Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo, 956 C Set for N24 Demo Lap

Photo: Porsche

Porsche’s iconic prototypes from two different eras will be a key part of this weekend’s Nürburgring 24, with the 919 Hybrid Evo and 956 C set for a demo lap around the Nordschleife.

Timo Bernhard and Hans-Joachim Stuck will handle driving duties of the cars, which will be given a “show run” during pre-race festivities on Saturday, ahead of the around-the-clock German endurance classic.

It will mark the 919 Evo’s first public appearance after shattering the Spa track record last month with Neel Jani.

“The Nordschleife is home for me,” said Bernhard, whose Team 75 Bernhard will be making its Nürburgring 24 debut this weekend with a Porsche 911 GT3 R. 

“When I was a kid I used to accompany my father to the Eifel mountains. The complexity of this over 20-kilometer long track doesn’t compare to anything.”

Bernhard has been an admirer of the late Stefan Bellof, who still holds the outright lap record at the Nordschleife, at 6:11.13, in a Porsche 956 C.

“His 1983 unbeaten lap record at the Nordschleife is terrific,” Bernhars said. “I feel honored to accompany a historic Porsche 956 C with the 919 Evo.”

Stuck, who once shared a 956 with Bellof, said he’s looking forward to the opportunity this weekend to be reunited with one Porsche’s most legendary machines.

“The 956 was new to me and Stefan taught me how to drive this ground effect car,” he recalled. “I learnt an awful lot from him.

“When I joined Porsche, I understood why those cars were unbeatable. You had no gearbox issues, the brakes were excellent and thanks to this tremendous downforce, you could enter the corners at very high speed.

“Literally, the car stuck to the ground.

“For me it is a world-class opportunity to take the 956 once again around the Nordschleife. Emotionally, this is something hard to top.”

The event will be the continuation of Porsche’s ‘919 Tribute Tour’ that will also include stops at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and Porsche Rennsport Reunion at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca later this year.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John