24h Le Mans
In 1986 and 87, the Porsche 962C took two additional successes at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and immediately became the direct heir of the famous 956, which had won four consecutive victories in the Sarthe.
Photo : Archives ACO
The 962C first appeared in a race in 1984 in the United States IMSA series, the American endurance championship of the 80s, before crossing the Atlantic for its first appearance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1985. The German Hans-Joachim Stuck gave the car a great baptism at the Circuit of the 24 Hours with a fabulous pole position (3'14''80-251 km/h), but both the factory 962Cs were beaten by the private 956 run by Reinhold Joest, driven by Klaus Ludwig, Paolo Barilla and the gentleman driver "John Winter"(Louis Krages).
Hans-Joachim Stück and Briton Derek Bell finished third in 1985 and were joined by American Al Holbert in 1986 and 1987 to form the winning trio at these two races. The 962C was present at the 24 Hours of Le Mans until 1993, recording four podiums from 1988 to 1990, and still is the last factory Porsche prototype to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Please read also:
Porsche 917/30, the missing link
The victorious Porsche at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1): the 917
The victorious Porsche at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (2): the 936
The victorious Porsche at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (3): the 935
The victorious Porsche at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (4): the 956
Porsche, the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2014 ... and Red Bull
For other stories about Porsche at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and their comeback in prototypes in 2014, visit the official microsite Mission 2014 - Our Return.
PHOTO: CIRCUIT OF THE 24 HOURS (Le Mans, Sarthe), 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, 13 & 14 JUNE 1987. Driving the Porsche 962C, Hans-Joachim Stuck, Derek Bell and Al Holbert become the first crew of three drivers to win two consecutive victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
