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Today’s joint show of the Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo alongside the 956 C on the German Nürburgring Nordschleife was the second stop of the ‘919 Tribute Tour’. Whereas at Spa-Francorchamps (BE) Neel Jani (CH) on April 9 beat the former Formula One lap record time, on this occasion Timo Bernhard (DE) and Hans-Joachim Stuck (DE) took it rather easy in the Eifel mountains.

Timo Bernhard: “This lap just before the start of the 24-hour race was a special experience for me. It was an honour to go side by side with Hans around the Nordschleife with him driving the 956 C and me at the wheel of our 919 Evo. The fans really enjoyed seeing these two legendary racing cars. I could almost feel their excitement in the cockpit. This was a very nice gift for me.”

Hans-Joachim Stuck: “Christmas came kind of early today. It was fun for the fans and fun for us. The barbecues are lit and smoking, it is absolutely unique what the fans set up around the track here. Of course you can have a close look at that when you go so slow as us today. But I have to admit the right foot was really itching. The 956 stills runs like a clockwork.”

Fritz Enzinger, Vice President LMP1, comments on the appearance in front of 200,000 thousand people: “The get-together of those two extremely successful racing cars produced remarkable pictures.” Enzinger explains: The initial idea of a farewell tour with the Porsche 919 Hybrid came up last summer, soon after the decision was made to pull out of the FIA World Endurance Championship. First we spoke about exhibitions and demo runs. But then inside the team the idea evolved to combine the tour with a try of a lap record to show the car’s true potential. This is how we began to unchain the 919 from a few restrictions that came from the regulations. Of course we needed financial backing for the ‘919 Tribute Tour’ and the Evo development. Without our partners, we wouldn’t have managed this. Therefore, and also on behalf of the fans, I really want to thank them very much.”

Chopard with its international reputation for watches and jewellery was the Porsche LMP programme’s official timing partner right from the beginning. The Geneva based company, founded in 1860 and today employing more than 2,000 people worldwide, keeps accompanying the 919 on its ‘Tribute Tour’.

Vodafone Global Enterprise, dedicated to delivering communication services to the world’s largest multinational, is on board too. The official communication partner’s global network spans 150 countries. Over 3,000 employers support more than 1,700 corporations.

Schaeffler, global supplier to the industrial and automotive sectors, is the team’s official technology partner. Schaeffler develops and manufactures precision products for everything that moves – in machines, equipment and vehicles. The range comprises components and systems for engines, transmissions and chassis, for optimizing drivetrains based on internal combustion engines, hybrid vehicles and technologies for electric mobility.

Michelin and Porsche have enjoyed a successful partnership in motorsport and with production vehicles for decades. Since 1961, the French premium tyre brand and the German sports car manufacturer have been working closely together. For the 919 Evo, a racing car that produces more downforce than a Formula One car, Michelin developed new tyre compounds.

Mobil 1 is the world’s leading synthetic motor oil brand. Porsche and ExxonMobil sucessfully work together for more than two decades. As technology partner and exclusive lubricants supplier, ExxonMobil together with Porsche develops cutting edge innovations that deliver impressive performance both on and off the race track. The Esso brand, the US company’s fuel division, also lent its additional support for the ‘919 Tribute Tour’.

The well deserved beer after a successful event is always a Veltins – the premium brand of the German C. A. VELTINS brewery, founded in 1824. The company joins the farewell tour as official partner.

Also the German lighting manufacturer TRILUX from Arnsberg stays with the LMP programme for the farewell tour as official lighting partner.

Further thanks go to Scania (commercial vehicles from Sweden), energy storage manufacturer A123 Systems LLC (U.S.), sporting goods manufacturer Alpinestars from Italy, tool supplier Hazet, SBG Sports Software (UK), TEXYS Sensor GmbH, fluid transfer specialist ATEC, composite full service supplier Capricorn, Uvex for protective clothing, and last but not least, to the hospitality partners Hauser Catering and Red Bull.

All together these partners make it happen that the ‘919 Tribute Tour’ continues. After the lap record in Spa and the show run at the Nordschleife on May 12, the next stops are the 25 Hours VW Fun Cup in Spa (July 6-8), the Goodwood Festival of Speed (July 12-15), the Festival of Porsche in Brands Hatch (September 2) and the Porsche Rennsport Reunion in Laguna Seca, California, from September 26-29.