Alex Hitzinger, the Technical Director of the LM P1 program, represented Porsche in accepting the John Bolster Trophy from Johnny Herbert, victorious at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1991 with Mazda. The German manufacturer was honoured for the 919 Hybrid which allowed it to beat its own win record at Le Mans and to clinch the World Endurance Champion Constructors title, while the trio Timo Bernhard, Brendon Hartley and Mark Webber won the Drivers title.

Instead of one of the three world champions, Nico Hülkenberg - winner at Le Mans with Earl Bamber and Nick Tandy - accepted the Gregor Grant Trophy for his success at the 24 Hours while he was active in F1, the first to achieve the feat in more than 20 years. Like Alex Hitzinger, the German driver was handed the trophy by Johnny Herbert, one of the last two drivers along with Bertrand Gachot to have won at Le Mans while they were active in F1.

Nico Hülkenberg: "Winning Le Mans is the biggest achievement of my career so far. It was incredible. To come in there not really expecting much and to win with Porsche was phenomenal. [I learned] it's about Le Mans and what it really means to so many people on this planet. It's such a special and unique race. To be there for the first time, to breathe in the atmosphere and to win it was all very special, and memories that I'll have for the rest of my life. There was a very positive echo from winning Le Mans. A lot of [F1] drivers were curious and asking me about it. They're keeping an eye on it."

Nico Hülkenberg will not be able to defend his crown next year since Porsche will only enter two 919 Hybrids to compete in the full season of the World Endurance Championship (WEC), the 24 Hours of Le Mans and an F1 Grand Prix will take place the same weekend.

Text: Cécile Bonardel / ACO (quotation from Autosport website) - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO

Video: YouTube - Autosport.com