The new Porsche LMP1 sports prototype, which will compete in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 2014 has hit the track for the first time.

Former Le Mans winner Timo Bernhard was given the honor of shaking down the new car at the Porsche test track in Weissach, Germany. The entire Porsche board was on hand to see the car return to Le Mans as an official factory team.

Since the decision in mid-2011 to return with the LMP1 racer to top motorsport as a works effort, Porsche’s Motorsport Centre at Weissach has grown significantly. A workshop and an administration building were built and accommodate around 200 employees who are responsible for the design, assembly and deployment of the LMP1 car. From the 2014 season, the racer will be fielded by a works squad.

“I was involved in the development of the new car right from the outset,” says Porsche works driver Timo Bernhard.

“I’m very proud that I was the one to take our baby through its first paces today. Already now the car feels great. I look forward to testing the vehicle in the coming weeks and months with my friend and colleague Romain Dumas.”

Bernhard (32) and Dumas (35) are the first two regular drivers in the LMP1 project and will carry out the majority of testing on various international circuits.

“During the development of our new LMP1 vehicle, we faced the same challenge as in the series production development of our road legal cars,” says Wolfgang Hatz, Board Member for Research and Development at Porsche AG.

“Our aim was to achieve the best possible efficiency without compromising performance.”