There are three Porsches in the line-up for the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year, which shows just how importance the race is to the carmaker. Porsche has an impressive sixteen Le Mans trophies to its name but the twenty-year old record is under threat from Audi, currently at thirteen victories. Both brands belong to the Volkswagen group and Le Mans is evidently a bone of contention with the two prestige marques tussling to be top dog.

Timo Bernhard-Brendon Hartley-Mark Webber (Porsche 919 Hybrid n°17) - Timo Bernhard has long been a Porsche factory driver and a win with the team would be a just reward for his loyalty. Brendon Hartley started out in LM P2 with Murphy Prototypes so a win for him would be the consecration of an already promising career in endurance. As for Mark Webber, he’s made the 24 Hours of Le Mans crown a new challenge in an already glittering career. A win for Webber would make him one of the few drivers to have won both Le Mans and the Monaco Grand Prix. Only Tazio Nuvolari, Maurice Trintignant, Bruce McLaren, Graham Hill and Jochen Rindt have achieved the feat so far.

Romain Dumas-Marc Lieb-Neel Jani (Porsche 919 Hybrid n°18) - Like Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas is a faithful Porsche factory driver. The pair have already won Le Mans, with Audi Sport in 2010. For eminent 911 specialist Marc Lieb, an LM24 victory would be the ultimate recognition of his remarkable conversion to prototypes. Marcel Fässler was the first Swiss driver to win the 24 Hours (with Audi) and now his aim is to be the first Swiss driver to win the 24 Hours in a Porsche.

Earl Bamber-Nico Hülkenberg-Nick Tandy (Porsche 919 Hybrid n°19) - The third Porsche will no doubt attract plenty of attention thanks to Nico Hülkenberg, an active Formula One driver with Force India. Briton Nick Tandy will be looking to follow in the footsteps of fellow countrymen Richard Attwood and Derek Bell. For Earl Bamber and both his co-drivers, this would be a first win at the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Jean-Philippe Doret / ACO        Translated from French by Emma Paulay
Photo: VISION SPORT AGENCY

Photo: SPA (BELGIUM), SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, 6 HOURS OF SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS WEC, SATURDAY 2 MAY 2015, RACE. The Porsche 919 hybrid, driven by Romain Dumas, Marc Lieb and Neel Jani finished second in the first two rounds of the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship.