Actor Michael Fassbender to Make His Le Mans Debut in 911 RSR This Weekend

Michael Fassbender will complete his dream of racing at Le Mans following years of hard work and preparation.

For most of us, racing is more hobby than career, something that we do on the weekends as a way to fulfill our fantasies of being actual race car drivers for a living. But for actor Michael Fassbender – who has appeared in movies such as X-Men and Inglourious Basterds – piloting a Porsche 911 RSR in the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans is something of a second job that has quickly taken the place of his primary one, though it’s been a tough road to get there.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to contest the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” Michael Fassbender said. “And the thing with dreams is you don’t think about how much work you’ve invested or how many setbacks you’ve had to face. I not only learned what it takes to contest a race weekend but also how to be competitive. It’s giving me a fascinating opportunity to show my full potential. It could be a one-off chance so I simply want to do my best.”

Fassbender’s mission to get to this point has been documented in a YouTube series dubbed Road to Le Mans, giving us an inside look at the everyday struggles of an aspiring race car driver. Now, his dream is finally coming to fruition as the actor will take the wheel of the number 93Ā Proton Competition Porsche 911 RSR racer this weekend at Le Mans, competingĀ in the GTE-Am category with the Australian works driver Matt Campbell and Zacharie Robichon from Canada.

Interestingly enough, Fassbender caught the racing bug after meeting fellow actor and racer Patrick Dempsey on a long haul flight. By the time that plane touched down, Dempsey had already contacted the heads of Porsche Motorsport Marketing on Fassbender’s behalf. Soon, he was participating in theĀ Porsche Driving Experience, followed by the Porsche Racing Experience, a season in the Porsche Sports Cup Deutschland, and guest appearances in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup behind the wheel of a 911 GT3 Cup.

Fassbender and his team scored a sixth-place points finish in the 2020 European Le Mans Series (ELMS), followed by a fifth place finish last year. Fassbender also earned his first podium last season at the final round in Portimao, Portugal, in late October 2021. Now, he’s ready to take his racing career to the next level, though both he and his teammates have the confidence to make that a potential success. “Michael may not be the most natural talent, but he’s a hard worker,” said teammate Richard Lietz. “That’s why I’m putting in such a big effort to help him and prepare for the challenge of the Le Mans 24-hour race. I quickly recognized his potential during our first season together.”

Photos: Porsche

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Brett Foote

Brett Foote has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is a longtime contributor to Internet Brandsā€™ Auto Group sites, including Chevrolet Forum, Rennlist, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, among other popular sites.
He has been an automotive enthusiast since the day he came into this world and rode home from the hospital in a first-gen Mustang, and he's been wrenching on them nearly as long.

In addition to his expertise writing about cars, trucks, motorcycles, and every other type of automobile, Brett had spent several years running parts for local auto dealerships.

You can follow along with his builds and various automotive shenanigans on Instagram: @bfoote.