Last Sunday, a significant anniversary in 24 hours of Le Mans history passed by. It is unfathomable that it has been fifty years since Porsche and Ferrari went head-to-head at Le Mans in top class prototype machinery. No other automotive firm can rival Porsche and Ferrari’s unwavering commitment to motor racing. Since their inception in the late 1940s, Porsche and Ferrari have been ever present amongst a revolving door of competition from rival constructors.

As both brands grew, Ferrari continued weaving its name into the tapestry of Formula 1 folklore. A process which continues to this day. Porsche, on the other hand, quickly dismissed the high stakes world of grand prix racing and focused mainly on endurance-based motorsports. These respective paths epitomise each company’s products and the image they command. Ferrari’s lavish and exotic supercars emulate the glamour and sparkle of grand prix racing. Porsche’s understated, yet devastatingly quick machines will devour any road at a moment’s notice. Much like the Stuttgart manufacturer’s endless stream of triumphant endurance racers over the last five decades.

Porsche and Ferrari’s took contrasting trajectories to their last top class shoot out in 1971. Almost immediately, Ferrari went large and chased glory at the 24 hours of Le Mans, the Targa Florio and the 12 hours of Sebring with rip snorting prototypes. Meanwhile, Porsche worked within their initially humble means. Creating diminutive, small capacity machines, Porsche accumulated class triumphs with aplomb. Only when Ferdinand Piech surged into control of the family firm’s strategy, did outright victories become a consideration.

By 1965, Ferrari scored nine 24 hours of Le Mans victories, including a six-year streak. Ferrari’s endless success sparked their well-documented feud with Ford, who romped to four consecutive victories from 1966-1969 with the all-conquering Ford GT.

Meanwhile, Porsche’s business grew with the success of the 911 road car. In turn, so did their ambitions. Fed up with playing the plucky underdog in smaller classes, Porsche began creating prototypes in 1966, all in the name of outright victory at Le Mans. In 1969, Porsche’s 908 came within two car lengths of breaking the Le Mans duck. After a valiant battle, Hans Herrmann suffered the anguish of watching Jacky Ickx’s battle-worn Ford GT cross the line immediately ahead.

While Porsche’s Le Mans threat intensified with the arrival of the menacing 917, Ferrari’s prowess appeared to be waning. Only one solitary N.A.R.T Ferrari 250LM finished the 1969 race. If Ferrari wanted to regain control of a race which had been an exclusive stomping ground for so long, the Maranello marque needed to match the Porsche 917. The Ferrari 512 S was their answer.

For the 1970 edition of the 24 hours of Le Mans, Ferrari arrived with no less than eleven examples of its new challenger. Boasting a five litre V12 engine, mounted in the middle of a svelte body, Ferrari’s 512 S meant business. As far as driving talent was concerned, Enzo Ferrari left nothing to chance. Derek Bell, Jackie Ickx, Ronnie Petersen, and Clay Regazzoni were all commandeered by ‘The Old Man’ to represent the Prancing Horse’s resurgence. Ferrari’s band of customer teams like N.A.R.T and Ecurie Francorchamps added further strength to the scarlet army.

Porsche and Ferrari’s battle royale would also be immortalised in Steve McQueen’s semi fictional flick, Le Mans, which captured authentic action from the 1970 race. McQueen’s production company, Solar Productions, even entered their own Porsche 908 Spyder for Herbert Linge and Jonathan Williams to contest the race. Using the same car that Steve McQueen and Peter Revson raced to second place at the 1970 Sebring 12-hour, Solar Productions gathered footage during the race from cameras mounted at either end of the 908’s flanks.

However, much like McQueen’s labour of love at the box office, the excitement of the Porsche versus Ferrari battle fizzled to a complete flop. Torrential rain wreaked havoc on much of the field, including all the factory Ferraris and most of the Porsches too. By the end of an arduous race, only two customer Ferrari 512s from N.A.R.T and Ecurie Francorchamps made it to the finish. Far up the road, Porsche celebrated their first outright win at Le Mans with a historic 1-2-3 finish and a sweep of class victories to boot. Even Dr Ferry Porsche signalled the start of the race, twenty-four very damp hours before.

A year later, Porsche vanquished their opposition once again when Helmut Marko and Gijs van Lenneo pulverised the field in their Martini 917. Despite strength in numbers and a new version of its 512, Ferrari couldn’t match the might of the Porsche 917.

Ever since the very brief interlude where Ferrari and Porsche sparred for outright victory at Le Mans, race fans have been teased by countless epic battles between these two iconic brands in the GT classes. All these contests have brewed up a rivalry that will boil over on the grandest scale at the 100th anniversary of the 24 hours of Le Mans.

In 2023, Porsche and Ferrari will finally face off for outright glory at the world’s greatest motor race. Very much in keeping with their style, Ferrari will build an exotic ‘Le Mans Hypercar’ (LMH). Details on Maranello’s challenger are finite, but the freedom of LMH rules will allow for a bespoke chassis, produced by Ferrari themselves.

Porsche, on the other hand, will take a more prudent route. Working to the more cost effective ‘LMDH’ ruleset, Porsche will take an off the shelf chassis from Multimatic motorsport, plug in a standard hybrid system and combine this with their own engine. What LMDH takes away in technological freedom, it gives back in transatlantic flexibility. Critically, Porsche may race their LMDH prototype at the 24 hours of Daytona and 12 hours of Sebring. Ferrari’s Hypercar cannot.

Le Mans is about grandeur, tradition, and heritage. Such prestige doesn’t come richer than the works of Porsche and Ferrari. Not only do the two firms share an overly excited stallion on their instantly recognisable emblems, but a common unwavering passion for competition. Make no mistake, nothing will be left behind in the pursuit of a Le Mans centenary triumph.

Thank you to FERRARI for the use of their photos.