Porsche WEC. Behind the scenes with Le Mans winners

There’s another titanic BOOM as the V4 is fired into life in the garage, all those not wearing protective headphones immediately cringing and reaching for their now perforated eardrums. Wheel guns spring into action followed soon after by some shrieking high revs as the all-black liveried 919 cruises back onto pitroad. The noise is still audible half a circuit away.

Last up on our ‘tour’ is the team’s new array of downforce packages, courtesy of two front end canopies leaning rather ingloriously in the corner. The ‘do not touch’ sign seems particularly redundant today: the cost of one of the new 919’s lightweight wheel nuts will set me back at least a couple of hundred quid should I somehow manage to break one, so I can only quake at the cost of a carbon fibre moulded front end nose cone. Directing our attention to the first of what appear to be identical front sections, Andreas explains that with a new high downforce package available for Silverstone, Porsche is hoping to be even stronger next year, and straight out the box to boot.

“Obviously we want a competitive car and to win as many races as possible. Previously we’ve only had one aero package, a low downforce setup [with subtly rounded headlights, a less aggressively raked splitter and new dive planes] geared more towards Le Mans and less suited to the first race at Silverstone. This year though we’re allowed a maximum of three packages, which means we’ll have a setup more suited to the opening two races. That will make a big difference, and should make us a lot stronger immediately.”

All eyes remain on the big prize at Le Mans, but with only nine rounds of the season to compete in and ever-more blood thirsty rivals – “Toyota is already calling 2016 its ‘year of revenge’ with the new TS050 Hybrid “ – Porsche HAS to make every point count. On paper its run to the title seemed straightforward, the Manufacturers crown already in the bag in Shanghai with one round to spare. It could so easily have been different at the Bahrain season finale though, where engine issues dropped the polesitting #17 to fifth at the flag and only savage brake wear preventing Audi’s lead #8 from taking the chequered flag and nabbing the title on the line. A well-conceived prototype earned Porsche its silverware last year, but as Andreas concedes, they also got lucky.

“On paper, Porsche’s run to the title seemed straightforward. It could so easily have been different at the Bahrain season finale though”

We’re directed back to a table in the paddock already setup with water bottles and shades: though the conditions are less changeable than Porsche’s previous testing facility in Bahrain, it’s still starting to heat up. Webber, the 919 now back in the garage and Bernhard now sliding through the almost impossibly small door – honest to God, it’s the size of a Pringle can – makes his way over. Chopard watch already on his wrist and debrief in the bag, the Aussie’s looking forward to some downtime after completing 230 laps this morning, but seems more than happy to sit and discuss the season ahead, his new life with Porsche compared with Red Bull and, of course, his new book. When asked how he feels ahead of his championship defence, his reaction is unsurprising.

Yeah, it’s gone really well,” Mark begins. “To get a good track at this time of year is not easy: Europe is hit and miss with the weather and we decided not to go to Bahrain because it’s too windy, so Yas Marina works well. Every run we’ve learnt something, even 0.001 per cent, and we’ve done a lot with the new Michelin compound. Y’know, the French they have long lunches, so we have to make sure we Michelin exactly what we need early!”

Like Andreas, he’s visibly relaxed, and makes the whole thing sound so easy. It’ll be interesting to see, come November 2016 in Bahrain, whether this confidence is justified.

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