Porsche will return in 2023 to the major series of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) with the announced 963, a 680 Hp hybrid prototype managed by Porsche Penske Motorsport, with which it will seek to reconquer the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the main endurance races in the world.
But before that happens, Porsche says goodbye to the 911 RSR With which, in 10 years of competition in the WEC, he won 18 races, won five world titles and achieved three victories in the GTE-Pro category at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
In the 2013 season, Porsche AG acquired 51% of the Manthey team and launched the 911 RSR, which uses the most powerful racing boxer engine ever to come out of the Weissach Development Center. Based on the 991 generation, that 911 RSR was the last with the boxer six-cylinder engine at the rear. For the 2017 season the new jewel from Weissach for GTE-Pro arrived. It was also developed from the 991 generation but, for the first time, this competition model had the engine ahead of the rear axle. ANDn 2019 the RSR-19 debuted powered by a 4.2-liter six-cylinder engine, the largest boxer Porsche had ever installed in a 911 racing car.
“We joined the WEC with a works team in the year of the 50th anniversary of the 911 and we immediately won the 24 Hours of Le Mans. And in the most important endurance race of the season, things closed with our third victory.”says Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President of Porsche Motorsport. “Le Mans is the pinnacle of endurance racing. We are especially proud of our successes there. We have fought hard for the other 15 class wins in the WEC and they are the culmination of the tremendous work of our team. We have written another chapter in the illustrious history of Porsche Motorsport. In 2023 we will pursue absolute victories with the Porsche 963. We are very excited about the project”.
The results in the FIA WEC
- Races held: 62 in 12 countries
- Wins in the GTE-Pro category: 18
- Pole positions (GTE-Pro): 20
- Podiums (GTE-Pro): 67
- Kilometers travelled: 155,830
- Points obtained in the world championship: 2,240
- Participating official pilots: 18
- Top speed: 312.7 km/h (Le Mans 2022)
Although the commitment with the official team comes to an end, the 911 RSR will continue to compete in the WEC with Porsche customer teams that will participate in the GTE-Am category.