30.01.2025GT1-icon in a special scale: Porsche's Le Mans-winner from 1998

The 2025 endurance season began extremely successfully for Porsche. With the triumph at the 24 Hours of Daytona, the Zuffenhausen-based company achieved its 20th overall victory in the traditional race in Florida. Porsche is also currently working on its 20th victory at the endurance classic in Le Mans.

The success-row there includes the 1998 race. At that time, Porsche won with the 911 GT1. Fans of the endurance race have special memories of this 16th Le Mans victory for the sports car manufacturer, as it came at the height of the GT1 racing cars. These cars, which are still popular today, combined the spectacle of thoroughbred prototypes with visually striking borrowings from production vehicles.

The manufacturer interest was correspondingly high. To this day, the starting field at the 1998 Le Mans edition is considered one of the best in modern history. In addition to Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Toyota, Nissan, McLaren and Panoz entered the race, mostly with factory teams. The 911 GT1 not only had to overcome this high-caliber competition, but also its own record.

Porsche had already brought the 911 GT1 to Le Mans in 1996, but so far without success. The overall victories in 1996 and 1997 went to Porsche. However, this was achieved with a TWR Porsche used by Joest Racing, whose origins stretched back to the Group C days.

But in 1998 the hour finally came for the 911 GT1, which had been fundamentally revised for the third attempt. The 911 was not the fastest vehicle in the field. Mercedes-Benz, for example, had shone with pole position, but just like BMW, had already been eliminated with its entire fleet in the early stages. Toyota turned out to be the toughest opponent, but repeated gearbox problems eventually paved the way for a Porsche double victory.

The winning car with starting number 26 was driven by Allan McNish, Laurent Aiello and Stéphane Ortelli. The replica in scale 1:12 by WERK83 shows off the iconic white design with blue and red details particularly well. The same applies to the striking accents of the series 911 of the time, especially the fried egg headlights, which also visually characterize the racing version and round off the appearance of this unforgettable Le Mans overall winner.

Porsche 911 GT1 #26 Winner 24h LeMans 1998 McNish, Aiello, Ortelli 1:12 WERK83, RRP €149.95, item-no.: W1200201

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Porsche 911 GT1 #26 Winner 24h LeMans 1998 McNish, Aiello, Ortelli 1:12 WERK83

134,95 €