Ivan Vicario Martin
The new Porsche 963 debuts this weekend at the 24 Hours of Daytona, the inaugural test of the IMSA Championship. To celebrate, the Stuttgart brand has reunited the 963 with its ancestor, the iconic Porsche 917k in a unique photo session. In addition, it serves to compare the new hybrid technology of the LMDh (Le Mans Daytona hybrid) prototypes with the classic boxer mechanics of the brand.
And no one better to do it than Hurley haywood, a true legend and winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times and at Daytona five more. At his disposal was the Porsche 917 K from the garage of The Brumos Collection with Gulf decoration. We are not talking about any unit, but led it Steve McQueen during the filming of the legendary film Le Mans.
For Haywood, the key to Porsche's success in competition is that it has always rewarded teamwork. “If there is one thing that Porsche knows how to do really well, it is to get everyone in the team on the same page”, comment. Regarding the current pilots, he notes that “They are pilots with a long tradition in the brand”. And this philosophy cannot be neglected, since we are talking about a firm that accumulates traditional 30.000 wins in all kinds of races throughout its history.
From the 550 Porsche 1963 to the relatively recent 919 hybrid, Porsche has been accumulating triumphs and more triumphs thanks to models such as the 907, 908, 917, 936, 956, 962 or RS Spyder. Not to mention the countless competition variants of the everlasting 911, which in these 24 Hours of Daytona concurs with its evolution 992 GT3.R.
CLEAR OBJECTIVES
With the new 963, the brand seeks to emulate the success of its predecessors, such as the Porsche 917k that rolls with him in the images that accompany this news. In the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the objective cannot be other than to achieve victory number 20 in La Sarthe. An unattainable record for the rest of the competitors present.
In addition, it will officially compete in both the World Endurance Championship (WEC) as in the IMSA Championship. The North American market is essential for Porsche, so it could not be missing there. In the 24 Hours of Daytona he aspires to achieve what would be his 23rd victory, something he has not achieved since he won the 2003 911 GT3 RS.
The Porsche 963 is based on an LMP2 chassis supplied by Multimatic, while Bosch, Williams Advanced Engineering and Xtrac provide the hybrid components. The propellant is a 8-litre twin-turbo V4,6, based on the one that rode the 918 Spyder. Its exterior design keeps some nods to the 956/962 of the 80s, with new headlights that herald the future of the brand.
Development Porsche 963 It has been closely followed by Hurley Haywood, as it already did with models like the 956, 962 or 917/10. The new prototype has accumulated dozens of thousands of kilometers of tests since it debuted on the track in December 2021. "In a way, I'm glad to be retired from competition", smiles Haywood, as he affirms that “Vehicles now have too much electronics. In my time, the traction control was on my foot, which I also used to regulate the braking..
For Haywood, “Some things may be easier today, but there are many additional responsibilities that we didn't have to deal with in my day. It's a new world in many ways, but the desire and drive to be the best never goes away.". A reflection that surely shares Dane cameron, commissioned to drive the 963 alongside the Porsche 917K in the photo shoot. In addition, he will drive at Daytona alongside Mathieu Jaminet and Nick Tandy in the number 963 6.
GALLERY: THE PORSCHE 917K AND 963 TOGETHER IN DAYTONA
