Porsche has recognised the outstanding achievements made over the 2015 season at the Night of Champions motorsport gala in Weissach. On this occasion, the Porsche CEO, Dr Oliver Blume, provided the first prospects for the upcoming season, which will see Britain’s Nick Tandy will return to Le Mans in a 911 RSR.
“On the racetrack we have experienced one of the most successful years in our company’s history. For 2016, we are placing emphasis on consistency and will again shift up a gear. We will be the only manufacturer to tackle three of the four classes at Le Mans,” he outlined in his speech.
In 2016, the Porsche squad will enter its third WEC season as the title defenders. Two 919 Hybrid racers will take on the nine rounds of the FIA World Endurance Championship WEC, with the starting numbers one and two. The 919, which has undergone conceptual refinements in many areas, constitutes the technical evolution of the 2015 vehicle. Its new look will be unveiled at the WEC Prologue at Paul Ricard, France, on 25 March.
In 2016 two rather than three 919 Hybrid will contest the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Porsche and the VW-sister company Audi have agreed to reduce their effort by one LMP1 racing car each for maximum cost efficiency. All six current regular drivers in the Porsche 919 Hybrid will compete again in 2016. Sharing driving duties in the LMP1 racing car with the starting number one are the winners of the Drivers’ World Championship, Timo Bernhard, Brendon Hartley and Mark Webber , with Romain Dumas Neel Jani and Marc Lieb driving the sister car with the starting number two.
In addition to the LMP1 commitment, Porsche again contests both GTE-Pro and GTE-Am categories in 2016. Driver champions Richard Lietz and Michael Christensen aim to defend their title in the professional category. The pair will be supported at Le Mans by Wolf Henzler. Proton Dempsey Racing fields the 911 RSR of the Porsche factory pilots. American actor Patrick Dempsey (49) continues to follow the WEC races in 2016 as partner of the team. Whenever his filming commitments allow, he will also tackle selected races in the GTE-Am class.
Porsche also plans to campaign an additional pair of 911 RSR at the Le Mans 24-hour race. Sharing the cockpit of one vehicle are Patrick Pilet and Kévin Estre with Britain’s Nick Tandy. The sister car has been earmarked for Earl Bamber, Frédéric Makowiecki and Jörg Bergmeister. “We would be very pleased to receive confirmation from the ACO for two GTE-Pro grid spots at Le Mans,” said Head of Porsche Motorsport Dr Frank-Steffen Walliser.