{"id":21916,"date":"2024-12-06T14:00:05","date_gmt":"2024-12-06T13:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/slickpix.de\/general\/duration-962-le-mans-courage-to-leave-a-gap\/"},"modified":"2024-12-06T14:00:05","modified_gmt":"2024-12-06T13:00:05","slug":"duration-962-le-mans-courage-to-leave-a-gap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/slickpix.de\/en\/stories\/duration-962-le-mans-courage-to-leave-a-gap\/","title":{"rendered":"Duration 962 Le Mans: Courage to leave a gap"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Writing regulations is a thankless task. Organizers want to see their ideas implemented and spectators want to be entertained. Some participant is always unhappy with their classification. And then there are the participants who read even more carefully and find the dreaded loophole. This was also the case in 1994, when Porsche had already committed itself to the GT class and took overall victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a new version of the Porsche 962.    <\/p>\n<hr>\n<h2>Jochen Dauer &#8211; Racing driver and team boss<\/h2>\n<p>Jochen Dauer&#8217;s racing career began in 1973 in an NSU TTS in hill climb races. Ten years later, he focused on the new <a href=\"https:\/\/curbs-magazin.com\/racing\/die-gruppe-c-aera\/\">Group C<\/a>. After a few races for Gebhardt-Motorsport and Zakspeed, he bought his first <a href=\"https:\/\/curbs-magazin.com\/cars\/doppelt-haelt-besser-der-porsche-962-c-pdk\/\">Porsche 962C <\/a>for the 1987 season from John Fitzpatrick, who had disbanded his team at the end of the 1986 season. He raced his cars in the Interseries, the Supercup, the World Sportscar Championship and also in the <a href=\"https:\/\/curbs-magazin.com\/stories\/go-west-die-geschichte-der-legendaeren-imsa-gtp\/\">IMSA series<\/a>. The highlight of his career as a racing driver and team boss up to that point was his entry in the 1991 24 Hours of Daytona, where he had the Andretti and Unser racing dynasties compete against each other in two further developed Porsche 962s. However, an important chapter has not yet been told.      <\/p>\n<h3>A crazy idea<\/h3>\n<p>At the same time, Jochen Dauer also had the idea of developing a road-going version of the Porsche 962 and offering it to well-heeled customers. With the help of Porsche designer Achim Storz, he succeeded in creating a perfect synthesis of genuine racing car technology, comfort, safety and suitability for everyday use with the &#8220;Dauer 962 Le Mans&#8221;, as it was called in the vehicle registration document and the T\u00dcV report. In Hermann R\u00fcttgers from Nuremberg, he found a competent partner and Porsche expert to build the prototype.<br \/>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-21916 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/slickpix.de\/en\/dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historic-motorsport-magazine-jochen-dauer-with-two-street-legal-962-lm\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/slickpix.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historischer-motorsport-magazin-Jochen-Dauer-mit-zwei-strassen-zugelassenen-962-LM--150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historic-motorsport-magazine-Jochen-Dauer-with-two-street-legal-962-LM-\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-21918\" srcset=\"https:\/\/slickpix.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historischer-motorsport-magazin-Jochen-Dauer-mit-zwei-strassen-zugelassenen-962-LM--150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/slickpix.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historischer-motorsport-magazin-Jochen-Dauer-mit-zwei-strassen-zugelassenen-962-LM--100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-21918'>\n\t\t\t\tJochen Dauer with two road-legal 962 LMs  \n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/slickpix.de\/en\/dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historical-motorsport-magazine-during-the-test-drives-in-magny-cours-and-the-tests-during-962-lm-still-running-in-carbon-fiber-garb\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/slickpix.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historischer-motorsport-magazin-Bei-den-Testfahrten-in-Magny-Cours-und-den-Vortests-liefen-die-Dauer-962-LM-noch-im-Kohlefasergewand-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historical-motorsport-magazine-during-the-test-drives-in-magny-cours-and-the-tests-during-962-LM-still-running-in-carbon-fiber-garb\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-21919\" srcset=\"https:\/\/slickpix.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historischer-motorsport-magazin-Bei-den-Testfahrten-in-Magny-Cours-und-den-Vortests-liefen-die-Dauer-962-LM-noch-im-Kohlefasergewand-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/slickpix.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historischer-motorsport-magazin-Bei-den-Testfahrten-in-Magny-Cours-und-den-Vortests-liefen-die-Dauer-962-LM-noch-im-Kohlefasergewand-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-21919'>\n\t\t\t\tDuring the test drives in Magny-Cours and the pre-tests, the Dauer 962 LM still ran in carbon fiber livery\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/slickpix.de\/en\/dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historischer-motorsport-magazin-hans-joachim-stuck-thierry-boutsen-and-danny-sullivan-came-in-third-place-at-the-finish-line\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/slickpix.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historischer-motorsport-magazin-Hans-Joachim-Stuck-Thierry-Boutsen-und-Danny-Sullivan-kamen-auf-Platz-drei-ins-Ziel-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historischer-motorsport-magazin-Hans-Joachim-Stuck,-Thierry-Boutsen-and-Danny-Sullivan-came-in-third-place-at-the-finish-line\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-21920\" srcset=\"https:\/\/slickpix.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historischer-motorsport-magazin-Hans-Joachim-Stuck-Thierry-Boutsen-und-Danny-Sullivan-kamen-auf-Platz-drei-ins-Ziel-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/slickpix.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historischer-motorsport-magazin-Hans-Joachim-Stuck-Thierry-Boutsen-und-Danny-Sullivan-kamen-auf-Platz-drei-ins-Ziel-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-21920'>\n\t\t\t\tHans-Joachim Stuck, Thierry Boutsen and Danny Sullivan finished in third place\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<br \/>\nA second seat was installed inside the Porsche. The dashboard and the interior were lined with leather. A hydraulic suspension system was installed to adjust the ground clearance. Power steering assisted the driver in steering. And there was a reversing camera &#8211; standard today, innovative at the time. The 3.0 liter six-cylinder turbo engine was revised by Herbert Ampferer and could breathe freely without the annoying air restrictor. This gave the engine a significantly higher output than in Group C times. The claimed output was 537 KW \/ 730 hp. According to the T\u00dcV report, the Dauer 962 Le Mans accelerated from 0 to 100 km\/h in less than three seconds and reached a top speed of 402 km\/h. In 1998, 404.6 km\/h was measured at the VW test site in Ehra-Lessien, which secured it an entry in the Guinness Book of Records. Until the super sports car hype began in the 2020s, the Dauer 962 Le Mans was the one to beat for a long time.<br \/>\nIntensive work on the road version began in 1991. Two years later, the Dauer 962 Le Mans GT was presented to the public at the IAA in Frankfurt. The interest was enormous and well-heeled customers placed their orders immediately. Among them was the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah for short (in full name: Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Al-Mu&#8217;izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Almarhum Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Sa&#8217;adul Khairi Waddien). He was so enthusiastic that he immediately ordered several copies.              <\/p>\n<h3>Duration 962 Le Mans: A new era dawns<\/h3>\n<p>In 1993, a new era began at Le Mans after the legendary Group C had become a mere shadow of its former self. The officials of the Automobile Club de l&#8217;Ouest (ACO), above all Alain Bertaut, recognized the signs of the times and opened up the 24 Hours of Le Mans to GT racing cars, which were to be the future. Half of the starting field already consisted of GT racing cars. The Porsche works team sent a Porsche 911 Le Mans GT with Hans-Joachim Stuck, <a href=\"https:\/\/curbs-magazin.com\/heads\/walter-roehrl-die-rallye-legende\/\">Walter R\u00f6hrl<\/a> and Hurley Haywood at the wheel into the race as a first cautious attempt.   <\/p>\n<p>In November 1993, the ACO presented the new regulations. The Group C racing cars were given a reprieve and allowed to start one last time. At the same time, the GT class was split up. It was created especially for super sports cars such as the Bugatti EB110, Ferrari F40, Venturi 600 LM and the McLaren F1 GTR. In principle, the new GT1 racing cars should also be able to achieve overall victory. That is why they were allowed to run a 40 liter larger tank with only 50 kg more weight compared to the prototypes. They were also allowed to run a larger air restrictor.      <\/p>\n<p>As there were not yet many of these super sports cars, the requirements for participation were minimal. All that was required for admission was a sales presentation in a country recognized by the ACO and the presentation of a single road-legal vehicle &#8211; a passage that opened up a field of possibilities! <\/p>\n<h2>The gap in the development of the Dauer 962 Le Mans<\/h2>\n<p>Weissach soon realized that the 911 Le Mans GT based on the 964 model, even in a modified version, would have no chance of winning a class in GT1, let alone an overall victory. Resorting to a modified Group C car again was not an option. The chosen path into the GT future was to be maintained. A radically redesigned GT1 car, e.g. with a mid-engine layout like a McLaren F1, was too costly and would have required even more lead time. As it seemed at first, Porsche was left empty-handed.<br \/>\nIn November 1993, however, Porsche racing director Max Welti and Norbert Singer presented an idea to Horst Marchart, the board member responsible for development &#8211; bold, courageous and ingenious at the same time. According to their interpretation, the Dauer 962 Le Mans presented at the IAA was also a road-going GT racing car and also entitled to compete in the new GT1 class. The technical challenges involved in this conversion to a GT1 car were enormous. In racing, the tires had to be significantly narrower than in Group C times. This was noticeable in the corners and in the top speed. Even with a larger air restrictor and more power, the car would be slower on the long straights than the modified Group C cars. In Weissach, however, Norbert Singer&#8217;s engineers had calculated that this disadvantage could be compensated for by fewer refueling stops. In theory, there was therefore a chance of great success. Chief Development Officer Horst Marchart gave his approval.<br \/>\n<div id='gallery-2' class='gallery galleryid-21916 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/slickpix.de\/en\/dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historical-motorsport-magazine-the-porsche-team-in-le-mans-1994\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/slickpix.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historischer-motorsport-magazin-Das-Porsche-Team-in-Le-Mans-1994-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historical-motorsport-magazine-The-Porsche-Team-in-Le-Mans-1994\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-21921\" srcset=\"https:\/\/slickpix.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historischer-motorsport-magazin-Das-Porsche-Team-in-Le-Mans-1994-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/slickpix.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historischer-motorsport-magazin-Das-Porsche-Team-in-Le-Mans-1994-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-21921'>\n\t\t\t\tThe Porsche team at Le Mans 1994\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/slickpix.de\/en\/dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historischer-motorsport-magazin-die-dauer-962-le-mans-laufren-und-nurbs-only-the-half-waves-must-be-regularly-controlled\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/slickpix.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historischer-motorsport-magazin-Die-Dauer-962-Le-Mans-liefen-rund.-Nur-die-Halb-wellen-mussten-regelmaessig-kontrolliert-werden-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historischer-motorsport-magazin-Die-Dauer-962-Le-Mans-laufren-und.-Nurbs-only-the-half-waves-must-be-regularly-controlled\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-21922\" srcset=\"https:\/\/slickpix.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historischer-motorsport-magazin-Die-Dauer-962-Le-Mans-liefen-rund.-Nur-die-Halb-wellen-mussten-regelmaessig-kontrolliert-werden-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/slickpix.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historischer-motorsport-magazin-Die-Dauer-962-Le-Mans-liefen-rund.-Nur-die-Halb-wellen-mussten-regelmaessig-kontrolliert-werden-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-21922'>\n\t\t\t\tThe permanent 962 Le Mans ran smoothly. Only the half-shafts had to be checked regularly \n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/slickpix.de\/en\/dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historischer-motorsport-magazin-reichweitenvorteil-im-vergleich-zur-konkurrenz-muss-man-erst-after-14-runden-an-die-d-box\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/slickpix.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historischer-motorsport-magazin-Reichweitenvorteil.-Im-Vergleich-zur-Konkurrenz-musste-man-erst-nach-14-Runden-an-die-Box-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historischer-motorsport-magazin-Reichweitenvorteil.-Im-Vergleich-zur Konkurrenz-mu\u00df-man-erst-after-14-Runden-an-die-d-Box\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-21923\" srcset=\"https:\/\/slickpix.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historischer-motorsport-magazin-Reichweitenvorteil.-Im-Vergleich-zur-Konkurrenz-musste-man-erst-nach-14-Runden-an-die-Box-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/slickpix.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/dauer-les-mans-1964-curbs-historischer-motorsport-magazin-Reichweitenvorteil.-Im-Vergleich-zur-Konkurrenz-musste-man-erst-nach-14-Runden-an-die-Box-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-21923'>\n\t\t\t\tRange advantage. Compared to the competition, they only had to pit after 14 laps \n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<h3>Carefully taken<\/h3>\n<p>There were only six months to go before the vehicle was ready for use and there were a lot of specifications to work through. Although Jochen Dauer had already done the groundwork with his design, road approval was still pending. This had to be done by March 31, 1994, according to the Sports Act. The revised version of the Dauer 962 Le Mans now had to fulfill two requirements at the same time: Road approval and at the same time suitability for racing. Norbert Singer and his team were faced with a mammoth task. The Porsche 962 was developed for the race track in 1984, converted for the road by Jochen Dauer and brought back to the race track in Weissach in 1994 &#8211; all on the same basis. Alain Bertraut and the ACO were informed of the plans in parallel with the preparations. The French were only cautiously enthusiastic about the idea because they wanted to see other vehicles in the GT1 class. A Group C racing car in disguise would not be in keeping with the spirit of the regulations. Nevertheless, they were open to this project, as otherwise they feared that the powerful Toyotas would go it alone and the race would be rather monotonous.<\/p>\n<h3>Everything to zero &#8211; almost<\/h3>\n<p>In January, the ACO published an amendment to the regulations to reduce the cornering speeds of the GT1 cars. All cars in that class had to have a flat underbody between the front and rear axles. Only then should the diffuser begin. In the original version of the Porsche 962 from 1984, however, the diffuser started far in the middle between the two axles. It developed a strong negative pressure, was elementary for the handling and guaranteed comprehensive success in many Group C racing series of the 1980s.<br \/>\nNorbert Singer and his team almost got a shock during the first wind tunnel test. The Dauer 962 Le Mans had a flat underbody in the area of the front axle and was extremely unstable. The 962 Le Mans was reworked under high pressure. The many parts almost resulted in a new car, as the new regulations affected many areas in detail: the front end was now pulled further forward. The lack of downforce on the &#8220;mini diffuser&#8221; on the rear axle was compensated for by an additional wing element under the rear wing. The lack of downforce also meant that the braking loads, for example, were significantly higher. For this reason, carbon fiber brakes were now used, which had been tested in other projects.<br \/>\nMany accounts claim that the ACO wanted to put obstacles in Porsche&#8217;s way by changing the regulations in order to prevent its use. Dramaturgically it may read better, but it does not correspond to reality. Max Welti even strongly disagrees: &#8220;These are infamous insinuations against the ACO. We had many constructive discussions beforehand. The ACO took an even closer look at us because the Dauer 962 Le Mans was not the GT car we had hoped it would be.&#8221;            <\/p>\n<h3>A skewer route<\/h3>\n<p>It turned out to be a stroke of luck that the complex T\u00dcV approval had not yet been carried out and that it was possible to react accordingly to the change in the regulations. With the T\u00dcV Rhineland, outstanding issues such as noise development, lighting, fuel and exhaust emissions were resolved. The last point was cleverly argued: the design of the Dauer 962 Le Mans dated back to 1982, so the legal basis from that year had to be used as the basis for approval. To everyone&#8217;s astonishment, this argument was accepted. After lengthy negotiations, the T\u00dcV sticker was affixed to the license plate on March 15, 1994 &#8211; two weeks before the first deadline! The second problem arose on April 21, 1994, when the vehicles had to be presented to the ACO in Le Mans. The fear of unexpected objections was great. But Norbert Singer had prepared well for this eventuality and was able to dispel the last reservations. The six months of preparation were like running a gauntlet.         <\/p>\n<h3>No underdogs with the Dauer 962 Le Mans<\/h3>\n<p>The Dauer 962 Le Mans had its roll-out on the in-house test track in Weissach in mid-April. The test drives on the Goodyear proving ground, in Paul Ricard and at the 24-hour test in Magny Cours all went off without any major problems. Confidence spread.<br \/>\nThe two vehicles were officially registered by Jochen Dauer, while Norbert Singer, Max Welti and their engineers from Weissach were responsible for the on-site expertise. The on-site work was effectively carried out by Reinhold J\u00f6st&#8217;s team, although his name does not appear anywhere &#8211; all in all a professional factory operation. Some of the best sports car drivers of the time were named on both vehicles. Hans-Joachim Stuck, Danny Sullivan and Thierry Boutsen drove the car with the starting number 35 and the striking Shell design. The second car with start number 36, sponsored by FAT-Express International, was driven by Mauro Baldi, Hurley Haywood and Yannick Dalmas.      <\/p>\n<p>During practice, the two Dauer 962 Le Mans cars were still significantly slower than the modified Group C prototypes, the Courage C32 LM, the Kremer-Porsche K8 and the SARD Toyota 94 C-V. The Japanese had been trying to win at Le Mans since the mid-1980s and were considered the heavy favorites. Nevertheless, 5th and 7th place on the grid were reassuring results, because different rules apply at Le Mans. The lead over the other GT1 competitors was enormous. The next best GT1 car was 12 seconds slower. Officially, the only goal was to win the GT1 class.     <\/p>\n<p>The first few hours revealed another opportunity. Both Dauer 962 Le Mans cars were able to match the times of the favored Toyota 94C-V and were significantly more economical. The modified Group C prototypes ran with a weight of 950 kg and an 80-liter tank, while the Porsches ran with 1000 kg and a 120-liter tank. While the Group C prototypes had to pit every 11 laps for refueling, their closest rivals from Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen only had to pit after 14 to 15 laps. Thanks to the larger diffuser, the prototypes from Toyota, Courage and Kremer were able to drive with less tire wear. They only had to change their tires at every second stop, whereas Porsche had to change them at every stop.<br \/>\nThe race at the front resembled a sprint race, coupled with tactical games, luck and bad luck. In the first two hours, the two Dauer 962 Le Mans cars led the race to everyone&#8217;s dismay. Danny Sullivan had a puncture immediately after entering the pits, forcing him to complete an entire lap on a flat tire. He lost almost two laps to the leader. Shortly afterwards, Thierry Boutsen ran out of fuel 50 meters before entering the pit lane and had to be pushed. At four o&#8217;clock, his headlights went out at 300 km\/h in the Tertre-Rouge corner. The Belgian remained level-headed and managed to switch the lights back on during the slow drive. In the pit lane, the front section was changed to be on the safe side. Later, a track bar also had to be replaced.             <\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, the half-shafts on both vehicles caused headaches. An excessive amount of grease was leaking from the bellows. The shaft was replaced on Mauro Baldi&#8217;s Porsche, which also cost him three laps. From then on, the half-shafts were checked at every pit stop, but lasted through the race. It was thanks to the professionalism of the drivers that both Dauer 962 Le Mans were able to catch up with the Toyota 94 C-V again and again. However, they also encountered problems from time to time.     <\/p>\n<p>At midnight, everything looked like a clear victory for the Japanese. In the early hours of the morning, the NISSO Trust-To-yota of Steven Andsk\u00e4r, George Fouch\u00e9 and Bob Wollek had major gearbox problems. The second Toyota from SARD, driven by Jeff Krosnoff, Eddie Irvine and Mauro Martini, took the lead until lunchtime, when the &#8220;defect devil&#8221; struck mercilessly, as so often at Le Mans: one and a half hours before the end, a weld seam on the Toyo-ta tore, leading to a disconnected gearshift linkage. However, Jeff Kros-noff managed to slowly pull the Toyota across the track in third gear. Both Dauer 962 Le Mans cars were now in the lead. Eddie Irvine managed to catch up with the number 35 Porsche in a final spurt on the last lap. However, Mauro Baldi, Yannick Dalmas and Hurley Haywood pulled away and won with just under a lap to spare.      <\/p>\n<p>The 1994 race showed once again that those who can read the regulations have a clear advantage! The courage to exploit the gaps can pay off. <\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Never miss an exciting article about historic motorsport again! Get the Curbs Abo <em>ALL pictures <\/em>comfortably at home &#8211; directly via our <a href=\"https:\/\/curbs-magazin.com\/produkt-kategorie\/abo?utm_source=artikel&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_campaign=artikel-follow-up&amp;utm_id=curbs\">online store<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A new era began at Le Mans in 1993, after the legendary Group C had become a mere shadow of its former self. The officials of the Automobile Club de l&#8217;Ouest (ACO), led by Alain Bertaut, recognized the signs of the times and opened up the 24 Hours of Le Mans to GT racing cars, which were to be the future. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":21917,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2341],"tags":[],"photographer":[698],"class_list":["post-21916","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","photographer-archiv-porsche-martin-lee","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-50"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Duration 962 Le Mans: Courage to leave a gap - SLICKPIX Magazin<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Dauer 962 Le Mans made its debut in 1994, based on the Porsche 962. 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