Porsche publicly announced the LMP1 programme in 2011, with the car debuting in 2014. Over four seasons it won three consecutive World Endurance Drivers' Championships and three consecutive World Manufacturers' Championships. An unlimitied evolution, the 919 Evo, was demonstrated in 2018 and broke multiple circuit records including the Nürburgring Nordschleife outright lap record.
In mid-May 2011, Porsche decided to compete as a works team in the LMP1 category. Two months later it publicly announced plans for a car debuting in 2014. The Porsche Motorsport Centre Flacht in Weissach expanded to 200 full-time employees for the project. In late 2011, Porsche hired Fritz Enzinger from BMW to serve as vice-president of LMP1. At year's end, Alex Hitzinger — former head of F1 development for engine builder Cosworth and later Red Bull Racing's head of advanced technologies — was brought on to oversee technical design.
The car was named the 919 Hybrid to acknowledge Porsche's entry into hybrid technology and honour the tradition of similarly named cars at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It was Porsche's first sports car prototype since the RS Spyder debuted in 2005 and the first factory sports prototype since the 1998 Porsche 911 GT1-98. Nine chassis were built in total.
The monocoque was finalised at the end of 2012, designed for maximum efficiency with a raised cockpit meeting 2014 LMP1 driver-visibility regulations. Developers drew on the 911 GT3 R Hybrid and the 918 Spyder. Aerodynamic tuning of the carbon-fibre, honeycomb-aluminium chassis began in February 2012, with 2,000 hours in wind tunnels at Weissach and the University of Stuttgart. The car's independent multi-link suspension with pushrods and adjustable shock absorbers exploited 360 mm Michelin tyres. Regulations set maximum dimensions at 4,650 mm long, 1,800–1,900 mm wide, and 1,050 mm tall, with a maximum weight of 870 kg (1,920 lb).
The engine ran at 9,000 rpm via direct fuel injection and a single Garrett-designed turbocharger with dual overhead camshafts. Its small size meant the transmission casing was fitted to the rear suspension, occupying nearly a third of the car's length. Cooling used a carbon-fibre-and-gold thermal airbox with louvres along the flanks and a curved roll-hoop intake on the roof. The car featured traction control, a hydraulically operated paddle-shift seven-speed sequential gearbox with rear-lock differential in a carbon-fibre casing with titanium inserts, and carbon ceramic brake discs. Power steering and two four-point LED headlights were standard.
The 919 Hybrid's dual energy-recovery systems comprised a rear two-turbine electric generator recovering exhaust thermal energy, and a front 185 kW (248 hp) motor-generator unit (MGU) on the front axle that converted braking kinetic energy into electricity stored in water-cooled A123 Systems lithium-ion battery packs. Under acceleration the front MGU operated as an electric motor, directing an additional 400 hp (300 kW) to the front wheels — temporarily making the car four-wheel drive — for a combined total of 1,000 hp (750 kW). Porsche chose the 6 MJ (1.7 kWh) MGU category, permitting 4.78 litres of fuel per lap at Le Mans, though the car was designed to be compatible with the 8 MJ class.
In April 2013, Porsche named its first two drivers: Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas, two-time co-champions of the American Le Mans Series LMP2 class and 2010 Le Mans winners, selected for their prototype experience with Porsche. Two months later, Neel Jani was signed from the Rebellion Racing team on a multi-year contract. Mark Webber, then a Red Bull Racing Formula One driver, joined two days later; his previous sports car experience was the 1999 Le Mans for AMG-Mercedes. In December 2013, Brendon Hartley — a Mercedes-Benz Formula One test driver and European Le Mans Series LMP2 competitor — and Grand Touring racer Marc Lieb completed the six-driver lineup.
Dumas shared the No. 14 car with Jani and Lieb; Bernhard was paired with Webber and Hartley in the No. 20 entry. Enzinger explained the pairing logic: Bernhard and Dumas held the most prototype experience, so they were split between cars, each paired with one less experienced newcomer. Driver weight was also equalised across both cars.
The 919 Hybrid was liveried in white incorporating the 'Porsche Intelligent Performance' slogan, with each word's initial letter visible from above. The rear wing was black with 'Porsche' in red letters. No title sponsor was carried. On 12 June 2013, Bernhard drove the car in a camouflage livery at Porsche's Weissach test track. Development testing followed at Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, Circuit Paul Ricard, Autodromo Nazionale Monza, EuroSpeedway Lausitz, and the Algarve International Circuit, concluding in December 2013. The car was officially revealed on 4 March 2014 at the Geneva Motor Show. A two-car endurance test at Circuit Paul Ricard from 24 to 26 March covered 4,756 km, with Hartley setting the fastest lap of 1 minute, 41.289 seconds during the Friday night session.
Porsche redesigned the 919 Hybrid for 2015, producing a new chassis as one piece to reduce weight from 900 kg to 870 kg. The car moved into the 8 MJ (2.2 kWh) MGU class following an improved hybrid system increasing maximum power to 294 hp (219 kW). The nose-cone structure was lowered and narrowed, curved louvres replaced by two straight slats, and the exhaust system changed to a twin-pipe symmetrical layout. Private testing began at Weissach in December 2014 with Lieb, extending to the Yas Marina Circuit, Bahrain International Circuit, and Ciudad del Motor de Aragón. For the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Porsche ran three distinct liveries: red (No. 17, honouring the Porsche 917's first Le Mans victory in 1970), black (No. 18, referencing the 918 Spyder), and white (No. 19).
The carbon-fibre sandwich chassis was retained for 2016, with components improved for performance and weight reduction. The wheel rim was deepened to reduce drag; the mandatory front-arch air extractor received a turning vane; and new rear wing endplates were added. Three aerodynamic packages were developed: two high-downforce configurations for Silverstone and a low-downforce package for Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps and Le Mans, developed in Williams Grand Prix Engineering's wind tunnel at Grove and tested at full scale in Germany. A new WEC regulation restricting electrical energy and fuel by 8% led Porsche to redesign the engine to produce approximately 480–495 hp (358–369 kW); front-axle power exceeded 400 hp (300 kW) via an 800-volt battery, for a combined total of 900 hp (670 kW). The livery was predominantly black and white with red accents.
Porsche retained the 2016 monocoque but replaced 60–70% of the car, with aerodynamics receiving the largest changes. The front was redesigned with wider wheel arches to reduce sensitivity to rubber debris; new rearward radiator intakes were added. New cost-cutting regulations restricted LMP1 teams to two aerodynamic packages: one low-downforce for Le Mans and one higher-downforce for tighter circuits, with a raised front splitter and two underside strakes. The car remained in the 8 MJ MGU category. Combined power was approximately 900 hp (670 kW); roughly 60% of braking kinetic energy was recovered by the front system and 40% by the rear exhaust system, with turbine speeds exceeding 120,000 rpm. The livery changed to white and black with grey and red lines. Testing began at Ciudad del Motor de Aragón in December 2016.
On 11 April 2018, Porsche revealed the 919 Evo, an unconstrained evolution not intended for competition. Fuel flow restrictions were lifted, allowing 720 PS (530 kW; 710 hp) from the engine. Recovered-energy output was raised from 6.37 MJ to 8.49 MJ for Spa-Francorchamps; electric motor output increased from 400 to 440 PS (324 kW; 434 hp). Removing air conditioning, wipers, headlights, and other electrical devices cut 39 kg, bringing the car to 849 kg dry. Aerodynamic upgrades — an active drag-reduction system, enlarged rear wing, wider front diffuser, and fixed-height side skirts — increased downforce by 53% and aerodynamic efficiency by 66% versus the 919 Hybrid's 2017 Spa qualifying specification.
At Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Jani drove the Evo to a lap time of 1 minute, 41.77 seconds, breaking the circuit's F1 and outright lap record by more than 12 seconds over the standard 919 Hybrid's 2017 pole time. Jani recorded 359 km/h (223.1 mph) through the Kemmel Straight at an average speed of 245.61 km/h (152.6 mph). On 29 June 2018, Timo Bernhard drove the Evo on the Nürburgring Nordschleife and recorded 5 minutes, 19.546 seconds, breaking the May 1983 record of 6 minutes, 11.13 seconds set by Stefan Bellof in a Porsche 956. The Evo also appeared at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Festival of Porsche at Brands Hatch, and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca at Porsche Rennsport Reunion VI.
At the season-opening 6 Hours of Silverstone, Dumas and Jani's No. 14 started third; Webber and Bernhard's No. 20 started sixth. A front-left wheel-bearing failure forced Jani's early retirement from the No. 14; Bernhard passed Alexander Wurz's No. 7 Toyota TS040 Hybrid for second on lap 53 but the low-downforce package cost pace in the rain, the No. 20 finishing third in a shortened race. At the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, Jani and Lieb took pole in changeable weather. An electrical fault disabled the No. 14's hybrid system after two hours, dropping it to 23rd. At Le Mans, gearbox and fuel-pressure problems relegated the No. 14 to eleventh; the No. 20 failed classification with a broken anti-roll bar.
At the 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas — red-flagged for 77 minutes due to flooding — Jani led at the restart but lost engine power to finish fourth; Bernhard aquaplaned into a gravel trap, the No. 20 recovering to fifth. At the 6 Hours of Fuji, Webber led twelve laps before a slow puncture cost position; the No. 20 finished third. At the 6 Hours of Shanghai, Jani and Dumas's No. 14 shared an identical two-lap qualifying average with Sébastien Buemi and Anthony Davidson's No. 8 Toyota; pole was awarded to Porsche for setting times first. A mid-race puncture cost Hartley in the No. 20, but Jani's No. 14 claimed third.
At the 6 Hours of Bahrain, Dumas and Jani took pole; the No. 14 finished second and No. 20 third, Porsche's first double podium. At the season-closing 6 Hours of São Paulo, the No. 14 won — Porsche's first race victory with the 919 Hybrid — after a collision involving Webber and Matteo Cressoni's Ferrari triggered a safety-car finish; the No. 20 was unclassified. Porsche scored 193 points for third in the World Manufacturers' Championship.
All six drivers were retained for 2015. Earl Bamber, Nick Tandy, and Force India Formula One driver Nico Hülkenberg shared a third 919 Hybrid for the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. At the season-opening 6 Hours of Silverstone, Webber's No. 17 retired from the lead with a rear drivetrain failure; the No. 18 finished second. At Spa, Porsche locked out the first three grid positions; Hartley led until a stop-and-go penalty for entering a marshal zone at the Bus Stop chicane; the No. 18 finished second.
At Le Mans, Bernhard's No. 17 briefly broke the 2008 Circuit de la Sarthe lap record before Jani bettered it for pole. During the race a Webber penalty for passing under a yellow flag dropped the No. 17 to second; Bamber took the lead midway through the 14th hour for Porsche's first overall Le Mans victory since 1998. Porsche won pole at every round in 2015. Bernhard, Webber, and Hartley secured four race wins. At the 6 Hours of Bahrain finale, Bernhard lost five laps to a broken throttle actuator and energy-recovery failure but Webber's fifth place secured the Drivers' Championship. Porsche accumulated 344 points for the Manufacturers' Championship. At the inaugural post-season rookie test at Bahrain International Circuit, GP2 driver Mitch Evans and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya shared a 919 Hybrid.
Porsche and Audi jointly chose not to field a third Le Mans car as a cost-cutting measure related to the Volkswagen emissions scandal. At the season opener, the No. 1 retired after contact with a Gulf Racing Porsche 911 RSR; the No. 2 inherited the win when the No. 7 Audi was disqualified for illegal skid-block wear. At Spa, both Porsches suffered: the No. 1 spent 1 hour 40 minutes replacing the front axle gearbox; the No. 2 ran without full electric power. At Le Mans, Jani took pole; the No. 2 won Porsche's 18th overall Le Mans victory after the leading No. 5 Toyota's turbocharger-intercooler connector failed. Porsche ultimately won both the World Manufacturers' Championship (324 points) and the World Drivers' Championship.
After 2016, Dumas and Lieb were dropped; Webber retired. André Lotterer — transferred from Audi's discontinued LMP1 programme — and Tandy joined Jani in the No. 1; Bamber joined Bernhard and Hartley in the No. 2. At Silverstone, a late Hartley pit stop for fuel put the No. 2 in the lead, but Buemi's Toyota passed with 12 minutes remaining; the No. 2 finished second. At Le Mans, the No. 2 was delayed 65 minutes for a front MGU replacement; the No. 1 led after the No. 7 Toyota retired but Lotterer retired with engine problems in the 21st hour. Bernhard recovered to overtake Ho-Pin Tung's Oreca 07 with 67 minutes remaining for Porsche's third consecutive and 19th overall Le Mans victory.
Porsche won four further races and clinched the 2017 World Endurance Drivers' Championship at Shanghai and the World Manufacturers' Championship (337 points) at the same round. At the 2017 6 Hours of Bahrain, the final round, No. 2 finished second and No. 1 third. At the post-season rookie test, 2017 World Series Formula V8 3.5 champion Pietro Fittipaldi shared the 919 Hybrid with Bernhard.
After 2017, Porsche ended the 919 Hybrid programme to concentrate on the all-electric Formula E championship from the 2019–20 season, while increasing commitment to its global GT programmes.
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