Congratulations, number 17, you finally got your win at today’s 6 Hours of Nürburgring. Porsche’s number 18 LMP1 car had a technical oops earlier in the race, ceding the lead to the number 17 car. Number 17 then put a lap on its sister car, sealing the deal.
Mark Webber mentioned that the number 18 Porsche would probably need to have an issue for the number 17 to pass it after the 18 car qualified on pole, and that’s exactly what happened. Porsche vs. Porsche had the most awesome battle of the race early on, but then it became Porsche vs. Audi vs. Audi at the end as number 18 clawed its way back to number 2.
I credit the Jalopnik Puffa-bump.
I’m out of Jalopnik stickers, and besides, I’m pretty sure sticking one on Porsche’s flagship racer would result in me receiving some kind of restraining order from the team. What I did notice is where Mark Webber was sitting in the media room when he was answering reporters’ questions:
That’s right: next to the Puffalump bunnies.
Those bunnies were lucky enough to keep me from doing anything stupid on the Nordschleife earlier today, and it looks as if they were lucky enough to bring Webber’s car a much desired win that’s eluded them all season. Congratulations, Car That Was The Right Color At Le Mans!
Porsche now has 184 points in the World Endurance Championship’s manufacturers’ championship, ahead of Audi’s 151 points. Audi’s Lotterer/Tréluyer/Fässler team still has the upper hand over Porsche in the drivers’ championship, though, with 95 points over the Webber/Hartley/Bernhard Porsche team’s 78.
Porsche didn’t just take home an LMP1 win. Local dudes Porsche Team Manthey took a 1-2 win in LM GTE Pro. Number 15 took first, and number 16 took second. It’s a well needed win for a team with rumors flying about whether or not they’ll be back for 2016. Once again, 911s rule the Nürburgring.
Porsche’s Le Mans winning LMP1 driver Nick Tandy drove the number 47 KCMG car in LMP2 today to a win there, too. Clearly, it’s Day of the Porsche.
ByKolles won the LMP1 privateer teams’ race with their one-car effort over Rebellion Racing’s two cars.
The one category Porsche could have won, but didn’t was LM GTE Am. SMP Racing is just unstoppable there when they’re good, and today, their number 72 car was good. Porsche’s top car — Dempsey-Proton Racing’s number 77 car — finished 4th, not even on the podium. Womp womp.
I’m sure the folks in Stuttgart are still pretty happy about the 1-2 wins elsewhere, though.
Full results for the race can be found here.
Contact the author at stef.schrader@jalopnik.com.