Porsche 917 - History

HISTORY

The Porsche 917 was acclaimed as "The Greatest Racing Car of all time" in an expert poll conducted by Motor Sport Magazine in 1997

In the 2000 edition of the Le Mans race, a Jury, composed by specialized journalists, declared the porsche 917 as the "Car of the Century at Le Mans" (Data provided by Francisco Muniz)

The history section compiles the participation of the Porsche 917´s in the F.I.A´s Sport category of the World Manufacturers Championship.

To see Porsche's History, click here. (Under construction)

Brief Introduction

At the end of the sixties decade, the F.I.A. modifies the regulations of the Sport category, allowing 5- litre powered vehicles.

Porsche, which until that moment had been competing with it´s 904, 907 and 908 models, decides to design and build a new prototype that would make the most of the new regulations. It would be called 917.

The house of Stuttgart would enter the 1969 season with it´s 908 racers, and it is not until the 6th race, that the 917 makes it´s debut.

From the very begining, two characteristics that would prevale for as long as it´s sporting trajectory were clearly shown: an astounding power, acceleration and speed, and the difficulties to be driven.

It´s like that, that in the first presentations, it is driven by second-hand drivers of the official team, given that the "star" drivers would deny to participate on it, preferring the much reknownedly efficient 908´s.

But, as the weekspast, Porsche engineers would practice exhaustive tests, and multiple modifications to the suspension and chassis, achieving to transform the untamed beast into something more driveable.

It officially participated during three seasons (1969-70 and 71) in 21 competitions, winning in 14 of them, and being the runner up twice. It won 14 clasification tests and obtained various records, emphasizing the average speed and ammount of laps completed in the 1971 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which hasn´t been broken to this day, or the impressive maximum speed of 396 km/h achieved by a 917 (night testing, 1971 , 24 Hours of Le Mans, L´Hunnadieres straight- Jackie Oliver)

Towards the end of it´s trajectory, the 917 had evolved in such a way that it had practically annihilated all opposition; it turned nicely and counted with generous power that easily surpassed the 600 BHP barrier.

In spite of the efforts from Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and Matra among other makes, it´s supremacy was so evident, that the F.I.A. determined with a new change in regulations, that 1971 would be tha last year that the 917 would ever race.

Next up, the history of the most spectacular race car of all times.

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