Porsche will bid to extend its unrivalled record of overall Le Mans 24 Hours victories when it returns to the race with a new hybrid prototype challenger in 2023.
The Stuttgart manufacturer has given the green light to the development of a new machine built to the new LMDh regulations, which have also lured Volkswagen Group stablemate Audi back to the great race.
The announcement revives a fierce on-track rivalry between the two Volkswagen Group brands, which share by far the most Le Mans wins of any manufacturer. Porsche has 19 and Audi 13, compared with the nine of Ferrari, which last won overall at Le Mans in 1965.
While Toyota and Peugeot are currently developing bespoke cars for the new Le Mans Hypercar category, Porsche will enter using the LMDh regulations, which rely on spec chassis and powertrains. Cars from both categories are eligible to compete in the top class at Le Mans from 2021 onwards, with performance balancing used to even the competition.
Tight controls on both costs and performance in LMDh are key to Porsche’s return, along with the prospect of a single class unifying endurance sports car racing across the US IMSA series and the FIA World Endurance Championship, which includes Le Mans. Porsche has stated its intention to race in both series.
“The new LMDh category allows us to fight for overall victories with a hybrid system at the Le Mans, Daytona and Sebring classics – without breaking the bank,” said Porsche boss Oliver Blume. “The project is extremely attractive for Porsche. Endurance racing is part of our brand’s DNA.
“For the first time in more than 20 years, it will be possible to fight for overall victories with identical vehicles at endurance races around the world. Moreover, the new LMDh category focuses on high cost-efficiency.”
The LMDh rules are based on upgraded chassis from the current second-tier LMP2 class, with a standardised spec for the hybrid system, including control electronics. Four different manufacturers have been approved to produce chassis, with entrants – including manufacturers such as Porsche – able to select one of the chassis and a powertrain system.
Porsche’s choice of chassis partner has yet to be confirmed. The French Oreca constructor has been the dominant force in LMP2, but Porsche also has the option of striking a deal with Multimatic, Ligier or Dallara. Teaser images of an LMDh concept hint at the potential body styling that can at least show some relation to Porsche’s road car range.
The LMDh class also features a standardised 50bhp hybrid system made by Williams Advanced Engineering, control electronics by Bosch and an Xtrac-built gearbox, all of which should help cap annual budgets to around £18 million – a significant saving from Porsche’s previous campaign in the outgoing LMP1 category, in which its sophisticated 919 hybrid scored a hat-trick of Le Mans victories between 2015 and 2017.
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Some car companies are synonymous with certain categories of motorsport and none is probably more so than Porsche and sportscar racing. Great to see Porsche returning to the sport. And I’m sure if past experience is anything to go by Porsche will absolutely exploit the rulebook to the full to find any loophole and will end up with a car which no-one quite expected, even if they’re entering a LMDh machine. 917, 935, Dauer 962, 911 GT1, mid-engine 911 RSR to name a few examples of what Porsche can do with a rulebook.