Porsche racing history · 1996–1998
Porsche 911 GT1: Le Mans Winner & Road Car History
By CarWhere Research · Updated
The Porsche 911 GT1 was a mid-engined GT racer with a water-cooled turbo flat-six, built by Porsche's racing department in Weissach. It debuted in 1996 with second and third at Le Mans. The carbon-chassis GT1 '98 won Le Mans 1-2 in 1998, and Porsche built 23 road-legal Straßenversion cars for homologation.
The 911 GT1 carried the 911 name but little else from the production car. Porsche developed it for works and customer teams in GT racing, with a water-cooled, turbocharged six-cylinder boxer mounted ahead of the rear axle for balanced weight distribution. It first raced in 1996. At Le Mans that year, the two works cars finished second and third overall, winning the GT1 class behind a Porsche-powered prototype.
GT homologation required a small run of road cars, at least 20 according to Porsche. The racing department in Weissach built them with a 996-style front, a carbon-fiber and Kevlar body and a 544 bhp engine, priced at DEM 1.5 million. Porsche Newsroom USA puts the total at 23. For 1998 Porsche reworked the race car around its first carbon-fiber chassis. The GT1 '98 won Le Mans 1-2, Porsche's 16th overall victory there.
911 GT1 history, year by year
- 1996 — Racing debut. At Le Mans, the works 911 GT1s finish 2nd (No. 25: Stuck / Boutsen / Wollek) and 3rd overall, first and second in the LM GT1 class.[1],[2]
- 1997 — The road-going 911 GT1 is listed with 544 bhp (400 kW), 310 km/h and a DEM 1.5 million price. Porsche builds the road cars its homologation requires.[3],[4]
- 1998 — The overhauled GT1 '98 introduces Porsche's first carbon-fiber chassis. At Le Mans, the No. 26 car wins ahead of the No. 25 sister car, for Porsche's 16th overall win.[1],[5],[6]
- 1998 — After the race, the winning GT1 '98 joins the Porsche Museum collection. It still runs at events such as the Goodwood Festival of Speed.[6]
How many 911 GT1s were made?
| Model / variant | Years | Units | What the figure counts |
|---|---|---|---|
| GT1 — Road version | — | 23[3],[4] | total built (road cars)Figure from Porsche Newsroom USA; Porsche AG says only that the homologation minimum of 20 road cars was met. |
Road-car totals for every Porsche model: Porsche production numbers.
Porsche 911 GT1 specs
| Engine | Water-cooled, turbocharged 6-cylinder boxer, mid-mounted[1],[3] |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 3,220 cc (GT1 '98)[1] |
| Power (race car) | 404 kW (550 hp), GT1 '98[1],[7] |
| Power (road car) | 544 bhp (400 kW)[3] |
| Top speed | 310 km/h (about 193 mph, converted), race and road versions[1],[3] |
| Chassis / body | GT1 '98: Porsche's first carbon-fiber chassis. Road car: carbon-fiber/Kevlar body.[1],[3] |
| Weight | Just over 1,000 kg (GT1 '98)[7] |
| Road car price | DEM 1.5 million[3] |
| Years raced | 1996–1998[1] |
911 GT1 race results and wins
| Year | Event | Result | Car / drivers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 24 Hours of Le Mans | 2nd overall, 1st LM GT1[2] | 911 GT1 #25 — Hans-Joachim Stuck / Thierry Boutsen / Robert Wollek |
| 1996 | 24 Hours of Le Mans | 3rd overall, 2nd LM GT1[2] | 911 GT1 #26 — Yannick Dalmas / Karl Wendlinger / Scott Goodyear |
| 1998 | 24 Hours of Le Mans | 1st overall[5],[7] | 911 GT1 '98 #26 — Allan McNish / Laurent Aïello / Stéphane Ortelli |
| 1998 | 24 Hours of Le Mans | 2nd overall[5] | 911 GT1 '98 #25 — Jörg Müller / Uwe Alzen / Robert Wollek |
What made the 911 GT1 significant
- The 1998 Le Mans win was Porsche's 16th overall victory there and its third 1-2 finish, after 1971 and 1987. Its next win came with the 919 Hybrid in 2015.[6],[8]
- The GT1 '98 was the first Porsche with a carbon-fiber chassis.[1]
- Its road-going homologation version was one of Porsche's rarest supercars. Porsche Newsroom USA counts 23 built, while Porsche AG says only that the 20-car minimum was met.[3],[4]
- The road cars were built by the racing department in Weissach and wore a front end matching the 996-generation 911.[3]
The 911 GT1 and Porsche's road cars
The Porsche 911 GT1 was built to race. For the road cars that share its engineering, history and factory records, start here:
Porsche 911 GT1 FAQ
How many Porsche 911 GT1 road cars were made?
Porsche Newsroom USA puts the number of road-going 911 GT1s at 23. Porsche AG says homologation required at least 20 road cars and that Porsche met that quota.
Did the Porsche 911 GT1 win Le Mans?
Yes. In 1998, the GT1 '98 No. 26 of Allan McNish, Laurent Aïello and Stéphane Ortelli won overall, with the No. 25 sister car second. In 1996, the original GT1 finished second and third overall.
How much horsepower does the 911 GT1 have?
The 1998 race car makes 404 kW (550 hp) from a 3,220 cc turbo six-cylinder boxer. The road car is rated at 544 bhp (400 kW). Porsche quotes a 310 km/h top speed for both.
Is the 911 GT1 really a 911?
In name and styling only. The engine is water-cooled and mounted mid-ship rather than in the tail, and the road cars wear a 996-style front. The 1998 race car moved to a carbon-fiber chassis.
Where is the 1998 Le Mans-winning 911 GT1 today?
Porsche kept it. The winning GT1 '98 has been in the Porsche Museum collection since 1998, and the museum still runs it at events.
Related Porsche race cars and specials
Porsche history, specs and production research
Sources
Dates, production counts, specifications and results on this page come from the sources below. Where sources disagree, the page says so or uses Porsche's own figure.
- Porsche 911 GT1 ‘98 — Porsche Newsroom (Porsche Museum press kit)
- Winners & Records — 1996 — 24h-lemans.com (ACO)
- The super sportscars from Porsche — Porsche Newsroom
- Grand Touring with the Porsche Top 5 (Porsche Newsroom USA) — Porsche Newsroom
- Winners & Records — 1998 — 24h-lemans.com (ACO)
- Le Mans-winning 911 GT1 ’98 in action — Porsche Newsroom
- Ice Race Aspen: The Porsche 911 GT1 takes to the ice with endurance racing legend Stéphane Ortelli — Porsche Newsroom
- Le Mans 2015: facts and figures — Porsche Newsroom
Independent reference published by CarWhere — not affiliated with or endorsed by Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG. Porsche, 911, Carrera and Speedster are trademarks of their owner.