Porsche commits to FIA WEC until 2018
Ahead of Weissach’s top class return to the Nürburgring, the board of Porsche AG has confirmed that the Le Mans prototype programme will continue until at least the end of the 2018 season.
Porsche returned to top class prototype racing last year and, in only the second season of the programme, secured a one-two finish (a historic 17th triumph) at the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans earlier this year.
On the back of that success, the board has backed the LMP1 motorsport project for another three seasons as it hunts for its first world championship title since 1985.
While Chairman of Porsche AG, Matthias Müller stressed that “motorsport is an important part of Porsche’s brand identity but not an end in itself”, it seems the board is particular impressed with the technological harmony between the FIA WEC’s regulations and the increasing trend for hybrid road cars.
“The competition bears fruits and we see further potential for future synergy between the racing and road car programmes. This is why we have extended the programme,” explained Müller.
According to Wolfgang Hatz (head of R&D), the 919 Hybrid’s “two-litre V4-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with a performance of over 500hp is the most efficient combustion engine we have built so far” as Porsche continues to use the lessons learned on the track in its future road car offerings.
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