24h Le Mans
Drivers of the #1 Porsche 919 Hybrid in 2017, Neel Jani, André Lotterer and Nick Tandy are members of the only driver line-up entered in the LM P1 class composed solely of previous 24 Hours of Le Mans winners. Here's a look at the trio noted for its speed and experience as one of the big favorites of the 85th edition this coming June 17th and 18th.
Born in 1981, 1983 and 1984 respectively, André Lotterer, Nick Tandy and Neel Jani have five victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans total, won between 2011 and 2016. Lotterer has three wins (2011-2012-2014), Tandy and Jani one each, in 2015 and 2016 respectively.
- André Lotterer and Neel Jani participated in their first 24 Hours in 2009. They both finished the race, in seventh place (Lotterer) and 14th (Jani).
- In 2011, when Lotterer won his first 24 Hours, Nick Tandy was at the start for the first time at the wheel of a Porsche 911 entered in the LM GTE Pro class, but the British driver was forced to retire.
- The following year, André Lotterer scored his first pole position at Le Mans and his second consecutive win. For the first time, Neel Jani made it into the top 5, with a fourth place finish shared with Nicolas Prost and Nick Heidfeld at the wheel of Rebellion Racing's Lola.
- In 2014, Neel Jani was at the wheel of the 919 Hybrid, Porsche's new LM P1 prototype, finishing in 11th place. Nick Tandy returned to Le Mans (36th) with Porsche's official team in the LM GTE Pro class led by Olaf Manthey. André Lotterer won his third victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
- At his third 24 Hours (and first at the wheel of a prototype), Nick Tandy won the race at the wheel of a Porsche 919 Hybrid shared with Earl Bamber and Nico Hülkenberg. In pole position, Neel Jani finished fifth. At an average of 248 km/h, André Lotterer established a new in-race lap record and claimed the third step on the podium.
- In 2016, Neel Jani scored his second consecutive pole position and won the race in the last minutes, after the lead Toyota was forced to retire, and André Lotterer finished fourth. Having joined Porsche Team Manthey in LM GTE Pro due to the absence of a third 919 Hybrid prototype in LM P1, Nick Tandy was forced to retire.
Photo: After chasing down the lead Toyota, Neel Jani ended up crossing the finish line in first place for the first time at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (2016).
