Porsche's motorsport dominance: From Le Mans to Formula 1 challenges

Porsche has won 19 races at Le Mans, and in 2024, the German team secured pole position and was once again a strong contender for victory. If we look at individual classes, the total number of triumphs has exceeded 100, and by winning the GT3 class, Porsche added another to its extensive list. But where do these successes come from, and why am I sure they will continue?

I could attribute it to the German approach and leave it at that. However, it's not that straightforward. We've had many German teams at Le Mans and various other racing and rally series, but not all can boast such successes. So, let's take a broader look beyond just Porsche.

The brand from Zuffenhausen is the most sport-oriented one from Germany. The new advertising slogan "Raceborn" is no coincidence. From the beginning, Porsche has been a sports brand. Although SUVs and limousines are key offerings today, this has not happened for decades. Porsche has always been connected to motorsport. This alone shows that for the iconic 911 manufacturer, racing (and sometimes rallying) was vital in building the brand's image, but it was also a passion for its creators.

We must look at the entire approach to motorsport more broadly. From its early days, Porsche was linked with Volkswagen and today is the largest shareholder in the VAG group. Thus, if we consider the victories in the 24-hour Le Mans of all Volkswagen Group brands, we should add 13 wins for Audi (the second most successful brand, ahead of Ferrari) and one for Bentley (not counting the British victories from the first decade of racing) to Porsche's 19 triumphs. That totals 33 victories. In comparison, BMW boasts one win, and Mercedes has two (including one in cooperation with Sauber).

Moreover, the history of VAG in motorsport is not limited to Le Mans and endurance racing. Volkswagen's entries in the World Rally Championship were also impressive—they showed up, won for several years, and withdrew. The seasons from 2013 to 2016 appeared like an operation of the best-trained special forces. The German team, with Sébastien Ogier, won all the manufacturer and driver titles during their four-year presence in WRC.

A similar scenario unfolded in the Dakar Rally. I'm not only referring to Carlos Sainz's recent victory in the Audi RS Q e-tron. From 2009 to 2011, Volkswagen secured annual victories with their car, promoting Touareg. Looking further back, it's worth remembering Porsche’s victories in 1984 (with the 911 model) and 1986 (with the 959).

How do they do it? The answer is both simple and complex. Porsche and Volkswagen do nothing "half-heartedly." If they engage in a sport, it's only to win and preferably to dominate. This, however, requires various elements. Of course, money is crucial. The history of motorsport (especially recent history) shows that saving and relying on luck does not make achieving success easier, to say the least. On the other hand, in recent decades, we've seen companies mindlessly pouring in vast amounts of money, which also did not result in success. However, Porsche managed to return to Le Mans and win three consecutive times from 2015-2017.

It's all about great planning. Money needs to be there and used wisely. The Volkswagen Group has demonstrated that it knows how to do this. Ferrari won the 24-hour races at Le Mans in 2023 and 2024. When it returned to endurance racing, it did so without half-measures. So, will Porsche achieve its 20th victory with the 963 Hypercar? I am convinced that their chances are very high.

The first year of this model was moderately successful, but the Germans quickly learned from their experiences. Of course, the legendary American Penske team's experience, which manages the factory Porsche team in endurance racing, is also helpful, but the customer teams are equally important. The result? In the USA, Porsche won the 24-hour race at Daytona and the race at Laguna Seca. In the WEC championship, the Germans started with a victory in Qatar, while in Belgium's Spa, the Porsche 963 of the customer team Jota triumphed.

At Le Mans, Kévin Estre secured the pole position. Although it seemed Ferrari and Toyota had the best race pace, the solid driving of experienced drivers in car number #6 and a good strategy ensured the team was always in contention for victory, ultimately finishing in fourth place. Also, nine teams, including four running Porsche 963s, finished on the same lap as the winning Ferrari.

This leads to another crucial point Porsche understands: maximizing their chances is essential. Breakdowns and accidents can permanently eliminate even the fastest cars. That's why we saw six Porsche 963s at the start of Le Mans (three factory teams, two Jota teams, and one Proton Competition entry).

In the overall classification, the Germans narrowly missed the podium. Still, the improvement in pace between the 2023 and 2024 seasons suggests that next year, we should again see a fierce battle among Ferrari, Toyota, and Porsche. Perhaps even a strong Cadillac or other competitors will catch up to the leaders. Undoubtedly, we live in exciting times in the history of endurance racing, and it's gratifying to see legends like Ferrari and Porsche actively involved.

Porsche celebrated a win in the new GT3 class at Le Mans. The victory of car #91 from the Manthey team was even sweeter because there were nine different constructions among the GT class cars, and the competition between them was extremely tight.

Now, the VAG Group faces perhaps the most significant challenge in its history as Audi enters Formula 1 with Sauber—a team that, so far in the 2024 season, has not scored a single point. The queen of motorsport has repeatedly proven that even the biggest and most experienced teams can encounter significant challenges here.