24h Le Mans
Motorsport history is peppered with mythical cars that have never taken the start in a race The Porsche LMP 2000, originally destined to dominate the LMP900 category at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, existed in secret for nearly 25 years. This prototype was never given the opportunity to demonstrate its potential in competition. Now, thanks to the work of Porsche's Heritage and Museum team, this "ghost of Weissach" is seeing the light of day once again.
The Porsche LMP 2000 was developed as a top contender at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Only two well-known drivers, Bob Wollek and three-time winner Allan McNish, were given a chance to take the wheel of the LMP 2000 on the testing track in Weissach, covering barely 80 km. The project was abruptly scrapped and the car garaged, a well-kept secret at Porsche.
The LMP 2000 recently hit the track again thanks to experts at Porsche Heritage Experience run by Alexander E. Klein: "For those of us at Porsche Heritage and Museum, it was a very special moment without a doubt. Exactly 25 years after the LMP 2000 project's first laps, we found ourselves back in Weissach Flacht to run the car once again. This car is like a unicorn in the history of racing. No one ever saw it in competition, and that is why we were thrilled to show it off."
After taking the wheel for the occasion, Allan McNish: "It's like I was 25 again. It was fantastic to hear this V10 again. Going down the back straight, pedal to the metal, and listening to the engine roar above 7,000 rpm. It is a magnificent sound." The Scottish driver's enthusiasm underscores the raw power and heart of this car never seen in-race.
For McNish, the testing session was as much about driving as it was about going back in time: "It was like a class reunion, seeing the engineers and mechanics with whom I used to work. What people don't realize is through these projects, you become sort of a family and it felt a bit as if I had come home."
Current Porsche CEO Thomas Laudenbach remembers that period as a turning point: "I was a young automotive engineer when I joined the project. We were a tiny team. We all worked on everything, from mechanical development to application. That was great for me because it was the first time I worked on a motorsport project and particularly one that started with a blank slate. The learning curve was incredible. I was just starting out and it was a privilege to work for Porsche who won Le Mans in 1998."
Bringing the Porsche LMP 2000 backwill offer 24 Hours fans a rare opportunity to discover a hidden gem in Porsche's history. This resurrection makes us wish we could have witnessed the prototype take on the Audi R8, the Cadillac Northstar LMP, the Panoz LMP01, the Courage C60, the Dallara SP1 and the Dome S101, all the LMP 2000's rivals of the LMP900 category era.
