Latest news with #SixHoursofFuji
Forbes
26-04-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
Did Porsche Just Tease Street-Legal Version Of Its 963 Le Mans Racer?
GOTEMBA, JAPAN - SEPTEMBER 13: The #06 Porsche Penske Motorsport, Porsche 963 of Kevin Estre, Andre ... More Lotterer, and Laurens Vanthoor in action during practice at the Six Hours of Fuji on September 13, 2024 in Gotemba, Japan. (Photo by James) Converting race cars for road use is nothing new, and in decades gone by was especially common among closed-wheel endurance racers that compete at events like Le Mans. It isn't unusual to see GT racers from the 1950s and 60s used on the public road, and even more modern machines from the end of 1990s, like the McLaren F1 GTR, can be converted to meet street safety laws, usually by way of fitting turn signals, wipers, treated tires and license plates. Porsche reminded us all this week how a 1975 example of its legendary 917 race car was made road legal, complete with a tan leather interior commissioned from Hermès, a suede roof lining, and Alabama license plates. Featured in the video below, the car was originally owned by Italian businessman and Martini heir Gregorio Rossi di Montelera (better known simply as Count Rossi). In recent years it has been enjoyed by its France-based owner and is occasionally spotted on the streets of central London. Bringing this car to attention isn't particularly unusual. Porsche has an extensive heritage collection and frequently covers its history on the pages of its own Newsroom website. But a short video showcasing the street-legal 917, published on 25 April, ended with a shock. It closes with the words 'What if?', followed by a close-up shot of the drive mode selector of Porsche's current endurance racer, the 963, and a brief glimpse of that car, side-on, and covered by shadow. The snapshot of the car is enough to identify it as the 963, but it's not possible to see whether it's wearing license plates or street-legal tires. Conveniently, it's also impossible to tell whether the car's sharp front and rear aero structures – extremely unlikely to pass any pedestrian safety test or make their way onto a street-legal car – are still present, or have been toned down. The video also states 'June 2025', which is the month in which the 24 Hours of Le Mans takes place. Perhaps this is also when Porsche will share more about what on Earth is going on here. Porsche hasn't produced a roadgoing hypercar since the 918 Spyder back in 2014. That car sparred with the LaFerrari and McLaren P1, but a followup to compete with the new Ferrari F80 and McLaren W1 is yet to materialize. Porsche had previously suggested its next hypercar would be a production version of the electric Mission X, but little has been said about that car since it was revealed in 2023. Porsche video shows a side profile of its 963 racer While rivals like Ferrari, McLaren, Lamborghini, Bugatti and Aston Martin have all produced limited-run, high-priced, track-only hypercars for their most loyal customers, Porsche has sat on the sidelines. Those cars, like the McLaren Solus GT, Bugatti Bolide, Aston Martin Valkyrie and various members of Ferrari's FXX programme have all relieved millions of dollars from the pockets of billionaire gear-heads, Porsche has lacked a true hypercar, street-legal or otherwise. Will this year's Le Mans see Porsche reveal a version of its endurance racer available to the public? Perhaps a (slightly) toned down evolution of the 963, in the same vein as the track-only Ferrari's 499P Modificata? Porsche teased the idea of a street-legal variant of its all-conquering 919 race car a few years ago, called the 919 Street. That never materialized, but perhaps now Porsche has a plan for sharing its endurance racing successes with its most loyal, and wealthy, customers.
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
'I just want to win a race'
Jenson Button says he just "wants to win a race" in 2025 as he prepares to start his second season racing in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) this weekend. The 2009 Formula One world champion begins the long-distance championship's eight-race campaign at the Qatar 1812km on Friday. He is again racing for British outfit Hertz Team Jota in the top hypercar class, the team now affiliated with Cadillac for the first time after running Porsche engines last season. "Jota has won a race every year it's competed in WEC, so that's pretty, pretty impressive - I think we need to continue that trend," Button told BBC Radio Somerset. "Every driver will say they want to win [the 24 Hours of] Le Mans and that's top of the bucket list. I just want to win a race. "When you stand on the top of that podium and you know the talent that you've been up against in terms of drivers, manufacturers, teams, it's a very impressive feat - so that has to be the aim and there's no reason why we can't. "We have no excuses. The car's good. I think the team of people we have are good." Button finished 19th in the 2024 drivers championship, with his best result sixth at the Six Hours of Fuji race in September, while he was also ninth at Le Mans. Despite missing one of the pre-season practice sessions due to a bout of bronchitis, Button said he has "got to grips reasonably quickly" with the new car. There are also advantages to being in a manufacturer's team which the 45-year-old believes will give Jota more of an edge this year. "You feel the difference and I think it's because when you have an issue you can work with the tools a lot more because it's obviously all open," Button said. "Whereas last year we were limited on what we can actually do and certain things we just could not change because we weren't allowed to. "It's what [Porsche] Penske basically chose and we went with it whereas here it's a lot more open and there's a lot more adjustability and things get done a lot quicker. "I think it's a lot easier to make progress and find comfort in the car." Last year was Button's first full season of racing since 2019 when he competed in Japan's Super GT Championship. While getting back into driving was not an issue, adjusting to the complex systems in the cars was the biggest learning curve. "It's not [a case of] you set it up and then you just drive it," Button said. "It was understanding the tools and they can make a massive difference to how the car feels and you can really benefit if you understand those tools. "This year it's been a lot easier. It's obviously different systems but a lot of the stuff does the same."
BBC News
27-02-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
'I just want to win a race'
Jenson Button says he just "wants to win a race" in 2025 as he prepares to start his second season racing in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) this 2009 Formula One world champion begins the long-distance championship's eight-race campaign at the Qatar 1812km on is again racing for British outfit Hertz Team Jota in the top hypercar class, the team now affiliated with Cadillac for the first time after running Porsche engines last season."Jota has won a race every year it's competed in WEC, so that's pretty, pretty impressive - I think we need to continue that trend," Button told BBC Radio Somerset."Every driver will say they want to win [the 24 Hours of] Le Mans and that's top of the bucket list. I just want to win a race."When you stand on the top of that podium and you know the talent that you've been up against in terms of drivers, manufacturers, teams, it's a very impressive feat - so that has to be the aim and there's no reason why we can't."We have no excuses. The car's good. I think the team of people we have are good." Button finished 19th in the 2024 drivers championship, with his best result sixth at the Six Hours of Fuji race in September, while he was also ninth at Le missing one of the pre-season practice sessions due to a bout of bronchitis, Button said he has "got to grips reasonably quickly" with the new are also advantages to being in a manufacturer's team which the 45-year-old believes will give Jota more of an edge this year."You feel the difference and I think it's because when you have an issue you can work with the tools a lot more because it's obviously all open," Button said."Whereas last year we were limited on what we can actually do and certain things we just could not change because we weren't allowed to."It's what [Porsche] Penske basically chose and we went with it whereas here it's a lot more open and there's a lot more adjustability and things get done a lot quicker."I think it's a lot easier to make progress and find comfort in the car."Last year was Button's first full season of racing since 2019 when he competed in Japan's Super GT Championship. While getting back into driving was not an issue, adjusting to the complex systems in the cars was the biggest learning curve. "It's not [a case of] you set it up and then you just drive it," Button said."It was understanding the tools and they can make a massive difference to how the car feels and you can really benefit if you understand those tools."This year it's been a lot easier. It's obviously different systems but a lot of the stuff does the same."
