The two WSC-95s were completed just in time for
Joest Racing to go to the Le Mans test session in May. There, the two cars showed their pace early by setting the fifth and tenth fastest times, easily beating the factory
Porsche 911 GT1s. A few weeks later at Le Mans, the WSC-95s showed their improvements and the #8 entry was at the
pole position, while #7 was seventh. However the 911 GT1s had also improved, taking the fourth and fifth fastest qualifying positions. During the race, the #7 WSC-95 led for nearly the entire race, although closely followed by the factory 911 GT1s. The #8 entry, driven by
Didier Theys,
Michele Alboreto and
Pierluigi Martini ran well, although it succumbed to mechanical failures caused by a collision on the track during the closing hours. In the end, the #7 entry of
Davy Jones,
Alexander Wurz, and
Manuel Reuter took the overall victory, a mere lap ahead of the following
Porsche 911 GT1. The car experienced lighter tyre wear than competitors in the GT1 class and was able to make up time by only changing tyres at every third pit stop made for petrol. Although Joest had originally intended to run the car just at Le Mans in 1996, the team decided to attempt once again in 1997 with a single car. A few weeks prior to Le Mans, Joest decided to showcase their car at the inaugural
International Sports Racing Series event at
Donington Park, where the car took a dominant victory. Upon returning to Le Mans they still showed their pace by once again taking pole position. Although still facing competition from the factory
Porsche 911 GT1s as well as the new
McLaren F1 GTRs,
Nissan had now entered and were keen to take an overall victory. However, unlike the previous year, the 911 GT1s suffered various difficulties, both in the hands of the factory team but also for the privateers. The finish therefore came down to a close race between a
McLaren F1 GTR and the WSC-95, with
Joest Racing once again coming out the victor by a single lap.
Ferrari Formula One teammates of and ,
Michele Alboreto and
Stefan Johansson, drove with Le Mans rookie
Tom Kristensen to take the win. It was the first of a record nine wins at Le Mans for Kristensen. Now realizing the potential of the abandoned WSC-95 against their 911 GT1, Porsche developed both chassis into the newer and even more capable LMP1-98. Unfortunately at the same time, not only were
Porsche attempting to improve both the 911 GT1 and LMP1-98, but as were
Nissan and the newcomers
Toyota,
Mercedes-Benz, and
BMW. Still run by the
Joest Racing squad, the LMP1-98s showed that their quick pace was now lacking against new competitors, managing to take a best of only ninth in qualifying. During the race itself, although the LMP1-98s showed pace, they were not able to survive the entire race. One car suffered electronics difficulties after only 107 laps, while the second car broke some bodywork mountings in a spin and was not able to continue after it had completed 218 laps. For a final appearance, an LMP1-98 appeared at the debut
Petit Le Mans in the United States. Alongside a lone 911 GT1, both cars showed great pace, but the LMP1-98 had to settle for second place, defeated by a customer
Ferrari 333 SP by only a few seconds following ten hours of racing. The LMP1-98s were retired after 1998, with Porsche planning to develop
their own Le Mans Prototype for 2000. That project was later cancelled, and Porsche did not return to factory prototype racing until the 2005 debut of the
Porsche RS Spyder. == Racing Record ==