Porsche’s historical wink to Le Mans

Seven stripes of color. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Porsche is also celebrating the 75th anniversary of its racing department. And to make it special, a special livery was necessary.

The German manufacturer feels right at home in Le Mans. With 19 successes in Sarthe, Porsche is the most victorious team here. Some colors of the cars that triumphed there will appear on the Hypercar 2023.

First, the orange of the 917. A little nod to the sponsor of the time, Gulf. This prototype became famous thanks to the movie Le Mans, starring Steve McQueen.

Pink pig!

Next, the pink. At the same time as the 917, Porsche unveils the 917/20. This one has a “pig” pink color. Delicatessen parts are also drawn on the car’s bodywork. The latter did not see the arrival of the race, but in 2018, its little sister, in GTE PRO, won in its category.

A touch of green. This color is much rarer on cars from the Stuttgart brand. But in 1969, Gérard Larousse is behind the wheel of a green and purple car. This does not please the leaders of Porsche, but the “hippie” style delights the sponsors of the team. This car finishes second in 1970.

Tributes to sponsors

Light blue, referring to a historic sponsor. Martini and Porsche. In the 1970s, the two entities were inseparable. The logo of the famous drink is displayed numerous times on the German creations and even appears on the final podium.

In 1971, Helmut Marko and Gijs van Lennep take the 917LH to the top step of the podium. The duo set a distance record that seemed inconceivable at the time: 5,335 kilometers. It would only be beaten 39 years later, by Audi.

Dark blue in tribute to cigarettes. Today, we would no longer see this. Large logos plastered on car bodies. While anti-smoking laws are doing their job well, the public has unfortunately lost iconic liveries. In the 80s, Rothmans sponsored Porsche. The 956 and 962 sported the colors of the cigarette brand, once again with successes to their name: 1982, 1983, 1986 and 1987.

Successful Collaboration

The red for the second team. In 1969, Porsche comes with a factory machine and one under the banner of Salzburg. After narrowly missing victory (120m behind Ford), Porsche Salzburg comes back stronger in 1970. That year, the second team triumphs with an Austrian-colored livery. They win with a five-lap lead.

Finally, the yellow for the partnership with Penske. The central yellow stripe with a red border is inspired by the victorious past of the Porsche-Penske association. The collaboration with the American team bore fruit in the early 1970s: two titles in the CanAm series. Then three titles in the American Le Mans Series with the RS Spyder.

This one, despite being an LMP2, easily held its own against the Audis in the ALMS.