy rainfall forced Le Mans organizers to start the race with a safety car on the track, which was removed once the track and field were dry enough. The Porsche team started in pole position for the second consecutive year, with drivers Neel Jani, Marc Lieb, and Romain Dumas driving the Porsche 919 Hybrid.
In the early hours of the race, Porsche, Toyota, and Audi vied for first place, with the #6 Toyota holding a steady lead, followed by the #5 Toyota and #2 Porsche. Toyota fans were of course ecstatic – they seemed set to become the second Japanese car-maker to win the Le Mans ever, the first win for a Japanese team since Mazda won 25 years ago. The #6 Toyota experienced some issues, allowing the #5 to take the lead and battle it out with Porsche.
However, in the last few minutes of the race, the #5 Toyota had to take a pit stop due to technical difficulties (later identified by the Toyota team as a defective air line connector, which resulted in a loss of power and control over the turbocharger). Porsche secured the lead, overcoming a one-minute gap and overtaking the Toyota in the last lap.
At the end, Porsche took the victory, with a total of 384 laps, with Toyota and Audi taking second and third place respectively. The Ford GT also had an incredible win in the GTE Pro Class, taking first place despite radio issues that prevented driver Sebastien Bordais from communicating with his pit crew.
All-in-all, the 2016 Le Mans was another incredible and memorable race, and a testimony to the prowess of its drivers. We can’t wait to see if Porsche takes a 19th victory next year!
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We have put together this great infographic so that you can get a closer look at the incredible Porsche 919 Hybrid that won this years Le Mans endurance race!
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