Hulkenberg Claims Le Mans Victory on Debut as Porsche Ends Audi Streak
Nico Hulkenberg, racing for Force India in F1, won the 2015 Le Mans 24 Hours at his first attempt, sharing Porsche’s 17th overall win with Nick Tandy and Earl Bamber.
Nico Hulkenberg delivered a rare achievement at the 2015 Le Mans 24 Hours, winning the race on his debut with Porsche and becoming the first regular Formula One driver in over two decades to claim the outright victory while still active in F1. Sharing the #19 Porsche 919 Hybrid with Nick Tandy and Earl Bamber, Hulkenberg finished a lap ahead of the sister #17 car, ending Audi’s five-year run at the top of endurance racing’s most prestigious event.
The result marked Porsche’s 17th overall win at Le Mans, extending its record as the most successful manufacturer in the race’s history, and its first since returning to the top step in 1998. The #19 car ran without major incident, maintaining consistent pace and reliability across the 395 laps completed.
Porsche’s strategy and rivals’ misfortunes
Porsche’s works squad fielded three 919 Hybrids, but it was the combination of Hulkenberg, Tandy and Bamber in the black-liveried #19 entry that emerged untroubled. The sister #17 car, driven by Mark Webber, Brendon Hartley and Timo Bernhard, finished second after serving a one-minute penalty for overtaking under yellow flags. The third Porsche, which started from pole, suffered two crashes and reliability issues, ultimately finishing fifth.
Audi, which had dominated Le Mans since 2010, saw its lead cars delayed by minor repairs and penalties. Last year’s winners, Marcel Fässler, André Lotterer and Benoît Tréluyer, salvaged third for the German marque despite losing bodywork and serving a drive-through penalty. The highest-placed Toyota was sixth, eight laps down, as the reigning world champions struggled for pace throughout the event.
F1 drivers at Le Mans: rarity in the modern era
Hulkenberg’s win stands out as the first by an active F1 competitor at Le Mans since Johnny Herbert and Bertrand Gachot were part of Mazda’s winning squad in 1991. In recent years, only a handful of F1 drivers have tackled Le Mans during an ongoing Grand Prix season, reflecting the increasing separation between the two disciplines. Hulkenberg’s Force India contract allowed him to take part, with team principal Vijay Mallya present at the event.
Other factory efforts and class winners
Nissan’s much-discussed front-engined GT-R LM Nismo struggled throughout, with only one of its three cars reaching the finish but unclassified due to insufficient distance covered. Toyota, unable to match the pace of Porsche or Audi, saw both cars finish well down the order. In the other classes, KCMG’s Oreca 05-Nissan won LMP2, Corvette Racing took GTE-Pro honours, and SMP Racing’s Ferrari topped GTE-Am after a late crash for Aston Martin.
What Hulkenberg’s win means for F1 and Le Mans
Hulkenberg’s success at Le Mans prompted renewed discussion about the crossover between Formula One and endurance racing. While a handful of drivers have won both the F1 world championship and Le Mans overall, such as Graham Hill and Jochen Rindt, modern scheduling and contractual obligations make dual campaigns rare. Hulkenberg’s achievement may encourage other current F1 drivers to consider future Le Mans entries, though few teams are likely to follow Force India’s example in permitting it.
