The 91st 24 Hours of Le Mans, run on 10–11 June 2023 at the Circuit de la Sarthe, was the centenary edition of the race. It was also the final year in which GTE-Am appeared on the entry list, closing a chapter of GT endurance racing that had defined the class structure at Le Mans for over a decade. Spark Model's 1:43 two-piece set places the Proton Competition No. 911 Porsche 911 RSR-19 at the centre of that closure.
The Porsche 911 RSR-19: a 4,194 cc flat-six in carbon fibre
The 991.2-generation 911 RSR-19 — introduced for the 2019 season — is built around a carbon-fibre monocoque with a full safety roll cage. Its Porsche M97/80 flat-six displaces 4,194 cc, is naturally aspirated, and develops approximately 510 PS (375 kW). Drive goes to the rear wheels through a 6-speed sequential semi-automatic paddle-shift gearbox. At 4,593 mm long, 2,042–2,050 mm wide, and 1,245 kg (subject to Balance of Performance adjustment), it is a purpose-built GT racer rather than a GT3 derivative, a distinction Porsche maintained until the type was retired after 2023.
Race No. 911: the end of GTE-Am on the 13.626 km circuit
Michael Fassbender (Ireland), Richard Lietz (Austria) and Martin Rump (Estonia) shared the No. 911 Proton Competition entry for the fifth year of the Fassbender–Lietz programme. During the race, Fassbender recorded his first sub-four-minute lap of the 13.626 km circuit — approximately 3 minutes 53 seconds, nearly four seconds faster than his 2023 personal best from the previous year. The session ended in retirement: the car spun and struck tyre barriers, damaging the left side beyond repair. The FIA WEC classified No. 911 as DNF after 246 laps and approximately 19 hours 37 minutes of racing. All three Proton Competition entries retired that year. The GTE-Am class winner was the Corvette No. 33, completing 313 laps.
Spark Model at 1:43: resin construction, 500-piece run
Spark Model produced this set under Porsche licence in resin, limited to 500 pieces. The car model measures approximately 10.5 cm in length at 1:43 — a direct ratio of the 4,593 mm real-car length. The silver and black Proton Competition livery is reproduced across the sealed one-piece body; detail is concentrated on the aerodynamic surfaces: the wide rear wing, flat-bottom diffuser, and the distinctive RSR-19 front fascia. The bundled Michael Fassbender race helmet is rendered at 1:5, making it a substantially larger accessory and a natural focal point for display. Resin construction means no opening panels; all accuracy is surface-rendered.
In the display cabinet: pairing a 1:43 scale model car with history
At 10.5 cm, the No. 911 Proton car occupies a compact footprint, while the 1:5 helmet — roughly 15–18 cm tall depending on the replica proportions — requires its own dedicated shelf space. The set sits naturally alongside other Spark 1:43 GTE-Am farewell entries from Le Mans 2023: the No. 56 GR Racing Porsche that finished third in class, or the all-female No. 85 Iron Dames car from the same race. For collectors documenting the RSR-19's competition lifespan from 2019 through 2023, this No. 911 Proton entry marks the final season of the type — a direct counterpart to the factory No. 91/92 entries from the GTE Pro farewell in 2022.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the 1:43 scale model?
The real Porsche 911 RSR-19 measures 4,593 mm bumper to bumper. Divided by 43, that gives approximately 10.5 cm for the model car — compact enough for a standard shallow shelf. The bundled 1:5 Michael Fassbender helmet replica is considerably larger and benefits from its own display space.
Does the model have opening parts?
No. The Spark Model resin body is a sealed, one-piece construction with no opening doors, bonnet or engine cover. All fidelity is concentrated on the exterior surfaces: the aerodynamic bodywork, the silver and black Proton Competition livery, race number 911, and the RSR-19's characteristic wide rear wing and front splitter geometry.
What is included in the set and why is there a second scale?
The set contains two items: the 1:43 scale resin car model of the No. 911 Proton Competition Porsche 911 RSR-19 from the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans, and a separately scaled 1:5 replica of Michael Fassbender's race helmet. The helmet is produced at 1:5 rather than 1:43 to allow meaningful surface detail at a displayable size; a helmet at true 1:43 would measure under 5 mm.
What makes the 2023 Le Mans No. 911 entry historically significant?
The 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans was the final competitive year for both the GTE-Am class and the Porsche 911 RSR-19 as a race car. The No. 911 Proton Competition entry carried drivers Michael Fassbender, Richard Lietz and Martin Rump — a pairing of a Hollywood actor in only his second Le Mans start, a Porsche factory works driver, and a Bronze-rated Estonian driver — in the fifth year of the Fassbender–Lietz programme, under the Porsche-backed 'Road to Le Mans' documentary project.
