Porsche knows how to pay tribute to its most historic moments with panache. In 2013, for the 50th anniversary of the legendary 911, the German marque won in both LMGTE Pro and LMGTE Am. Porsche and the 911 had not triumphed in either class again until today, a perfect way to celebrate the car’s 70th anniversary.
Kévin Estre: “This was great racing from Porsche and Ford. The Fords showed a top speed of around 190 mph and we could never achieve that. In the beginning of the race I also had a big fight with Gimmi (Gianmaria Bruni, one of the drivers of the #91 911 RSR, Ed.). This victory is a big thing for me. This is the only race of the year I compete in France. My family and friends were here so I got a lot of pressure, that’s why this win is so emotional for me. I am proud to share this moment with my team mates who are also very good friends.”
Michael Christensen: “Having a 4-car squad here at Le Mans was of big help for all of us, engineers, mechanics and drivers. The car is quite new and we still have a lot of things to learn, but it improved a lot from last year. Pressure was big though, when we controlled the race we had to take care of the car and not to touch everyone in the traffic.”
Laurens Vanthoor: “The 70th anniversary of Porsche, with this special livery, car and helmets, will definitely be something we will remember. We had to control the race when we took the lead but I wanted to go faster. This 911 is fantastic, I wish I could enjoy more laps at the wheel but we had a job to get done. We also need luck for victory. Me and my team mates had a lot of races together, and luck paid us back.”