Porsche Penske Motorsport is gearing up for a thrilling spectacle at this weekend’s Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, unleashing spectacular Mobil 1-themed liveries on its two factory Porsche 963s. This eye-catching design not only highlights the cutting-edge performance of these vehicles but also commemorates an extraordinary 30-year partnership with ExxonMobil, a collaboration that has consistently driven innovation and victory on the race track.
The unveiling of these stunning liveries took place Wednesday morning at the Sebring International Raceway, where the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship cars were readied for action. Drawing inspiration from the legendary Porsche 911 GT1, which first raced under this collaborative banner in 1996, the designs hark back to a time when Porsche clinched second and third positions in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans. That historic year marked the inception of a comprehensive agreement that saw Mobil 1 become the exclusive lubricant supplier for all new Porsche vehicles globally.
Porsche Motorsport’s director, Thomas Laudenbach, expressed profound pride in this long-standing alliance, stating, “The close and highly trusted partnership between Porsche and Mobil 1 has produced countless unforgettable moments and lasting innovations. We have always used competition on race tracks around the world to test technologies and push boundaries. Mobil 1 has accompanied us on this journey for 30 years as the ideal partner.” The special livery at Sebring serves as a vibrant celebration of this milestone, coinciding perfectly with Porsche’s own 75th anniversary in motorsport.
As the partnership evolved through the early 2000s, it played a pivotal role in the success of the Porsche RS Spyder in the American Le Mans Series, where innovations in engine oil and battery cooling fluids contributed to the Porsche 919 Hybrid’s dominance, securing three consecutive overall victories at Le Mans and multiple FIA World Endurance Championship titles. More recently, groundbreaking advancements in cooling technology for the electric motors and batteries of the Porsche GT4 e-Performance have showcased the ongoing impact of this collaboration. Moreover, Mobil 1 is not just a technical partner in endurance racing; it has been a significant supporter of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup since 2007.
Kelli H. Wright, ExxonMobil’s global lubricants director, emphasized the deep-rooted significance of this partnership, noting, “Mobil 1 has been an essential technology partner for Porsche for decades – a period defined by race victories, championship titles, and groundbreaking engineering. With a special livery at Sebring, we honor this shared anniversary and celebrate a collaboration that continues to drive performance, efficiency, and innovation for the future of motorsport and production vehicles.”
As Porsche Penske gears up for this endurance classic, the team is hungry for back-to-back overall victories, following their recent triumph at the Rolex 24 at Daytona just two months ago. The No. 6 Porsche will feature striking blue accents, while the Daytona-winning No. 7 car will stand out in bold red, driven by a formidable lineup that includes Laurens Vanthoor, Kevin Estre, Matt Campbell, Felipe Nasr, Julien Andlauer, and Laurin Heinrich.
Urs Kuratle, the factory LMDh director for Porsche, shared insights on the critical advantages gained from Mobil 1’s innovations, stating, “Even with the current Porsche 963, we benefit in many areas from Mobil 1’s innovations and expertise. In the tightly contested IMSA series, the smallest details make the difference – and recently we have consistently been at the front.” Highlighting their recent successes, he noted, “The championship titles in the past two years and another victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona in January underline this. Together with all our partners, we want to keep winning in this anniversary year.”
As the engines roar to life at Sebring, the world will witness not just a race, but a celebration of a remarkable legacy, where performance meets partnership in the exhilarating realm of motorsport.
