Back to the future: Le Mans 2024 will be F.A.T.

Le Mans, a private team, a Porsche prototype and this simple but beautiful vehicle design in white and red. Embossed with the lettering of the logistics company "F.A.T. International", which, fittingly, travelled particularly fast between the French capital and Germany. That was 1994 - and the incredible story of the Dauer 962LM. Back then, the revitalised Porsche Group C monster 962 won the 24-hour race in France under a new name and as a GT1 vehicle.

Thirty years later, you can repeat exactly this description, only the racing car now goes by the name "963" - and is again built by Porsche itself, as a pure competition vehicle. However, the goal should remain the same: overall victory at Le Mans. Which also seems very possible, as the German private team Proton Competition is using the car. The experts based in southern Germany are a familiar figure on the podium of the endurance classic. Which is why Patrick Dempsey has already teamed up with them. For a long time it was limited to the GT classes, but now they also enter prototypes. And since late last summer, they have also been involved in the premier class of hypercars. 

And for the 2024 WEC season, "F.A.T. International" is emblazoned on the car, just as it was 30 years ago: large white areas at the front are combined with solid red stripes at the rear. Graphics with the company logo and the lightning bolt graphic are of course also present. And even the drivers' names on a white background quote the design of the Le Mans winner from 1994. Only one thing has changed in all this: "F.A.T. International" is no longer a logistics company, but the branding of Porsche great-grandson Ferdi Porsche's automotive community initiative. His goal: to bring people and cars together. If you look at the "Ice Race", which has already been organised several times, the "F.A.T Mankei" as a community space and the Porsche 963 from Proton Competition, it becomes clear that it works.

e are thrilled and are keeping our fingers crossed for the next Porsche victory at Le Mans. Perhaps with a white and red privateer Porsche.