Porsche 919 Hybrid - Ready For Museum After Three Le Mans Wins

Porsche 919 Hybrid is a sports-prototype race car, built according to FIA rules for LMP1-H prototypes, which brought three Le Mans 24h victories and three FIA World Endurance Championship titles to German manufacturer in recent years.

The car had a competitive debut in the 2014 FIA WEC season. It scored three consecutive Le Mans wins in 2015, 2016 and 2017. In the same three seasons, Porsche captured manufacturers’ and drivers’ titles in the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Following its third triumph with 919 Hybrid in 2017, Porsche withdrew from the championship in the prototype class.

The world premiere at 2014 Geneva Motor Show

Porsche’s return to sports prototype racing after sixteen years

Porsche is undoubtedly the most successful factory team in the history of Le Mans, with a staggering 16 overall wins between 1970 and 1998. After that amazing success, the period of Audi’s dominance followed, starting from 2000. In 2012, Audi scored its eleventh victory at Le Mans. The same year, Porsche announced its return to the sports-prototype racing. The goal was to stop Audi’s dominance and to continue winning streak with a 17th victory at Circuit de la Sarthe.

During 2013, Porsche was developing a brand new hybrid prototype to challenge a premium LMP1 class, in which only Audi and Toyota had the hybrid cars. Audi was competing with R18 e-tron quattro, which features 3.7-litre V6 turbodiesel engine plus hybrid system. On the other side, Toyota TS 030 Hybrid was using 3.4-litre V8 normally aspirated petrol engine.

Porsche 917, Porsche 918 and Porsche 919 Hybrid

Completely different engine for 919 Hybrid

Unlike its rivals, Porsche decided to use radically different layout, the 2-litre V4 turbocharged gasoline engine with direct injection and two energy recuperation systems. The name of the car, 919 Hybrid, was chosen as a reference to the successful Porsche 917 race car of the 1970s and the Porsche 918 street car that was introduced in 2013.

The first version of the 919 Hybrid was using a Lithium-ion battery hybrid system and can store up to 6 MJ of energy (1.7 kWh) per lap of Le Mans. The car also featured an exhaust energy recovery system that runs through a turbine in the exhaust.

900 horse powers in the 875 kg car

The combustion engine exported about 500 hp to the rear axle. The Engine Generator Unit adds about 400 hp which goes to the front axle via KERS. So, the total power was about 900 hp, which brings a sensational power-to-weight ratio because 919 Hybrid has the minimum weight of 875 kg. The car needs just 2.2 seconds from zero to 60 mph.

Porsche is using a different engine than its rivals Audi and Toyota

919 Hybrid challenged new rivals from Audi and Toyota

The 4650 mm long car had a composite fiber construction made of carbon fibers with a honeycomb aluminum core. The width of the car is 1900 mm, the height is 1050 mm. It features front and rear multi-link pushrod independent wheel suspension with adjustable shock absorbers. For braking, the 919 Hybrid was using hydraulic dual-circuit brake system, light-alloy monobloc brake calipers, internally ventilated carbon fiber rear and front brake discs. The tires are the same on the front and rear, the Michelin’s 310/710-18.

While Porsche was developing 919 Hybrid, Audi scored its 12th Le Mans victory in 2013. For the 2014 FIA WEC season, both Audi and Toyota introduced new versions of their prototypes. Audi started using bigger 4.0-liter V8 diesel engine, Toyota also increased an engine capacity to 3.7-litres.

Porsche 919 Hybrid had a competitive debut in 2014

Podium in the first race for 919 Hybrid

Porsche Team made its competitive debut in the first round of the 2014 World Endurance Championship, the 6 Hours of Silverstone, with two 919 Hybrids on the grid. The #20 car, driven by Timo Bernhard, Brendon Hartley and Mark Webber, finished third behind two Toyotas. The #14 entry, driven by Romain Dumas, Neel Jani and Marc Lieb, was forced to retire.

Hard-learning debut season

At the 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans, both cars had problems with a broken anti-roll bar and both crews were forced to pit. The #14 car returned to the circuit to complete a ceremonial lap at the end of the race and was classified eleventh overall. The #20 car stayed in the pits but it wasn’t classified in the official standings.

Audi has won Le Mans race for the 13th time. At the end of the season, Toyota took manufacturers’ championship title. For the Porsche Team, the season ended with only one victory, in the last race at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace in Sao Paulo.

#19 Porsche 919 Hybrid – 2015 Le Mans winner

Six wins in the 2015 FIA WEC, including Le Mans 24h

Everything changed in the 2015 FIA WEC season, with six victories for Porsche 919 Hybrid in eight races. Bernhard, Hartley and Webber scored four wins and two more podiums with #17 car, dominantly taking the championship title. The other crew, in the #18 car, scored one victory, at Bahrain.

The highlight of the season was Porsche’s historic victory at Le Mans 24-hour race. The winners in the #19 car were Nico Hulkenberg, Nick Tandy and Earl Bamber. Porsche’s drivers were back on the top podium spot after 17 years and they scored the 17th victory.

Three cars for the 2015 Le Mans race

In 2016, Porsche again took everything

A year later, Porsche Team repeated the success, at Le Mans and in the championship, with six wins in nine races. This time, Romain Dumas, Neel Jani and Marc Lieb were the championship-winning crew in the drivers’ standings, but also at 24 hours of Le Mans. They scored a victory at Circuit de la Sarthe with #2 Porsche 919 Hybrid after a dramatical retirement of a leading #5 Toyota in the very last lap.

Bernhard, Hartley and Webber scored four wins again but because they had bad results in first three races, they were just fourth in the final classification. During the season, Mark Webber announced that this would be his last season in the professional racing career.

Porsche 919 Hybrid was wearing the number 1 in 2016 and 2017 FIA WEC seasons

New line-up and maximum result in 2017

The Porsche Team changed line-ups in two Porsche 919 Hybrids for the 2017 FIA WEC season. The drivers in the #1 car were Neel Jani, Andre Lotterer and Nick Tandy. The #2 crew members were Timo Bernhard, Brendon Hartley and Earl Bamber.

In 2017, Porsche again took all, winning both Le Mans race and championship titles in manufacturers’ and drivers’ categories. Timo Bernhard and Brendon Hartley captured their second title in the 919 era. For their teammate Earl Bamber it was the first championship title. They were also victorious crew at Le Mans.

Fritz Enzinger, Vice President of Porsche LMP1 program

Seventeen wins in 34 races

At the end of 2017 FIA WEC season, Porsche announced withdrawal from the prototype class of the world’s premier sports car competition, focusing on a preparation for the Formula E.

The Porsche 919 Hybrid will find its place in the Porsche Museum as one of the most successful cars in a history of Le Mans and endurance racing in general. In four FIA WEC seasons, the 919 Hybrid scored 17 wins in 34 races, what was an outstanding winning ratio of 50 percent.

Photos: Porsche,