Porsche Le Mans prototypes: every overall winner and the 963
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This record covers
- All 19 Porsche overall wins at Le Mans
- The 956 and 962 Group C prototypes
- The 919 Hybrid’s three wins
- The 963 LMDh prototype since 2023
Short answerPorsche has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans overall 19 times, more than any other manufacturer, from the 917 in 1970 to the 919 Hybrid in 2017. The 956 and 962 prototypes won six years in a row from 1982 to 1987 and again in 1994. The 919 Hybrid won three in a row from 2015 to 2017. The 963 LMDh prototype debuted at Daytona in 2023, finished second at Le Mans in 2025 and won the 2025 IMSA GTP title.
- Overall Le Mans wins
- 19documented
- 956 / 962 wins
- 1982–87, 1994documented
- 919 Hybrid wins
- 2015–2017documented
- 963 Le Mans win
- Not yetdocumented
For many searchers “Porsche prototype” means a Le Mans car, and for good reason. Porsche’s sports prototypes have won the world’s most important endurance race more often than any rival’s. This page is the record of those cars, win by win.
How many times has Porsche won Le Mans?
Porsche has won Le Mans overall 19 times.
| Year | Car | Class |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 917 KH | Group 5 |
| 1971 | 917 KH | Group 5 |
| 1976 | 936 | Group 6 prototype |
| 1977 | 936 | Group 6 prototype |
| 1979 | 935 K3 (Kremer) | Group 5 |
| 1981 | 936/81 | Group 6 prototype |
| 1982 | 956 | Group C prototype |
| 1983 | 956 | Group C prototype |
| 1984 | 956 | Group C prototype |
| 1985 | 956 | Group C prototype |
| 1986 | 962 C | Group C prototype |
| 1987 | 962 C | Group C prototype |
| 1994 | Dauer 962 LM | GT, 962-based |
| 1996 | TWR-Porsche WSC-95 | Sports prototype |
| 1997 | TWR-Porsche WSC-95 | Sports prototype |
| 1998 | 911 GT1-98 | GT1 |
| 2015 | 919 Hybrid | LMP1 |
| 2016 | 919 Hybrid | LMP1 |
| 2017 | 919 Hybrid | LMP1 |
What made the 956 and 962 so successful?
The 956 and 962 were successful because they combined ground-effect aerodynamics with Porsche’s first aluminium monocoque race chassis. The 956 was introduced for Group C in 1982 and took a 1-2-3 at Le Mans in only its second race. The 962 lengthened the design so the driver’s feet sat behind the front axle, as IMSA’s GTP rules required, and debuted at the 1984 24 Hours of Daytona. Together they won Le Mans six years running and returned in 1994 as the Dauer 962 LM. Private teams raced 956s and 962s for more than a decade.
How did the 919 Hybrid win three times?
The 919 Hybrid won three times by pairing a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine driving the rear wheels with an electric motor driving the front. It debuted at the 6 Hours of Silverstone in 2014 after two years of development and won Le Mans in 2015, 2016 and 2017, along with world endurance titles.
What is the Porsche 963?
The Porsche 963 is a hybrid prototype built to the LMDh rules shared by IMSA’s GTP class and the World Endurance Championship’s Hypercar class. Its name nods to the 956 and 962. It made its race debut at the 2023 Rolex 24 at Daytona.
- 2025 Le Mans: the #6 Porsche Penske 963 finished second, 14.084 seconds behind the winning Ferrari.
- 2025 IMSA: Porsche Penske won the GTP championship.
- 2026: reporting indicated no factory 963 would contest Le Mans.
The 963 is still chasing Porsche’s twentieth overall win.
Are Le Mans prototypes different from road-car prototypes?
Yes. Le Mans prototypes are purpose-built racing cars with their own chassis numbers and team records, while road-car prototypes such as the 901 test cars develop a production model. Both are documented differently, and the prototype drawer lists them side by side.
Frequently asked questions
How many times has Porsche won Le Mans?
Porsche has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans overall 19 times, the most of any manufacturer. The first was in 1970 with the 917 and the most recent in 2017 with the 919 Hybrid.
What is the Porsche 963?
The 963 is Porsche’s hybrid LMDh prototype, built to race in IMSA’s GTP class and the World Endurance Championship’s Hypercar class. It debuted at the 2023 Rolex 24 at Daytona.
Why was the Porsche 962 created?
The 962 lengthened the 956 so the driver’s feet sat behind the front axle, a safety requirement of IMSA’s GTP rules in North America. It debuted at Daytona in 1984.