The 36 most interesting facts and figures about Porsche and Le Mans
100%
At the 2015 final WEC round in Bahrain, both throttle barrel levers broke on the Timo Bernhard/Brendon Hartley/Mark Webber car. The fact that the three drivers still reached the chequered flag and became world champions was thanks to a mechanic’s clever idea and quick thinking engineers: mechanics had locked the barrels on full throttle – by putting two pliers into the engine, fixed with cable straps – while engineers were busy programming in real time to keep the car running.
239
On November 30 2014, Mark Webber was on lap 239 at the season’s finale in São Paulo when he suffered the worst crash of his entire career.
248
After 248 laps in São Paulo, Neel Jani in the sister car, scored the first race win of the Porsche 919 Hybrid.
395
laps were covered by Earl Bamber/Nico Hülkenberg/Nick Tandy on their way to win the 2015 Le Mans 24-Hours. The three LMP rookies agreed before the race that they each drive the speed they were comfortable while trying to avoid hitting anything. This way a podium finish should be doable. The plan resulted in the first overall victory for Porsche since 1998.
397
laps is the longest distance ever covered during the Le Mans 24-Hours. The 2010 winners all had a Porsche junior background (Timo Bernhard/Romain Dumas/Mike Rockenfeller). They shared an Audi when they covered the 5,410.713 kilometres.
> 400
HP contribute the two different energy recovery systems (front axle brakes and exhaust). On demand, an electric engine powers the front axle and turns the 919 Hybrid in to what is in effect, a temporary four-wheel drive car.
< 500
HP is the output of the 919’s turbo charged petrol engine that drives the rear axle.
919
The 919 Hybrid is the only LMP1 that regains energy not only when braking but also when accelerating, thanks to exhaust energy recovery.
1900
was the year when Ferdinand Porsche created the first car with a serial hybrid drive. Its name “Semper Vivus” translates to “always alive”. Two wheel hub electric engines (20 ampere at 90 volt each) and a battery were constantly serving two combustion engines by a dynamo. At the 1901 Semmering hill climb race, an improved version of the Lohner Porsche prototype comfortably achieved the best time of an electric car. Afterwards a small series of two-seater electric compact cars were built.
2013
For two hours the smell would linger for if a driver broke wind in the car commented Neel Jani – unhappy with the cockpit ventilation of the first test car back in 2013.
