Porsche announces factory Le Mans entry

Porsche has announced that it will field a factory team in the 2013 Le Mans 24 Hours – marking the first factory assault on the French classic since it took overall honors back in 1998.

Two cars, based on the latest incarnation of the Porsche 911, will be run by long-time Porsche outfit Team Manthey in the GTE class of the World Endurance Championship next year – which will include a run in the Le Mans 24 Hours.

The cars will be entered under the Porsche AG Team Manthey banner.

"The new 911 RSR is currently being developed by our engineers and tested by our works drivers," Porsche motorsport boss Hartmut Kristen said. "What better time could there be to introduce the new car than in the 50th anniversary year of the Porsche 911?"

The announcement comes on the back of Porsche ending development on the previous generation of the 911 – which had been run at Le Mans in 2012 by the likes of Felbermayr-Proton and Flying Lizards.

Porsche has previously announced plans to build an LMP1 car for the 2014 race.