Hartley primed for Le Mans week

| Photographer Credit: Porsche AG

It’s the start of the week leading up to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the latest round of the World Endurance Championship and Porsche works driver Brendon Hartley is ready to take on the challenge.

“When I drove in Le Mans for the first time in 2012, I immediately fell in love with this race,” Hartley commented. “The first night racing experience is something I will never forget. This tunnel vision and warp speed type feeling – I loved this sensation. Plus the circuit itself, with its unique features such as crowns in the roads and massive straight-line speeds.”

Public expectations are high ahead of the 84th running of the Le Mans 24-Hours on June 18/19 as Porsche enters the world’s hardest race with the 919 Hybrid as a record holder, title defender and leader in both the manufacturers’ and drivers’ world championships. Le Mans is also the third round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).

Ahead of the season’s highlight, the trio of Romain Dumas (FR), Neel Jani (CH) and Marc Lieb (DE) leads the drivers’ standings. The reigning world champions in the sister car, Timo Bernhard (DE), Brendon Hartley (NZ) and Mark Webber (AU), have been unlucky in the first two rounds (accident in Silverstone, puncture in Spa-Francorchamps) and can’t wait to catch up. At the classic on La Sarthe, the teams and drivers are rewarded with double points compared to the other eight six-hour races in the championship.

“The Porsche curves, in my opinion, is one of the best high speed sections on any track in the world. There is so much passion for this endurance race. The special atmosphere starts with scrutineering one week before the race. At the Friday parade through the streets of Le Mans you really feel that you’re part of the history, in which Porsche plays a big role. Entering Le Mans with this brand is a dream.”

For Porsche it is the third entry in Le Mans after returning to top level motorsport. In 2015, at only the second try, Porsche managed a one-two result. The 919, with its ground-breaking downsizing two-litre V4 turbocharged petrol engine and its two energy recovery systems (brake and exhaust energy), has been significantly developed. It produces a system power of 662 kW (900 HP) and hits the Le Mans roads with an aerodynamic configuration for low drag. On the long straights the 919 frequently reaches top speeds above 320 km/h.

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