Some racecars have liveries that transcend the fibres of history, permanently ingrained in the minds of racing enthusiasts the world over.
The story begins, fittingly, at Le Mans in 1996.
Two Porsche 911 GT1 factory entries, dressed in Mobil 1 colours, crossed the line in second and third place. That very day, Porsche and ExxonMobil formalised a partnership that would see Mobil 1 lubricants become factory fill for Porsche road cars worldwide.
Porsche has always treated motorsport as more than just competition. It is, in many ways, its most demanding research facility.
“We have always used competition on race tracks around the world to test technologies and push boundaries.”
Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President of Porsche Motorsport
And Mobil 1 has been there every step of the way.
From the Porsche 911 GT1’s Le Mans triumph in the late 1990s, to the success of the RS Spyder in the 2000s, and later the dominance of the 919 Hybrid, which secured six world championship titles and three overall Le Mans victories between 2014 and 2017, the partnership has consistently delivered results.
More recently, the collaboration has extended into electrification, with innovations in cooling technology supporting high-performance electric platforms like the GT4 e-Performance, capable of delivering up to 800 kW on track.
This year, two Porsche 963 entries competed in the top GTP class at Sebring, decked out in a special anniversary livery. Car #7 also heads into the race as the championship leader, following a victory at Daytona.
There is a tendency to romanticise the past in motorsport. To look back at liveries, at iconic cars, and assume the best days are behind us.
But standing on the grid at Sebring, watching a Porsche 963 dressed in those familiar Mobil 1 colours, it becomes clear that this partnership is not about nostalgia.
It is about continuity.
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