Get ready for Le Mans 2023 with this documentary
Live coverage of the 24 Hours of Le Mans starts at 9 a.m. ET Saturday on MotorTrend TV.
You can’t wait that long? Then let us suggest you check out a fascinating documentary between now and then: Racing with Giants: Porsche at Le Mans, produced by Hagerty Media and Mobil 1, and narrated by former sports car racer, Le Mans podium finisher, and current actor Patrick Dempsey.
Racing with Giants is the perfect primer for the most important sports car race in the world, especially since this year marks the return of Porsche to the top-ranked Prototype class, where they will battle for the overall win.
Porsche has been active, and successful, in the production-based GT ranks, but this year, under the direction of former racer, team owner, and owner of the IndyCar series and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Roger Penske. The 86-year-old billionaire has almost every win for his teams on his resume except the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and he’d love to add that trophy to his collection.
“From our own rich history in motorsport and our long-standing relationship with Porsche, this documentary truly celebrates the unique impact that racing has on the cars that we drive every day,” said Bryce Huschka, consumer marketing manager for Mobil 1. “For 100 years, Le Mans has uniquely captured the attention and imagination of fans. Thanks to them, our partners, and fellow car lovers, we couldn’t wait to bring this exceptional story to life.”
View this post on Instagram
Racing with Giants features archival footage of Le Mans races past and present, along with interviews with multiple drivers and Porsche team principals, including Allan McNish, Patrick Long, Jacky Ickx, and Nick Tandy.
The documentary can be viewed for free on YouTube.
***
Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.
Gonna be that guy: Porsche is cool, and their prowess undeniable, so it’d be interesting to hear about some Le Mans underdogs… or maybe teams that had a streak and then lost it, rags, riches, rags, style. Do such documentaries exist? If they don’t….Looking at you, Hagerty Media team…
Maybe put Cammisa onto one?
Ohh cool. A topic that hasn’t been covered: Porsche at Le Mans.
What’s next? The story of the Shelby Cobra?
The documentary was rather disappointing.
It didn’t even acknowledge the Le Mans wins from 1984, 1985, 1994, 1996 and 1997.
…all of which were won by privateers. The last 2 were done at the factory’s expense, when the Joest TWR cars SMOKED the works 911 GT1 cars.
Considering this documentary was sponsored by Porsche, that wasn’t particularly surprising.