Unusual:The Porsche 917 K 81
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Unusual:The Porsche 917 K 81

The failure of the neo-retro prototype of the Kremer brothers.

The Porsche 917, having had a double victory at the 24 Hours (in 1970 and 1971),  was also the star of the film "Le Mans" with Steve McQueen. A total of 65 copies and replicas were produced ... and one  was distinguished in competition!

Now 12 years old, the Porsche 917 was back in 1981! The competitive Kremer brothers produced the car for racing, with a flat 12 engine giving 570 hp, maybe  the ultimate evolution called the "K 81", it could  potentially play a role, especially as it enjoyed the tacit support of the works team (providing the original plans and two engines for the team).

Presented at the end of May and with preparation only finished at Le Mans, the "old" car ... is too new! It quickly shows its limitations in adapting to more modern tyres and some aerodynamic alterations made ​​to the "short tail" body turn out to be disastrous: the replica tops out at 300 kph on the Mulsanne straight, where its rivals flirt with 340 kph! Qualifying only 18th with a lap time of 3:46, it is far from the 3:30 previously predicted by computer. Also at discreet trials, there were many problems reported back. Its driver, Bob Wollek (joined by Xavier Lepeyre and Guy Chasseuil) was also annoyed with sponsors and refused to continue to support the project  and anyway sadly their race ended after seven hours (with a broken engine).
 

Should we conclude from this experience that it was stupid to do something new with the old? Subsequently it proved not, because before joining its "half-sisters" at the museum, the now unsponsored 917 K 81 made a last stand at Brands Hatch, where with Wollek and Pescarolo driving, it proved more swift and even led the race for some time, before retiring with suspension failure (the race was won by the Lola T600 of Guy Edwards and Emilio de Villota, whose daughter and Marussia F1 test driver Maria, sadly died last Friday and then in an unfortunate twist of fate Guy's son Sean was killed in Australia on 15th October). Moreover, in that same year 1981, the Porsche 956 was born: the ultimate evolution of the 956 won at Le Mans in 1982, 13 years later!

Julien HERGAULT/ACO  Translated by Tony Light/ACO          Photos: Jean-François RIOM

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