Dodge Viper returns to Le Mans!

TEXTMarch 6, 2013 · 3 min

Balz Schreier, automatically translated

PHOTOS

Dan Morgan · 8 Photos

Paul Kooyman5 PhotosPaul Woodbury (URY914)2 PhotosChrysler Group1 Photo

Chrysler Viper GTS-R (1996) - Le Mans 1996 - The Viper #50 from Viper Team Oreca finished 13th in the GT1 class - no chance against the strong competition with Porsche 911 GT1 and McLaren F1 GTR

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Chrysler Viper GTS-R (1996) - Le Mans 1996 - The #48 Viper from Team Canaska Southwind Motorsport was the best of the four Vipers in the race

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Dodge Viper RT/10 made the Viper debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1994 - Unfortunately, the number #41 retired early

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Le Mans 1994: Dodge Viper RT/10 (1994) - Dodge Viper made the Viper debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1994 - The number #41 unfortunately retired early

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Dodge Viper RT/10 (1994) - The Dodge Viper RT/10 with number #12 placed third in the GT1 class after the two Porsche 962s that had been in the race for a long time.

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Le Mans 1994: Dodge Viper RT/10 (1994) - Dodge Viper made the Viper debut at the 1994 24 Hours of Le Mans - number #12 placed third in the GT1 class

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Dodge Viper RT/10 (1994) - The #12 Dodge Viper RT/10 at Arnage on its way to third place in the GT1 class after the two Porsche 962s.

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Le Mans 1996: Chrysler Viper GTS-R (1996) - The #48 Viper from the Canaska Southwind Motorsport team was the best of the four Vipers in the race

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Le Mans 1996: Chrysler Viper GTS-R (1996) - The Viper #49 from Viper Team Oreca finished 15th in the GT1 class

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Chrysler Viper GTS-R (1996) - Le Mans 1996 - The Viper #49 from Viper Team Oreca finished 15th in the GT1 class - no chance against the strong competition with Porsche 911 GT1 and McLaren F1 GTR

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Dodge Viper GTS-R at the start of the 1996 12 Hours of Sebring

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Dodge SRT Viper GTS-R (2013) - After a long break, the Dodge Viper returns to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2013

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Dodge Viper RT/10 machte 1994 die Viper Premiere bei den 24 Stunden von Le Mans - Die Nummer #41 schied leider frühzeitig aus

Le Mans 1994: Dodge Viper RT/10 (1994) - Dodge Viper machte 1994 die Viper Premiere bei den 24 Stunden von Le Mans - Die Nummer #41 schied leider frühzeitig aus

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Dodge Viper RT/10 (1994) - Die Dodge Viper RT/10 mit Nummer #12 platzierte sich auf dem dritten Platz innerhalb der GT1 Klasse nach den beiden Dauer Porsche 962

Le Mans 1994: Dodge Viper RT/10 (1994) - Dodge Viper machte 1994 die Viper Premiere bei den 24 Stunden von Le Mans - Nummer #12 platzierte sich auf dem dritten Platz innerhalb der GT1 Klasse

Dodge Viper RT/10 (1994) - Die Dodge Viper RT/10 mit Nummer #12 bei Arnage auf dem Weg zum dritten Platz innerhalb der GT1 Klasse nach den beiden Dauer Porsche 962

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Le Mans 1996: Chrysler Viper GTS-R (1996) - Die Viper #48 vom Team Canaska Southwind Motorsport war die beste der vier Viper im Rennen

19 years ago, the Dodge Viper competed for the first time in the 1994 24 Hours of Le Mans. Two racing versions of the Viper RT/10 with an 8-liter displacement were entered by the Luigi Racing Team.

Dodge Viper RT/10 made the Viper debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1994 - Unfortunately, the number #41 retired early

The two newcomers could not be overlooked because of their bright colors. While the bright yellow #41 Viper retired early, the bright red #40 Viper with Justin Bell, son of the famous racing driver Derek Bell, finished third in the GT1 class - a good start! The first two places were taken by the already unbeatable Dauer Porsche 962.

Dodge Viper RT/10 (1994) - The #12 Dodge Viper RT/10 at Arnage on its way to third place in the GT1 class after the two Porsche 962s.

In 1996, the Vipers were once again at the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, this time with the brand new GTS-R model, 8 liter displacement, V10. However, the competition, consisting of the Porsche 911 GT1 and McLaren F1 GTR, was too strong, and class victories were not achieved for the time being (3rd place in GT1). It was only with the changes to the regulations in the following years that the Vipers managed to assert themselves, but then consistently: class victory was secured from 1998 to 2000!

Chrysler Viper GTS-R (1996) - Le Mans 1996 - The Viper #50 from Viper Team Oreca finished 13th in the GT1 class - no chance against the strong competition with Porsche 911 GT1 and McLaren F1 GTR

Corvette then took the victories in 2001 and 2002, Ferrari with the 550-GTS Maranello in 2003.

From 2004, the Viper was no longer at the start of the 24-hour classic in the Sarthe.

The return

But now the time has come again: the Viper returns in time for the 90th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2013 and dares to do battle with Corvette, Ferrari, Porsche and Aston Martin.

Dodge SRT Viper GTS-R (2013) - After a long break, the Dodge Viper returns to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2013

The Viper "Le Mans" history in brief

Year	Viper at the start	Result	Comments
1994	2 x Viper RT/10	3rd place in GT1	Justin Bell, son of Derek Bell, was one of the drivers of the third-placed team
1996	4 x Viper GTS-R	8th place in GT1	Tough competition: Porsche 911 GT1 and McLaren F1 GTR
1997	4 x Viper GTS-R	5th place in GT2
1998	5 x Viper GTS-R	Double victory in GT2	Places 1+2 in GT2 go to Viper: David Donohue and Justin Bell take GT2 class victory in Viper GTS-R, Porsche 911 GT2s have no chance. However, Porsche takes the much more important overall victory with the Porsche 911 GT1/98
1999	8 x Viper GTS-R	Places 1 to 6 go to Vipers!	1st place with drivers Karl Wendlinger, Olivier Beretta and Dominique Dupuy. Porsche has no chance in the GTS class.
2000	6 x Viper GTS-R	Double victory in the GTS class	The new rival Corvette C5.R secured fourth and fifth place!
2001	4 x Viper GTS-R	4th place in GTS	The Corvette C5 strikes back and interrupts Viper's winning streak with a double victory in the GTS class. Third place goes to Saleen S7-R.
2002	4 x Viper GTS-R	3rd place in GTS	Double victory for Corvette C5.R
2003	2 x Viper GTS-R	4th place in GTS	Victory goes to Ferrari 550-GTS Maranello, silver and bronze to Corvette C5.R
*2004 - 2012 no Viper at Le Mans*
2013	2 x SRT Viper GTS-R	we will know on June 23, 2013	Competition Corvette, Porsche, Ferrari, Aston Martin

Many thanks to Dan Morganand Paul Kooyman for allowing us to publish his photos.

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