Porsche likes to honor the racing liveries of its past, and the company's racing team is climbing aboard the throwback bandwagon for this weekend's 2019 Rolex 24 at Daytona. The company will run two 911 RSR race cars with historic Brumos Racing Team liveries.
The white cars with red and blue stripes recall the original Brumos colors Porsche race cars wore throughout the second half of the 20th century, though the red and blue stripes are filled in with the number 59, a nod to the historic racing number from the company's past. The first race for the Brumos team was also the first official race for Porsche outside of Europe, and it took place in 1955 in Daytona.
Porsche 911 RSR Brumos racing livery for 2019 Rolex 24 at Daytona
One 911 RSR will bare the racing number 911 with Nick Tandy, Patrick Pilet, and Fred Mackowiecki as its pilots. The second car will wear the 912 number with drivers Earl Bamber, Laurens Vanthoor, and Mathieu Jaminet at the wheel.
Porsche boasts a decorated legacy at Daytona. Two years after the first 24-hour long race took place in 1966, Porsche landed a triple victory. The German sports car maker also holds 22 victories at the track.
The throwback liveries from Porsche join two other makes: Ford and Acura. Ford announced earlier this month that it would run two GT race cars with historic liveries: one in Roush Racing Motorcraft colors and the other with a Castrol livery. Acura's ARX-05 prototype racer will wear a livery inspired by the Comptech Racing Acura-Spice GTP Lights race cars of the 1990s, complete with white and orange hues. Both makes said the liveries celebrate IMSA's 50th anniversary this year.
Ford will revert to its standard GT liveries following the Rolex 24 at Daytona, but Acura will keep its retro design for the entire season. Porsche hasn't said if the Brumos colors will stick around this year, but we can only hope so. The race kicks off on Saturday.
