Looking Back at Porsche's Half-Century of Winning at Le Mans

Pivotal Victory

Today, it's easy to say that Porsche and Le Mans go together like peanut butter and jelly. But prior to the brand's first win at the legendary endurance race 50 years ago, few could have predicted such a thing. That initial victory played a pivotal role in the automaker's transformation from a small family entity to a world renowned sports car builder, which is why Porsche chose to reflect on this key moment in its history recently.

Photos: Porsche

Looking Back

Dr. Wolfgang Porsche was a mere teenager back then, sitting on the pit wall with his father at various races. "Of course I loved to accompany him," he said. "But I wasn’t allowed to go every time because the race was always held during the school year." However, the entire family would go more regularly to the Nürburgring for the German Grand Prix, which was often held during summer vacation.

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Timeline

Le Mans was something special for Porsche, however, and Porsche can almost piece together a timeline of his early life with pictures of himself attending the legendary race over the years. By 2017, he was in the control room with engineers, sifting through enormous volumes of data on their monitors to develop the best strategy for the twenty-four-hour race.

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Unparalleled Devotion

"For me it’s not just about being there but supporting the entire Porsche team," Porsche said. "I suffer through the mechanical issues and am thrilled when we succeed." Porsche has had all manner of tragedies and triumphs in Le Mans, and no manufacturer has been more successful on the course near the Sarthe River. These photos reveal an unparalleled devotion to the iconic race.

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Phenomenal Milestone

Since the very first appearance of two modified Porsche 356s in 1951, no year has passed without the presence of Porsche race cars driven by factory or customer teams. Which is why Le Mans is also known as "Porsche’s living room." Some races were, of course, more memorable than others, like the first overall Porsche victory in 1970. "That win was a "phenomenal milestone," Porsche said. "It was the first time we showed we could beat the really big names. It was a breakthrough on the international stage."

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Pivotal Win

The next half a century brought eighteen more overall victories. But the race in 1976 holds a special place in Porsche’s heart. The Porsche 936 was the first turbocharged car in history to win Le Mans. A few years into the energy crisis, the debate was heating up in some countries over whether to ban cars, making this win all the more valuable. "We showed that turbos are fuel-efficient and well-engineered, which was crucial for the success of the production models," he said. 

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Customer First

"Never give up - that’s the Porsche mindset," he said. "The race isn’t over until you cross the finish line. Hang in there and be there when it counts." Despite the end of the LMP1 era, Wolfgang Porsche still comes to Le Mans whenever his schedule allows. "I’m excited about the performance of our GT cars," he said. "That’s of great interest to me because our customers drive in that class too. And nothing is more important to us than our customers." 

Photos: Porsche

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