Porsche has announced it will be returning to Le Mans with a works-run LMP1 sports prototype. The ground-up project is scheduled to be finished and ready for racing in 2014.
With 16 overall victories, Porsche is the most successful manufacturers in Le Mans history. However, Porsche last overall victory came in 1998. The German automaker is hoping to update its resume with its new racing program.
“Motorsport was always an essential part of the Porsche brand,” emphasizes Matthias Muller, President of the Executive Board at Porsche AG. “So for us it was only a matter of time before we returned as a factory to the top league of racing. Porsche’s successes in Le Mans are unrivaled. We want to follow up on this with the 17th outright victory.”
Porsche recorded its first overall Le Mans victory in 1970 with the legendary 917 short-tail. The 911 GT1 was the last Porsche to claim an overall Le Mans victory in 1998.
