Porsche wins GTE Pro, GTE Am classes in 24 Hours of Le Mans

MANILA: Porsche has won the GTE Pro class at the 2022 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, marking the 109th class win for the German car marque in the legendary endurance race.

A new distance record for the GTE class in the 24 Hours of Le Mans was set by the #91 Porsche 911 RSR, which was driven by factory works drivers Gianmaria Bruni, Richard Lietz, and Frederic Makowiecki.

The trio covered 4,769 kilometers while logging over 350 laps on their way to a commanding victory as they crossed the finish line 42.684 seconds ahead of the second-place Ferrari entry.

“The Porsche GT team has upheld our great tradition at the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” said Michael Steiner, Member of the Board for Research and Development at Porsche AG. “A big thank you to the team, the drivers and everyone else who contributed their expertise and passion to make this victory possible for Porsche.”

In the Porsche team’s sister car, drivers Kevin Estre, Michael Christensen and Laurens Vanthoor narrowly missed the podium at the 90th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The 24 Hours of Le Mans took off on June 11 amid a record crowd, bright sunshine and track temperatures reaching up to 40 degrees Celsius. The two Porsche 911 RSR cars initially moved into positions three and four, and remained within striking distance of the leader. While the critical hours began as the sun dipped below the horizon, the track temperature lowered and the two racers managed to make the best use of their tires over large stretches to progress through the field.

The winning No. 91 Porsche 911 RSR then covered the distance without further incident and outwitted their competitors’ strategies on the way to a class victory.

Meanwhile, the No. 92 Porsche 911 RSR met misfortune. Estre, Christensen, and Vanthoor put in a strong drive through the night to take the lead. By sunrise, the trio — also the 2018 Le Mans class winners — had eked out a lead of more than two minutes.

On Sunday morning, their 911 RSR's front right tire blew out and damaged a large section of the car’s front. Due to the slow drive back to the pits and repairs that took 10 minutes, the team lost three laps. The team ultimately crossed the finish line in fourth place.

In the GTE Am class, five Porsche 911 RSR cars were candidates for victory, but only one team managed to survive the grueling 24-hour race without major setbacks. The #79 entry from WeatherTech Racing driven by Julien Andlauer, Cooper MacNeil, and Thomas Merrill turned in 343 laps to claim second place. GR Racing’s #86 car achieved fourth place while the Dempsey-Proton Racing team entry took the flag in fifth place. 

Photos from Porsche

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