Porsche claim record 17th win in Le Mans 24-hour race
Monday 15 June 2015 10:45, UK
German F1 driver Nico Hulkenberg took the chequered flag as Porsche ended Audi’s five-race winning streak to clinch a record 17th victory in the 24-hour Le Mans race.
Hulkenberg shared the drive in Porsche’s No 19 works car with Britain’s Nick Tandy and New Zealander Earl Bamber, as Porsche completed a 1-2 with the No 17 Porsche finishing ahead of Audi's No 7 car.
Returning to Le Mans after a 16-year absence in the top category, Porsche missed out last year because of a mechanical problem as Marcel Fassler, Andre Lotterer, and Benoit Treluye drove Audi to their fifth straight title.
Audi had triumphed in seven of the past eight races, with Porsche's last win coming in 1998.
The 83rd edition of the endurance race - which extends for 8,469 miles - was attended by more than 250,000 spectators.
Hulkenberg, who was driving in the race for the first time, said: "Thank you so much everybody, great effort over the last few months."
The 27-year-old will be back in action in a Force India car at the Austrian Grand Prix next weekend, his 85th F1 race.
"These are tears of happiness. I'm lost for words," Tandy said. "I hope it's the first of many. I grew up watching the race.
"I couldn't think of two guys I'd rather share the car with. I could retire from racing tomorrow and look back on today and I am sure I would be happy for the rest of my life."
The No 17 Porsche featured former F1 driver Mark Webber, alongside German Timo Bernhard and New Zealander Brendon Hartley.
"It's been an incredible race, an incredible sports car race," said Australian Webber.
Leading final positions:
1. Hulkenberg-Bamber-Tandy (GER-NZL-GBR/Porsche 919 Hybrid) 395 laps
2. Webber-Bernhard-Hartley (AUS-GER-NZL/Porsche 919 Hybrid) at 1 lap
3. Treluyer-Fassler-Lotterer (FRA-SUI-GER/Audi R18 e-tron quattro) 2 laps
4. Jarvis-Duval-Di Grassi (GBR-FRA-BRA/Audi R18 e-tron quattro) 3 laps
5. Dumas-Jani-Lieb (FRA-SUI-GER/Porsche 919 Hybrid) 4 laps
6. Wurz-Sarrazin-Conway (AUT-FRA-GBR/Toyota TS040 Hybrid) 8 laps
7. Albuquerque-Bonanomi-Rast (POR-ITA-GER/Audi R18 e-tron quattro) 8 laps
8. Davidson-Buemi-Nakajima (GBR-SUI-JPN/Toyota TS040 Hybrid) 9 laps
9. Lapierre-Bradley-Howson (FRA-GBR-GBR/Oreca-Nissan) 37 laps
10. Evans-Turvey-Dolan (NZL-GBR-GBR/Gibson-Nissan) 37 laps
