This year possibly the most prominent racing car in Porsche motor racing history is celebrating its 50th birthday: the Porsche 917. The Porsche Museum is honouring the 50th anniversary of the racing sport icon from 14 May to 15 September 2019 as part of a comprehensive special exhibition entitled “50 Years of the Porsche 917 – Colours of Speed”. A total of 14 exhibits – including ten 917 models alone with a total of 7,490 PS – will be on show.

917- 001 restored to its original 1969 condition
The Group 4 sports car, which was developed to secure an overall win at Le Mans 24 hour race and to win the World Championship for Makes, was manufactured in 1969 and was the first of a total of 25 vehicles required for type approval. The Number One marks the start of the unprecedented success story of the 917 racing car, and is therefore the highlight of the special exhibition. For more than a year, museum mechanics, former technicians and engineers from Zuffenhausen and Weissach, the Porsche AG historic archive, as well as partner companies, have worked on restoring this first 917. It is now in exactly the same condition as it was on 12 March 1969, when it was presented to the world at the Geneva Motor Show.

917 short-tail – the Le Mans winners of 1970 and 1971
Two further highlights of the special exhibition are both winning vehicles of the Le Mans 24 hour race from 1970 and 1971. In 1970, Hans Herrmann and Richard Attwood drove the 917 KH (short-tail) with start number 23 and in the world-famous red-white Salzburg Design to the first of so far 19 overall wins for Porsche at the circuit on the River Sarthe. The following year, Helmut Marko and Gijs van Lennep managed to repeat this success. Covering a distance of 5,335 km with an average speed of 222.3 km/h, they set two records that were to remain unbeaten for 39 years.

A detailed look at the fascinating technology of the Porsche 917
Alongside seven other 917 models – including the 917 PA Spyder, which became a test car with 16-cylinder engine, as well as the long-tail and turbo versions – the special exhibition also provides an in-depth insight into its technology. The fine art of the twelve-cylinder engine designed by Hans Mezger is illustrated by numerous small exhibits such as crankshafts, piston and cylinder sleeve sets, camshafts and turbochargers. Glass-fibre components from the restoration phase of the 917- 001 demonstrate the high standard of body construction at the time.

The 911 Turbo shows how racing technology has made its way into series production with components such as the turbocharger and the brake system. With this model, the turbo technology previously used with success in the 917/10 and 917/30 found its way into a Porsche production sports car in 1974. A short time later – for the 1978 model year – the 911 Turbo also benefited from a brake system which had previously been developed for the 917 in a very similar form. The fixed brake callipers were manufactured from light alloy material, just like in the racing car, and had four pistons.

The 917 as an inspiration for Porsche engineers and designers
Two further exhibits demonstrate the extent to which the 917 has also remained in the minds of Porsche engineers and designers across the decades. In 1970, a studio model was created on a scale of 1:4, which was originally one of the draft designs during the development of the 917/20 “Pink Pig”. This model was further developed by the team under Anatole Lapine, the Head of Design at the time. They turned it into a visionary future vehicle which even had a computer unit in addition to its streamlined body.

More than 40 years later, the designers once again picked up the theme of the 917 – this time in the form of a concept study from 2013 with the title “917 Living Legend”, which the Porsche Museum is presenting to the public for the first time as part of this special exhibition. This 1:1 model was created in modelling clay for the return of Porsche to the LMP1 elite class of endurance racing, and the objective of further overall wins in Le Mans associated with this. A small team of designers, aerodynamic experts, package specialists, chassis and drive technicians designed this tribute to the legendary 917 with start number 23 in “Salzburg design” in just six months.

The history and technology of the 917 come alive
Visitors can experience the “racing car of the century” with a total of six toolboxes: alongside the fascinating technology of the 917, they reflect the racing world of that time, the brand sponsorship, as well as the transfer of technology from the 917 to subsequent Porsche racing and series production vehicles. Interactive media stations enhance the visitors’ experience of the history of the 917 – using multimedia presentations with gripping film scenes from races of the day.

A real racing atmosphere and anniversary book
The special exhibition, which probably has the highest horsepower rating of any so far, is rounded off with numerous racing posters and small exhibits. For the 50th anniversary of the 917, the Museum shop is also selling a special range of 917 products, including the anniversary book entitled “Colours of Speed – 50 Jahre Porsche 917” (Colours of Speed – 50 Years of the Porsche 917) published as part of the “Edition Porsche Museum”, along with a barbecue apron designed as a tribute to the 917/20 “Pink Pig”.

Porsche is on course for success when it comes to sustainability. The sports car manufacturer has reduced the CO₂ emissions per vehicle by more than 75 percent since 2014. Porsche also reduced the corresponding energy consumption by around 31 percent in the same period. At the same time, the number of vehicles produced in Zuffenhausen and Leipzig increased by 82 percent: from 101,449 (2014) to 184,791 units in 2018.

“We at Porsche are aware of our responsibility in terms of environmental and climate protection,” explains Albrecht Reimold, Member of the Executive Board for Production and Logistics at Porsche AG. “We are continuously optimising our vehicles to make them even more environmentally friendly. In addition, a large number of both large and small initiatives at Porsche result in an overall concept that allows all areas of the company to improve their ecological sustainability step-by-step.”

Profitable growth as a prerequisite for sustainable action
The sports car manufacturer was able to report new record results only a few weeks ago: deliveries and revenue increased once more compared with the previous year, as did employee numbers. The return on sales was 16.6 percent in 2018. “We do not view profitability as an end in itself, however. It is a main prerequisite for companies to be able to effectively assume responsibility,” explains Reimold. “Because we can be really successful only if economical, social and ecological aspects are in line with each other.”

In order to make progress in the area of sustainability measurable in a similar way to economic success, Porsche determines the key performance indicator “Reduction in environmental impact in Production”, which is made up of several parameters. In addition to CO₂ emissions and energy consumption, this also includes the overall fresh water consumption and the quantity of volatile organic compounds (VOC) used. Porsche has also made progress in these areas: compared with 2014, 34 percent less solvent is used in production. The water consumption per vehicle has been reduced by 20 percent.

Porsche produces with renewable energy
The fact that Porsche was able to reduce its CO₂ emissions so significantly – by 75 percent in only five years – is above all due to the consistent use of TÜV-certified energy from renewable sources. Since the start of 2017, the sports car manufacturer has produced with renewable energy that comes with a certificate of origin for the actual physical source of the electricity. This meets the highest ecological standards. The rail logistics for Porsche within Germany is now climate-neutral as well. Porsche is also working on reducing its environmental impact throughout the value chain.

Vision of the “Zero Impact Factory”
“Sustainability is the sum of many individual elements,” says Albrecht Reimold. “In autumn, our first fully electric sports car, the Taycan, will leave the production line. Its production at the factory will be CO₂-neutral right from the start. However, our goal is to avoid leaving any ecological footprint in future in the sense of a Zero Impact Factory.”

Such production, without environmental impacts, is based on different areas of action. Alongside resource and material efficiency, this includes topics such as pollutants and climate protection as well as the effects of production on the urban climate. The great importance attached by Porsche to the subject of sustainability in design of its production locations has been documented by the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB): Porsche was the first company ever to receive a “Platinum” award for the new design of Plant 4 at the Zuffenhausen headquarters.

Taycan factory: High-tech facade absorbs NOx
Porsche is also playing a pioneering role in construction of the new Taycan factory in Zuffenhausen. A surface technology that absorbs nitrogen dioxide is used on its facade for the first time. The facade elements are made of aluminium coated with titanium dioxide. The coating acts as a catalyst, and breaks down the absorbed pollutant particles into the harmless substances water and nitrate when exposed to sunlight and low air humidity. In a first pilot project, Porsche is testing the NOx-absorbing high-tech facade on an area of 126 square metres, which corresponds to around ten parking spaces. There it performs the work of ten trees.

Sustainability pays for itself
Numerous measures that contribute to resource efficiency and relieve the burden on the environment also help to reduce costs. This starts with the replacement of traditional lighting technology with LED lamps, the use of demand-controlled exhaust air systems in the body shop, utilisation of waste heat from the paint shop, and continues through to the use of electromechanical production technologies instead of hydraulic work steps. This last measure saves 11,544 kWh of energy each year just for riveting work in the body shop at the Zuffenhausen site.

Sustainability also applies to the commute to Porsche
In order to avoid the growing number of employees causing a corresponding increase in traffic pollution, Porsche has established a company mobility management system. Among other things, this includes the “Job Ticket” – a local public transport ticket subsidised by the company – as well as the “Fine Dust Ticket”, which enables all employees at the locations in the Stuttgart area to use public transport free of charge in the event of a fine dust alert. A comprehensive parking space management system means that available parking spaces can be easily identified. The Porsche TwoGo ride-sharing app is a well-established means for employees to arrange carpools quickly and in a practical way. And with the launch of “mobile working”, the sports car manufacturer will not only open itself up to new ways of working, but also help relieve traffic pressure at peak times.

Further information on the sustainability activities of Porsche is contained in the Annual and Sustainability Report 2018, which is available online at:
https://newsroom.porsche.com/de/geschaefts-nachhaltigkeit-bericht-2018.html

Further information as well as film and photo material in the Porsche Newsroom: newsroom.porsche.de

 Fifty years since they moved under their own power for the first time, two machines developed in the same era of ambitious, ground-breaking engineering have met as they celebrate a special anniversary.

On 9 April, 1969 – precisely 50 years ago – the first British made Concorde began its maiden flight from Filton Airfield, Bristol, England. The airframe was a prototype that would go on to complete 438 flights, created to test an aircraft that would set new speed records at the time, peaking at 2,179km/h, and for which new materials and technologies had to be invented in order to make the ambitions of an Anglo-French group of engineers a reality.

In the same month, the very first Porsche 917 – chassis 001 – began its development, as it evolved into the most iconic and successful endurance racing machine of its time. Created by a small team of bold, inventive engineers, the 917 took an enormous leap in its highly innovative aerodynamics, its compact yet enormously powerful 12-cylinder powertrain and adoption of materials previously exclusively the realm of aircraft to set a new benchmark.

The first stop for the Porsche 917 was the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton on the south coast of England, where the Concorde that made that first flight is now on display among an array of historic aircraft. In marking the special anniversary, two people whose job it was to be at the controls met for the first time – guiding each other around their respective machines. Richard Attwood won Le Mans at the wheel of a Porsche 917 in 1970 and knows the car better than almost any other driver. His contemporary, piloting the fastest passenger aircraft ever created, was Captain Tim Orchard who is joint World Record holder for the shortest time for the flight between New York and London – a distance covered in just two hours and 52 minutes.

Captain Tim Orchard commented: ‘It was fascinating to be shown the 917, which was very much a car of Concorde’s era and I think developed with the same devotion and focus. The brutality of the car – its simplicity – are striking, and from I hear it was quite a formidable machine to drive. At the same time, it was a pleasure to show Richard around an aircraft which I was fortunate to fly for nine years. Concorde was unlike anything I’d flown before or since. Part jet fighter, part refined transatlantic cruiser. Its enormous reserves of power and its sheer competence were extraordinary. The Porsche and Concorde are kindred spirits, both created with enormous care by a small team of passionate people – yet capable of performance that was unheard of before they arrived.’

Richard Attwood added: ‘Like a lot of people I’m a big fan of Concorde and always wish I could have flown on her – I’ve missed my chance! The 917 and Concorde seem so pure and simple from the outside, but both mask an array of engineering ingenuity that is still extremely impressive by today’s standards. I would like to thank Tim for his time and patience in showing me around – I so enjoyed reminiscing about what it was like in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s and our belief that we could achieve just about anything if we put our minds to it.’

Fittingly, the first Porsche 917 completed its tour of the UK as it was pictured next to the very last Concorde to be built and the last example to be flown. Concorde ‘Alpha-Foxtrot’ landed for the final time after 6,045 flights at its new home, Aerospace Bristol at Filton, where the British-built Concordes began their journey 50 years ago, marking the end of an era.

The Porsche 917, which was driven for the first time in public weekend after a thorough and detailed restoration at the Goodwood Members’ Meeting, leaves the UK to join the Porsche Museum collection in Stuttgart. From 14 May to 15 September 2019, the Porsche Museum will honour the 50th anniversary of the 917 with an extensive special exhibition entitled “Colours of Speed – 50 Years of the 917”. A total of 14 exhibits – including ten 917 models which alone have a combined PS output of 7,795 – will be on display. The Porsche Museum will present a 917 concept study to the public for the first time as homage to the first Le Mans victory of 1970. The red-and-white show car was designed by a small team of designers and engineers, though with the entry of Porsche into the LMP1 category of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), this model remained as purely a concept study.

Notes to editors:
Pictured in its ‘British Aircraft Corporation – Aerospatiale France’ livery is Concorde 002, which can be seen at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, located near Yeovilton, Somerset, England. For more information, please visit: www.fleetairarm.com

Also pictured, in British Airways livery, is a production Concorde filmed on location at Aerospace Bristol with the permission of the Bristol Aero Collection Trust. For more information on visiting the aircraft, follow: http://aerospacebristol.org

 The security rating of the new Porsche Macan has been judged ‘Superior’ following assessment of the specification of a motion sensor function on the key fob by an insurance research association.

Richard Billyeald, Chief Technical Officer at Thatcham Research, comments: “We are pleased to be able to rate the Porsche Macan as having ‘Superior’ security following clarification from Porsche Cars GB.

“Vehicle manufacturers are beginning to offer solutions and fixes to Keyless Entry/Start vulnerabilities, with Audi, Jaguar Land Rover, Mercedes and Porsche really taking a lead. We expect others to follow suit quickly.”

Porsche has notched up yet another victory at the “Super Sebring” race weekend. Nick Tandy (Great Britain) and his French teammates Patrick Pilet and Frédéric Makowiecki took the flag in first place in the Porsche 911 RSR at the twelve-hour race of the IMSA Weathertech SportsCar Championship. With this success, the trio in the No. 911 car have not only repeated their win from last year, but also rounded off an extremely successful weekend for Porsche. A day earlier, the ca. 510 hp racing car from Weissach had won both GTE classes at the 1,000-mile race of the Sports Car World Endurance Championship WEC. The No. 912 sister car driven by Earl Bamber (New Zealand), Laurens Vanthoor (Belgium) and Mathieu Jaminet (France) finished the thrilling long-distance classic in the USA on fifth place.

Early on in the race, lack of grip in the heavy rain initially threw both Porsche 911 RSR down the field. As conditions improved at the half-way point of the race, the experienced Porsche GT Team utilised every last strength of the car. Thanks to great tactics, top-class driving and flawless teamwork, the No. 911 car fought its way back into the lead. In a gripping finale, Nick Tandy fended off all attacks and crossed the finish line after twelve hours with a 1.951-second lead. Tandy, Pilet and Makowiecki are the first driver trio to win the IMSA race at Sebring twice in a row. Thanks to their victory, the No. 911 crew now ranks first in the overall classification. The No. 912 line-up fell back two laps in the early phase. Putting in a spirited charge through the field, the Daytona podium finishers concluded the race on fifth.

In the GTD class, the Porsche 911 GT3 R fielded by the Pfaff Motorsports customer team held the lead for about half of the race distance. The rewards for this strong performance from Porsche development driver Lars Kern (Germany) and his Canadian teammates Scott Hargrove and Zacharie Robichon were few. While switching out a faulty sensor in the 500 hp GT3 racer from Weissach, the squad lost crucial ground and reached the flag after twelve hours in tenth. Prior to this, the trio had held a comfortable lead over long stretches. In the identical vehicle run by Park Place Motorsports, Porsche factory driver Patrick Long (USA) and his compatriots Nicholas Boulle and Patrick Lindsey narrowly missed out on climbing the podium with sixth place.

Round three of the IMSA Weathertech SportsCar Championship will be contested on 13 April in Long Beach (USA).

Comments on the race
Fritz Enzinger (Vice President Motorsport): “I’ve been in motorsport for a long time, but I’ve never experienced anything like this. Within 48 hours we won a 1,000-mile race and a twelve-hour race with our factory teams at one venue. That’s phenomenal. I was impressed by how focussed every single person worked. That’s what sets Porsche apart. And we mustn’t forget the successful performances from our customer teams. It was one of the best motor racing weekends I’ve ever experienced – just brilliant.”

Pascal Zurlinden (Director GT Factory Motorsport): “Perhaps we should rename the event the “Porsche Super Sebring” race weekend. Three pole positions, three victories – what more could you want. Our team did everything right. Ultimately, when things went down to the wire, we were there. The key moment was when we reclaimed the lead after a perfectly timed pit stop. Our strategy was to wait and strike at the right moment. Now it’s time to celebrate!”

Patrick Pilet (Porsche 911 RSR #911): “It somehow feels unreal. We started from pole position, and then we were running last, and now we celebrate our second Sebring victory in a row – unbelievable! Our team is simply something very special. We never gave up, we always believed that we had a chance and now we’re standing here as winners. It’s indescribable.”

Nick Tandy (Porsche 911 RSR #911): “It was a totally crazy race that one rarely experiences. We got the lot: extremely wet at the beginning, a dry track, then predicted rain, which didn’t eventuate. We started from pole, then quickly fell back, only to end up in the lead again. You only get such things at a long-distance race. And this is the precisely the kind of discipline that Porsche excels at. Never give up, always push and then pull out all stops at the right moment. That’s how it’s done.”

Frédéric Makowiecki (Porsche 911 RSR #911): “I’m lost for words. We had major problems in the rain early on in the race, but we battled our way forward again in an incredible manner. Like last year, it was a perfect team effort. With such successes, it really becomes clear just how important it is for the entire squad to work perfectly.”

Earl Bamber (Porsche 911 RSR #912): “Initially, both Porsche 911 RSR lost ground in the rain. But we got faster later on. Unfortunately the timing of a pit stop didn’t work out for us. While our sister car regained the lead, we were still a lap down. We fought hard, but we couldn’t really do much. Congratulations to our colleagues. It was a dream weekend for Porsche.”

Laurens Vanthoor (Porsche 911 RSR #912): “Unfortunately we lost too much time in the rainy start phase. Otherwise we could have fought for victory. Our car was incredibly good, especially on slicks in the final phase. For me personally, I’m a bit disappointed. But it is outweighed by the joy of an incredibly successful weekend for Porsche.”

Mathieu Jaminet (Porsche 911 RSR #912): “Of course I’d have loved to win, so I regard this weekend with mixed feelings. From Porsche’s point of view, however, it was a dream. From our perspective, that of the number 912 car, it’s kind of sad. We could have won, too, but it didn’t work out this time. Still, we’re delighted for our teammates.”

Race result
GTLM class
1. Pilet/Tandy/Makowiecki (F/GB/F), Porsche 911 RSR, 330 laps
2. Hand/Müller/Bourdais (USA/D/F), Ford GT, 330 laps
3. Garcia/Magnussen/Rockenfeller (E/DK/D), Corvette C7.R, 330 laps
5. Bamber/Vanthoor/Jaminet (NZ/B/F), Porsche 911 RSR, 330 laps

GTD class
1. Ineichen/Bortolotti/Breukers (CH/I/NL), Lamborghini Huracan GT3, 320 laps
2. Potter/Lally/Pumpelly (USA/USA/USA), Lamborghini Huracan GT3, 320 laps
3. MacNeil/Vilander/Westphal (USA/FIN/USA), Ferrari 488 GT3, 320 laps
6. Long/Lindsey/Boulle (USA/USA/USA), Porsche 911 GT3 R, 320 laps
10. Kern/Robichon/Hargrove (D/CDN/CDN), Porsche 911 GT3 R, 318 laps

One of the strongest number sequences ever produced by Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year: the Porsche 917. The most famous racing car of all time made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show on 12 March 1969, and the Porsche Museum is celebrating the landmark birthday with plans to restore the first 917 ever made to its original condition, as it was when first unveiled 50 years ago. The 917-001 underwent various changes over time. “Our approach to the authentic handling of classic cars has changed considerably over the past ten years,” explains Achim Stejskal, Director of the Porsche Museum. When restoring vehicles from the company’s historic collection, the museum places great importance on retaining original material and taking into account the relevant history of its exhibits.

The history of the 917-001 as a test and presentation vehicle
The 917-001 marked the beginning of an unparalleled racing car career for the 917. The 917-001 Group 4 sports car, designed to sweep the board at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and win the Brand World Championships, was the first of the 25 vehicles that had to be made to meet the requirement for type approval; the chief designer on the project was Hans Mezger, who was responsible not only for the twelve-cylinder engine, but also for the vehicle as a whole.

The 917-001 was presented for the first time in Geneva in March 1969, with it bodywork in white with a green front section; it had a new look for its appearance at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt the same year, for which the car was repainted in white and orange. When Porsche later announced the transfer of its racing activities to the J.W. Automotive Engineering team, headed by Briton John Wyer, the 917-001 was once again used as a presentation vehicle – and refinished in the brand colours of US oil company and sponsor, Gulf: light blue and orange.

Following its first clean sweep at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 917-001 was then reworked into the short-tail version by Hans Herrmann and Richard Attwood in September 1970; when the 917-001 was handed over to Porsche Salzburg in October 1970, it was in the colours of the car that won the Le Mans race and was emblazoned with starting number 23.

Restoration of the 917-001 to its original 1969 condition
For over a year, museum mechanics, former technicians and engineers from Zuffenhausen and Weissach, as well as the Historical Archives and partner companies, worked on the restoration of this original 917. The project was particularly challenging from the outset because of the multiple transformations the car had undergone during its time as a test and presentation vehicle. The top priority throughout was the conservation and reuse of the car’s original materials wherever possible and technically practicable.

The restoration was particularly guided by testing which was able to determine which of the body materials were original and could be reused, using material analysis and comparison with historical design drawings and photographs. It was with this approach that the body parts for the front and rear sections were painstaking reproduced using state-of-the-art 3D technology and with reference to the original design drawings; the rear section of the aluminium space frame was also restored with the aid of original documents. Exactly 50 years on, the 917-001 will be presented in the Porsche Museum, restored to its original condition as in 1969.

Unparalleled dominance in motorsport and a trendsetter for turbo technology
The success story of the 917 is legendary. The car managed to secure an overall victory in its very first year of competing in the 1,000-kilometre race at Zeltweg, Austria in 1969. In 1970, Hans Herrmann and Richard Attwood achieved the coveted overall triumph at Le Mans – the greatest motorsport success Porsche had ever achieved until that point, and which would be repeated by Dr Helmut Marko and Gijs van Lennep in 1971. Following further development of the 917 to the 917/10 and 917/30 turbo versions with over 1,000 PS, George Follmer and Mark Donohue were able to dominate the North American CanAm Series in 1972 and 1973 respectively; these Porsche models also proved unbeatable in the event’s European counterpart, the Interserie. An altered version of the turbo technology was also reused a little later in a Porsche standard vehicle – when the 911 Turbo was born in 1974.

Special exhibition in the Porsche Museum
From 14 May to 15 September 2019, the Porsche Museum will honour the 50th anniversary of the 917 with an extensive special exhibition entitled “Colours of Speed – 50 Years of the 917”. A total of 14 exhibits – including ten 917 models which alone have a combined PS output of 7,795 – will be on display. The Porsche Museum will present a 917 concept study to the public for the first time as homage to the first Le Mans victory of 1970. The red-and-white show car was designed by a small team of designers and engineers, though with the entry of Porsche into the LMP1 category of he FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), this model remained as purely a concept study. A selection of racing posters and small technical exhibits will round off the special exhibition, which features the highest-ever total PS for such an event. To mark the anniversary, the museum shop will also offer a selection of 917 products for sale, including a pink barbecue apron inspired by the unique 1971 917/20, nicknamed the “Pink Pig”. Edition Porsche Museum, the in-house publisher, will also release a book to mark the anniversary of the 917.

The first purely electrically powered sports car from Porsche, the Taycan, is enjoying significant attention worldwide. The vehicle will not be presented to the public until September and its final design is not yet known; nonetheless, there are more than 20,000 people around the world with serious interest in buying one of their own, as the company has confirmed at the Geneva International Motor Show.

The Porsche Taycan will have its debut in September, and market launch is scheduled to take place before the end of the year. The vehicle will be able to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in considerably less than 3.5 seconds. It will have a range of more than 500 kilometres as measured in accordance with the NEDC. Moreover, it will be possible to add sufficient charge for a range of 100 kilometres in just four minutes (measured in accordance with the NEDC).

“The overwhelming interest in the Taycan shows us that our customers and fans are just as excited about the first Porsche electric athlete as we are – and we’ve therefore increased our production capacities,” confirms Detlev von Platen, Member of the Executive Board for Sales and Marketing at Porsche AG. “The Taycan will be the most sporting and most technically advanced vehicle in its segment – a true Porsche.”

Porsche has won the Bathurst 12 Hour (Australia) for the first time, and has added another chapter to the impressive success story of the Porsche 911 GT3 R in its final performance at a major endurance race. Works driver Dirk Werner (Germany) as well as the two Porsche Young Professionals Matt Campbell (Australia) and Dennis Olsen (Norway) brought the GT3 car fielded by EMB over the line in first place. The fledgling customer team managed by Porsche works driver Earl Bamber (New Zealand) triumphed at its maiden outing on an international stage in the fight against experienced teams from eight manufacturers.

In a breathtaking finale on the Mount Panorama Circuit, local hero Campbell ultimately beat his top-league rivals, to the great delight of his fellow compatriots in the grandstands. In the final 20 minutes of the 12-hour endurance race, the Porsche Young Professional picked off three vehicles one after the other and with perfectly-executed manoeuvres swept into the lead with the No. 912 Porsche 911 GT3 R. His teammates, Werner and Olsen, drove strong stints and his EMB team worked flawlessly with a perfect strategy to lay the foundation for this victory.

Lady Luck, however, was not shining on their team colleagues Romain Dumas (France), Sven Müller (Germany) and Mathieu Jaminet (France). From the half-way point of the race, the driver trio in the Porsche 911 GT3 R swapped the lead with the sister vehicle over long stretches, however the No. 911 car did not see the finish. With three hours left to go, a problem with the power steering hampered the charge of the fast and consistent GT3 vehicle and forced it into the pits.

The Porsche 911 GT3 R fielded by the customer team Competition Motorsport/McElrea Racing retired after an accident of David Calvert-Jones (USA) early on in the race. Jaxon Evans gave an impressive performance at his maiden outing as a Porsche Junior. The New Zealand shared the No. 12 vehicle with works driver Kévin Estre (France) and Calvert-Jones. The identical GT3 car of the Black Swan Racing squad could not contest the race due to an accident during practice.

For the opening round of the 2019 Intercontinental GT Challenge 2019, the 2018-spec version of the ca. 500 hp GT3 car was campaigned for the final time, as stipulated by the rules. Included on the Weissach racing car’s extensive list of successes is an overall victory at the Nürburgring 24-hour race as well as titles in the ADAC GT Masters and the North American Pirelli World Challenge. From the second race of the season in Laguna Seca (USA), customer teams will again race the new version of the vehicle, which celebrated its race debut last weekend at Daytona (USA). The new Porsche 911 GT3 R features numerous improvements in terms of driveability, aerodynamics and kinematics.

In the Class B of the 12-hour race in Australia, the customer team Grove Racing scored a comfortable lights-to-flag victory. Ben Barker (Great Britain) and the father-son team Stephen and Brenton Grove (Australia) secured first place with the No. 4 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup ahead of the same model vehicle run by the Carrera Cup Asia squad.

Comments on the race
Fritz Enzinger (Vice President Motorsport): “What a banner day for Porsche Motorsport. Congratulations to all drivers and particularly to the team principal, Earl Bamber, who has impressed me greatly with his fortitude and meticulousness over the years. Earl is not only a world-class racing driver, he’s also a top team boss. He underlined this today. It’s perfect that the fledgling EMB team has handed us the first victory at Bathurst at the swan song of the Porsche 911 GT3 R after three very successful years. Now we are looking forward to the second race of the season at Laguna Seca. We aim to bring home the next win with the new car.”

Pascal Zurlinden (Director GT Factory Motorsport): “We still had some unfinished business at Bathurst, and now it’s settled. For our proven Porsche 911 GT3 R to win at its last major race, we couldn’t have dreamed for a more wonderful finish. I take my hat off to our drivers, who had to fight in sweltering heat. And we mustn’t forget the customer team Earl Bamber Motorsport. This was the first race at this level for EBM, they tackled it with a top-class, experienced crew and promptly won. This could be the first chapter of an epic story. We look forward to further joint outings. Now we’re looking ahead and preparing ourselves for the next two big events for Porsche Motorsport: the doubleheader in Sebring with the WEC and IMSA and the next round of the IGTC in Laguna Seca.”

Sebastian Golz (Project Manager 911 GT3 R): “This finale was breathtaking. We focussed our entire race strategy on this last stint. The team prepared for it perfectly, and the drivers implemented it perfectly. At the end we fitted fresh tyres, filled the tank and put Matt Campbell in the car – then full attack to the finish line. This victory at the last big race is a fair reward for the very successful Porsche 911 GT3 R. Such a farewell before the car heads into the Museum rounds off the success story perfectly. The EBM team did a sensational job, as well. The squad was put together at short notice with unflagging commitment and great meticulousness. The fact that they promptly scored a victory is phenomenal and a consequence of the professional work.”

Earl Bamber (Team Principal EBM): “We only began putting the team together at the beginning of December. Since then we’ve invested a huge amount of work into this project – not just me, but my brother Will and many other supporters, as well. Our goal was to be able to offer the drivers two equal cars at the very highest level. We succeeded. The No. 911 led over long stretches but then fell back. But we had a second iron in the fire. The No. 912 stepped up to the mark. What Matt achieved in his last stint is film worthy. The fact that we now send this car into the Museum with a victory makes it all the more emotional. I’m completely over the moon.”

Matt Campbell (Porsche 911 GT3 R #912): “I knew without doubt in the finale where the strengths of our car lay – and I then used them consequently. I eyed up my competitors, I made my overtaking moves resolutely and never backed off. That was an important key to this victory and I’m overjoyed. Bathurst is a legendary race, and it’s my home race. It was the first GT3 race for Earl Bamber’s team. To win at the first outing and in this manner is simply brilliant.”

Dirk Werner (Porsche 911 GT3 R #912): “This is a great victory. I’ve waited a long time for such a success at a major race. There are so many special stories from this race. It was the maiden GT3 race for Earl’s team, it was the last race for the Porsche 911 GT3 R and not least there was Matt Campbell’s performance, he really turned up the heat at the end. It was an incredible achievement from everyone involved. I’m absolutely thrilled.”

Dennis Olsen (Porsche 911 GT3 R #912): “Incredible! That one word actually sums it all up. We all worked hard for this win. Ultimately, it was about Matt’s performance in the final stint. How he fought for the lead was nothing less than amazing. I still can’t quite put my feelings into words. I guess it first has to all sink in.”

Romain Dumas (Porsche 911 GT3 R #911): “We were fast, constant and strategically well positioned with our Porsche 911 GT3 R. I drove a double stint early this morning with one set of tyres. That would have given us the benefit of fresh tyres at the end. Unfortunately we couldn’t reap the rewards of the entire team’s hard work. The fact that something breaks at such a gruelling long distance race is simply part of racing. You can’t do anything about that.”

Sven Müller (Porsche 911 GT3 R #911): “The Bathurst track is awesome. It’s a little like the Nürburgring-Nordschleife – I like it. I had some exciting, tough duels during my stint and it was great fun. At times we were in the lead. Unfortunately we got the news that the power steering had a defect. And unfortunately we were out. Congratulations to our colleagues in the No. 912 car.”

Mathieu Jaminet (Porsche 911 GT3 R #911): “We started into the race from twelfth on the grid and ploughed our way up the field. We kept out of trouble and drove our laps flawlessly. That earned us the lead. Unfortunately, about three hours before the flag, the power steering went. Luckily I managed to keep the car on the track. It’s too bad that we were thrown out of contention. But we’ll tick this off and look ahead.”

Kévin Estre (Porsche 911 GT3 R #12): “The most important thing is that our teammate “CJ” is doing okay. It was a really hard impact in a passage where you reach over 200 km/h. Even if something small goes wrong there, it’s over. For me it’s a shame, of course, because this is the second time in four years that I didn’t get a chance to drive here at Bathurst because of an incident.”

Jaxon Evans (Porsche 911 GT3 R #12): “I enjoyed my first race as a Porsche Junior. I found the first stint at dawn particularly impressive. We were going well in the race and our pace was good, but unfortunately my teammate had an accident. That’s Bathurst, something like that can happen to anyone here. One tiny mistake often has big consequences. Of course I’m sorry for Kévin who didn’t get to drive a single lap in the race.”

Brenton Grove (Porsche 911 GT3 Cup #4): “We did a flawless job. There’s not one scratch on our car after twelve hours of racing. And that’s exactly what makes the difference in this race. We were totally concentrated, we simply let the heavy GT3 traffic go, and got the most of our car in the gaps that appeared. That’s how you score a class win at Bathurst.”

Race result
1. Werner/Olsen/Campbell, Porsche 911 GT3 R #912, 312 laps
2. Dennis/Vaxiviere/Kirchhöfer, Aston Martin #62, 312 laps
3. Buhk/Marciello/Götz, Mercedes #999, 312 laps
16. Grove/Grove/Barker, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup #4, 299 laps
19. Tresidder/v.d. Drift/ Bao/Hamprecht, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup #23, 279 laps
DNF Dumas/Müller/Jaminet, Porsche 911 GT3 R #911, 234 laps
DNF Studderd/Fillmore/Muscat, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup #43, 134 laps
DNF Estre/Evans/Calvert-Jones, Porsche 911 GT3 R #12, 37 laps

This is the Intercontinental GT Challenge
The 2019 Intercontinental GT Challenge calendar is made up of five endurance race on five continents. While the teams are only permitted to field 2018-spec GT3 cars at the season-opening round in Bathurst (Australia), the latest generation is allowed at the following races in Laguna Seca (USA), Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium), Suzuka (Japan) and at the season finale in Kyalami (South Africa). Porsche will not compete with a factory squad in the international racing series for GT3 vehicles, but will instead support different customer teams in their campaign.

The Porsche GT Team was rewarded for a strong performance with a place on the podium at the 24 Hours of Daytona. Under difficult conditions on the Daytona International Speedway (USA), the two Porsche 911 RSR racers achieved positions three and five. The ca. 510 hp sports cars from Weissach had clearly dominated the first half of the long-distance classic. However, heavy rain, numerous caution phases, interruptions and incidents threw the two factory cars in the legendary Brumos design into a rainy game of chance in the final hours. The new Porsche 911 GT3 R achieved eighth place at its race debut.

Heading into the race on Saturday afternoon (local time) in dry conditions, Nick Tandy (Great Britain) made perfect use of his pole position, with the No. 911 Porsche 911 RSR holding the lead over many laps. His French teammates Patrick Pilet and Frédéric Makowiecki retained the top spot into the night. Torrential rain early on Sunday morning proved to be a watershed moment in a perfect race. With deep water on the track, the 911 of the polesitter fell back into fifth place.

The sister car shared by Earl Bamber (New Zealand), Laurens Vanthoor (Belgium) and Mathieu Jaminet (France) experienced bad luck early on in the race. The repairs to a defect in the front splitter mounting threw the trio in the No. 912 Porsche 911 RSR back by four laps. Thanks to a flawless drive and perfect strategy, the gap was quickly closed so that both factory cars were back amongst the frontrunners. The No. 912 vehicle was relegated to fourth place in arguably the worst conditions in the 57-year history of the endurance classic, but was classified third when a penalty was handed to a competitor when the race was finally stopped after 24 hours and 50 minutes.

In the GTD class, the new Porsche 911 GT3 R run by the Park Place Motorsports customer team achieved eighth place. After several setbacks, works driver Patrick Long (USA), Porsche Young Professional Matt Campbell (Australia) as well as the two American racing drivers Patrick Lindsey and Nicholas Boulle repeatedly fought their way up the order. Over long stretches, the team from Texas and its experienced drivers underlined the immense potential of the new GT3 car from Weissach and led the race in the final stages. However, the interruption immediately after a pit stop foiled the tactics and thus the chance of a victory.

Bad luck also plagued the customer teams Black Swan Racing and Pfaff Motorsports, with accidents throwing their ca. 500 hp vehicles into retirement. The squads from the USA and Canada managed to match the pace of the frontrunners and were at times on course for a podium spot. A technical defect threw the Porsche 911 GT3 R fielded by NGT Motorsport out of contention early in the race.

Round two of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will also be held in Florida. On 16 March, the 12 Hours of Sebring (USA) will be contested as a doubleheader with the FIA WEC.

Comments on the race
Pascal Zurlinden (Director GT Factory Motorsport): “If you ignore the weather, then you have to admit that was a great race. We witnessed some top-class racing from all manufacturers. It was a great show for the fans. We were really strong in dry conditions, in the wet, however, things didn’t really go as we’d hoped. The result might look a little disappointing at first glance, but the potential shown and the perfect teamwork make me very optimistic.”

Steffen Höllwarth (Program Manager IMSA SportsCar Championship): “That was a gripping race, from which we’re very happy to take home a podium result. We led the field over long stretches, we coped impressively with a setback for our No. 912 car and we regained lost time. There were many highs and lows. We were very fast in the dry with a setup designed for high top speeds on the straights, but unfortunately not quite so in the wet. To achieve a podium result under such difficult conditions is a great effort. Now we’re looking ahead with optimism to the next race in Sebring. We are keen to repeat our victory there from last year.”

Patrick Pilet (Porsche 911 RSR #911): “I’m very disappointed, because we were really strong in the practice sessions and the first half of the race. We couldn’t quite maintain the performance in the rain. A collision cost us two laps in the race, but that wasn’t the decisive factor. I’m focussing on the positive aspects. Our car was extremely fast on a dry track. Our team and the driver trio are strong. So I’m heading to the upcoming race in Sebring feeling optimistic.”

Nick Tandy (Porsche 911 RSR #911): “The first hours were great fun. Our car was fast and reliable, I enjoyed thrilling duels against drivers of other brands. But then torrential rain came. Having to drive at Daytona in such conditions is a very different experience. But we can’t complain. It could have been much worse.”

Frédéric Makowiecki (Porsche 911 RSR #911): “I think we can be very proud of our performance this weekend. In the practice and qualifying sessions we were at the front, and in dry conditions we led the race over long periods. Unfortunately that changed completely once the rain set in. We experienced serious aquaplaning and therefore couldn’t quite maintain the pace. At the end of the day I’m left with many positive impressions.”

Earl Bamber (Porsche 911 RSR #912): “What a crazy race. We were extremely fast, we coped impressively with a bitter setback and we had a car to beat in dry conditions. The situation was different in the rain. We were no longer the fastest out there. All in all, we’ve started the season well with a podium result.”

Laurens Vanthoor (Porsche 911 RSR #912): “Everything was going fine until late at night. We’d set up our car for a high top speed and this worked perfectly in the dry, but we lacked downforce in the wet. I enjoy big challenges and I’m a fan of old-school racing, but these conditions were just crazy. When you’re driving at 290 km/h and you can only see two metres in front of you and you’re flying blind with 30 other cars on your tail all going the same speed, well, that just goes too far. I don’t ever want to experience something like this again.”

Mathieu Jaminet (Porsche 911 RSR #912): “Had it stayed dry, we would definitely have been able to fight for victory. Unfortunately we lacked a bit of speed in the wet. Third place was certainly the most we could do under these conditions. We can be proud of our performance and result. We’ve earned many points to start the season and are on the podium.”

Dennis Olsen (Porsche 911 GT3 R #9): “It’s such a shame. We never let ourselves become disheartened by the setbacks, instead we fought back time and again. We were on course for a podium finish, but then everything went wrong. First a minor problem with the electrics hampered us, then came the crash. At the restart, my teammate couldn’t see a thing and was unable to avoid a collision with another car. Unfortunately the damage to the vehicle was too extensive. I’m certain that Pfaff Motorsports will soon earn the reward they deserve.”

Patrick Long (Porsche 911 GT3 R #73): “Sometimes the right timing is everything in motorsport. Unfortunately this didn’t work for us today. This wasn’t because of the team’s performance, the interruptions due to the heavy rain cost us a better result. Still, we’ve earned some decent points. The season is still very long, and every point counts. The new Porsche 911 GT3 R is fast. That makes me confident for the upcoming races.”

Sven Müller (Porsche 911 GT3 R #99): “Well, we hadn’t really expected it to be like this. During the race week we worked together brilliantly and made constant improvements. It’s extremely disappointing, of course, when the car is out of the race after less than two hours. But that’s how it is sometimes in motor racing. I’ll now tick this off and hope that we’ll be back in this constellation this coming year to successfully complete our mission.”

Dirk Werner (Porsche 911 GT3 R #540): “Retiring from a race is always disappointing, but that’s racing sometimes. We didn’t just experience changeable weather, we also had many ups and downs as a team. We were one lap down several times, but again and again we fought our way back into the top group. When a rival hit the rear of our car in heavy rain this morning the car was beyond repair – it’s a great pity.”

Race result
GTLM class
1. Farfus/De Philippi/Eng/Herta (BMW #25), 571 laps
2. Rigon/Molina/Pier Guidi/Calado (Ferrari #62), 571 laps
3. Bamber/Vanthoor/Jaminet (Porsche #912), 570 laps
4. Briscoe/Westbrook/Dixon (Ford #67), 570 laps
5. Pilet/Tandy/Makowiecki (Porsche #911), 569 laps
6. Magnussen/Garcia/Rockenfeller (Corvette #3), 563 laps
7. Hand/Müller/Bourdais (Ford #66), 559 laps
8. Gavin/Milner/Fässler (Corvette #4), 555 laps
9. Krohn/Edwards/Mostert/Zanardi (BMW #24), 553 laps

GTD class
1. Ineichen/Bortolotti/Engelhart/Breukers (Lamborghini #11), 561 laps
2. Morad/Mies/Vanthoor (Audi #29), 561 laps
3. Montecalvo/Bell/Telitz/Segal (Lexus #12), 561 laps
8. Long/Campbell/Lindsey/Boulle (Porsche #73), 560 laps
16. Werner/Cairoli/Seefried/Pappas (Porsche #540) 545 laps
19. Kern/Olsen/Robichon/Hargrove (Porsche #9), 470 laps
23. Müller/Bachler/Renauer/Häring/Görig (Porsche #99), 47 lap

This is the IMSA SportsCar Championship
The IMSA SportsCar Championship is a sports car race series that has been contested in the USA and Canada since 2014. The series originated from the merger of the American Le Mans Series and the Grand-Am Series. Sports prototypes and sports cars start in four different classes: GTLM (GT Le Mans), GTD (GT Daytona), Dpi (Daytona Prototype international) and LMP2 (Le Mans Prototype 2). The Porsche 911 RSR runs in the GTLM class, and the Porsche 911 GT3 R contests the GTD class.