The 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans qualifying session produced one of the most talked-about laps in modern endurance racing. Neel Jani circulated the Circuit de la Sarthe in 3:16.887, the fastest lap at Le Mans since the chicanes were introduced in 1990. IXO Models captures that precise machine, the #18 Porsche 919 Hybrid, in 1:43 die-cast metal, wearing the black Porsche Team livery with race number and driver names as run at the event.
The Porsche 919 Hybrid: LMP1 engineering at its most complex
Developed by Porsche AG and introduced in 2014, the 919 Hybrid was the manufacturer's return to top-level prototype racing after a 16-year absence from the LMP1 category. Its powertrain paired a turbocharged V4 petrol engine with two separate energy recovery systems — a front-axle electric motor and an exhaust heat recovery unit. That dual-hybrid architecture made the 919 one of the most technically elaborate LMP1-H cars of its generation. Porsche would go on to win the FIA WEC Manufacturers' Championship in 2015, 2016 and 2017, taking outright Le Mans victory in all three seasons.
Pole position and a landmark qualifying lap
At the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans, the official Porsche Team entered the #18 919 Hybrid for Marc Lieb, Romain Dumas and Neel Jani. During qualifying, Jani set a lap of 3:16.887 — the fastest lap at the Circuit de la Sarthe since the chicanes were introduced in 1990, putting the #18 on pole position. The car finished 5th overall; overall victory went to the sister #19 Porsche 919 Hybrid of Hulkenberg, Bamber and Tandy.
IXO Models 1:43 die-cast — the pole car in miniature
This release renders the #18 in the car's actual 2015 race specification: black bodywork with white and red Porsche Motorsport graphics, correct race number, and the Lieb–Dumas–Jani driver names. The model is made by IXO Models in die-cast metal. For collectors focused on the 2015 FIA WEC season or on Porsche's Le Mans comeback era, the #18 pole-sitter represents a historically specific and rarely replicated entry.
Frequently asked questions
What is the significance of the #18 Porsche 919 Hybrid at Le Mans 2015?
Neel Jani qualified the #18 car on pole position with a lap of 3:16.887 — the fastest qualifying time at Le Mans since the chicanes were introduced in 1990. The car was entered by the official Porsche Team for Marc Lieb, Romain Dumas and Neel Jani.
Who drove the #18 Porsche 919 Hybrid at the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans?
Marc Lieb, Romain Dumas and Neel Jani. Jani set the pole position lap; the car finished 5th overall, with overall victory going to the #19 Porsche 919 Hybrid.
What livery does this 1:43 scale model carry?
The model replicates the black Porsche Team livery used by the #18 car at the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans, with white and red Porsche Motorsport branding and the correct race number.
Who makes this model and what is it made from?
The model is made by IXO Models in die-cast metal.
