The crisis of the Volkswagen group has had, among others, a direct consequence in the sporting plans of the group. Audi and Porsche, sister companies of the German giant, has announced that it will not take three, but two prototypes each for the citation star to the World of Endurance, 2016, the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The team champion of the WEC, Porsche, has announced in the press release that they and Audi “have decided to sign up with two instead of three LMP1 in the 24 hours of Le Mans”, citing as the reason the always ambiguous “efficiency” to not admit that, in reality, they just want to save costs.
With a car less, the winners of the appointment of the Sarthe and the main candidates in this 2015 will have a car less each, which benefits the plans of the other large manufacturer of the highest category of the WEC, Toyota, that among their future plans is to bring a third car, if the budget allows.
In 2015, the presence of a third Porsche allowed the entry of Nico Hülkenberg for the dating of Spa and Le Mans, the number 19, which in the end was the winner of the legendary endurance test.
With this decision, Porsche will produce a unique fact: none of the three drivers who won in 2015 (Hülkenberg, Tandy and Bamber) will be able to defend the victory in the appointment of the resistance par excellence.
maintaining alignment of drivers of Porsche
Although the news ‘bomb’ of the statement that has provided Porsche is the reduction of its program for Le Mans, have also confirmed the lineup of riders who will defend the double crown of the Resistance. And, despite the fact that have brokers very strong in their program, as Fred Makowiecki or the winners of Le Mans in 2015 Eric Bamber and Nick Tandy, have preferred to keep their same two trios: Mark Webber, Brendon Hartley and Timo Bernhard, the champions, take the Porsche leader; while the second unit will have to Neel Jani, Romain Dumas and Marc Lieb on the other.
With this decision, says Andreas Seidl (team boss Porsche), maintain the continuity and ensure the strength of the team that has led them to achieve all of the poles of 2015 and be the great leader of the championship. “Without the extraordinary performances of its drivers, Porsche would not have gotten this sensational level of success in 2015,” recalls Seidl.
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