World Endurance Championship
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Porsche is at the top of its game in the World Endurance Championship, but there are rumors the German marque could exit the sport, and thus the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The reason? To either supply power units for Formula One or enter Formula E as a constructor—or possibly both. Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport is reporting that Porsche was in attendance during a July meeting of the current crop of F1 power unit suppliers to discuss regulations for the 2021 season and beyond. The current suppliers include Ferrari, Honda, Mercedes AMG and Renault. Also said to be present were Red Bull...
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Alpine promoted to Le Mans podium after Vaillante Rebellion disqualification
There’s been a shakeup in the results of last weekend’s 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans regarding the LMP2 class. The No. 13 Vaillante Rebellion Oerca 07 which placed third, thanks to the efforts of Nelson Piquet Jr, Mathias Beche and David Heinemeier Hansson, was disqualified on Monday...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
LMP1 Hybrids will require an electric-only mode in 2020
There’s no doubt vehicle electrification is going to play a major role in the development of new cars in the coming decade. Organizers of motorsport, even at the highest levels, are well aware of this and are reshaping the regulations to ensure the technology of the racing world doesn’t...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Porsche makes miracle comeback to win 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans
Porsche pulled off a miracle finish at the 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans on Sunday when it’s No. 2 919 Hybrid LMP1 driven by Earl Bamber, Timo Bernhard and Brendon Hartley crossed the finish line first, despite being stuck in the pits for over an hour at one point. The miracle was made possible...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Toyota’s Kobayashi secures 2017 Le Mans pole with record lap
Kamui Kobayashi driving the No. 7 Toyota TS050 Hybrid during qualifying for the 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans has smashed the lap record and in the process secured pole position for this weekend’s race. The ex-Formula One driver's time during the second qualifying session on Thursday was 3:14.791...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Get ready for Le Mans with this 360-degree view lap in a Porsche 919 Hybrid
Teams are currently qualifying for the 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans which runs June 17-18. You can get a sense of what it’s like to head out on the 8.5-mile Circuit de la Sarthe where the race is held thanks to this interactive video. (Note, the video doesn’t work in all browsers.) The...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
French race team Larbre Competition has revealed a wild livery for the No. 50 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R it plans to enter in the 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans, which runs the weekend starting June 17. The livery was created by French artist Ramzi Adek who came up with a pop art theme that would fit right in at a Roy Lichtenstein exhibition. In a statement, Adek explained that there are three main elements to the livery referencing the three drivers that will be taking turns behind the wheel. On one side is a woman with a strong gaze defining a fighting spirit. On the opposing side is a man’s...
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BMW M8 teased, will race at Le Mans
BMW M used this weekend’s M Festival held at the Nürburgring to confirm an M8 performance flagship will form part of the new 8-Series range currently in the works. The first member of the new range will be a regular 8-Series coupe. It debuts in 2018 and was previewed on Friday at the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Watch a 2017 Porsche 919 Hybrid LMP1 blast its way around Spa
If you ever wanted a feel for what it’s like lapping Belgium’s Spa in a top-level endurance racer, then sit down and watch this video in its entirety. It’s filmed from the cockpit of the number 2 2017 Porsche 919 Hybrid LMP1 race car with Porsche factory driver Earl Bamber behind...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Ford planned to race the Mustang at Le Mans, before deciding on the GT
The automotive world collectively gasped when Ford rolled out quite the surprise at the 2015 Detroit auto show. The blue oval welcomed the GT back into its portfolio of performance vehicles, and it had its sights on the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Believe it or not, the rebirth of the iconic GT almost...
Sean Szymkowski -
Watch Porsche wring out its 2017 919 Hybrid LMP1 at Monza
Porsche is aiming to defend its World Endurance Championship and Le Mans titles in 2017, and it recently revealed the racer it thinks is up to the task. The 2017 Porsche 919 Hybrid LMP1 is the marque’s latest track weapon, and it looks ready to pounce on the track with approximately 887...
Sean Szymkowski -
2017 Porsche 919 Hybrid LMP1 out to defend WEC, Le Mans titles
Porsche has revealed the new LMP1-spec race car that it hopes will earn it its third-straight title in both the World Endurance Championship and the event highlight, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The new car is still classified as a 919 Hybrid, but it is significantly improved compared to the 919...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
A new season of the World Endurance Championship is nearly upon us and Toyota will be back to chase the title. The automaker will do so with the 2017 TS050 Hybrid revealed today and destined to compete in the premier LMP1 class. This is the car Toyota hopes will finally earn it victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans after 18 years of trying. Toyota came painfully close to reaching the goal in 2016 but lost out in the closing minutes due to the failure of a single part. The 2017 TS050 Hybrid is an update of the car fielded last year and once again runs a twin-turbocharged 2.4-liter V-6 and 8...
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Mazzanti is new technical partner of LMP2 team Cetilar Villorba Corse
Italian supercar Mazzanti, maker of the 1,000-horsepower Evantra Millecavalli, has joined forces with Italian racing team Cetilar Villorba Corse. Cetilar Villorba Corse competes in a number of endurance events, the premier one being the 24 Hours of Le Mans in which it competes in the LMP2 class...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Porsche drivers named 2016 World Endurance champions as Audi bows out
The drivers of the number 2 Porsche 919 Hybrid Romain Dumas, Marc Lieb and Neel Jani have been declared the champions of the 2016 World Endurance Championship, with the battle for the Drivers’ title coming down to the final race in Bahrain on Saturday. Porsche was already named the winner of...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Porsche 911 finally adopts mid-engine layout with 2017 RSR
Since the first 911 entered production in 1963, Porsche has been faithful to the iconic sports car’s rear-engine layout, Beetle jokes notwithstanding. But when it comes to performance, it appears Porsche has finally reached the limits of having so much mass so far out the back. How do we know...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Porsche wins 2016 World Endurance Championship
Porsche has done it again. The automaker from Stuttgart was named the winner of the Manufacturers’ title in the 2016 World Endurance Championship at the conclusion of the 6 Hours of Shanghai on Sunday. There’s still the 6 Hours of Bahrain on November 19 but Porsche enjoys an unbeatable...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Audi to end WEC campaign after 2016, including Le Mans
Audi has confirmed earlier reports that it is about to end its participation in the World Endurance Championship. Audi will exit the sport at the end of the 2016 season, in the process ending 18 years of prototype racing. (The final race will be the 6 Hours of Bahrain on November 19.) During those...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Mark Webber, a true legend of motorsport, has announced his retirement from professional racing. The Australian will step down at the end of the 2016 World Endurance Championship in which he is racing for leading team Porsche. That means his last race will be the 6 Hours of Bahrain on November 19. Webber, 40, started racing as far back as 1991, initially in karting and then in entry-level Formula events, all the time without a sponsor at his back. In 1997 he was invited to join Mercedes-Benz with its sports car racing program. It was with the German automaker in 1999, during the 24 Hours of...
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Porsche reveals tech behind Le Mans-winning 919 Hybrid
Porsche’s 919 Hybrid is proving to be one of the most successful race cars in the German automaker’s history. It’s currently in its third year of competition and already under its belt are a title in the World Endurance Championship and a pair of victories in the 24 Hours of Le...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Ford GT to continue racing through 2019
Ford Motor Company’s [NYSE:F] new GT supercar will keep racing through the 2019 motorsport season in both the World Endurance Championship and the United SportsCar Championship. The automaker confirmed the extended motorsport program for the GT on Saturday, explaining that the program is...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Toyota reveals reason behind last-minute Le Mans fail
Poised to win its first ever 24 Hours of Le Mans last weekend, tragedy struck for Toyota as its leading #5 TS050 Hybrid prototype competing in the premier LMP1 category suddenly lost power in the closing minutes of the race. Details are now starting to emerge on what exactly went wrong with the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2016 24 Hours of Le Mans: Wins for Porsche, Ford overshadowed by heartbreak for Toyota
It was the cruelest of endings on Sunday at the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans, with car trouble costing Toyota the overall win in the closing minutes. Heavy rain prior to the race led to some flooding and saw the safety car on the track for almost the entire first hour. Once the race was on, Toyota led...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Lego Ford GT on display at Le Mans
Ford thinks it has all the pieces together to dominate the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year, but the automaker's racing car isn't quite put together the same way as the 4,000-piece Lego model it is displaying on the sidelines of the grueling race in France. Rendered in 1/3 scale, the Lego version of...
Andrew Ganz