Nobody’s Perfect

While browsing the web, I came across this Porsche ad.

Beneath the words “Nobody’s Perfect,” it says “1983 Le Mans Results.”

That’s right: the ad lists the results of the 1983 24 Hours of Le Mans. Of the top 10 finishers, Porsche took every position except ninth.

Winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans is no easy feat. At last year’s race, commentators, drivers, team members, and spectators alike were convinced Toyota had the win in the bag. But with just three minutes to go, the leading Toyota suffered a mechanical problem, and Porsche ultimately took the victory.

Toyota came into this year’s race determined to make up for that disappointment. The company president even came to cheer the team on, and Toyota had looked strong in qualifying. But mechanical trouble struck during the race, and Porsche won again. That’s how tough it is to win at Le Mans.

This site offers a helpful explanation of Porsche’s remarkable achievement at Le Mans:

Have you heard the name “24 Hours of Le Mans” before? It’s a historic and incredibly demanding endurance race that runs for 24 hours. Drivers take turns behind the wheel, but the race cars themselves keep going for the full 24 hours. It puts a car’s speed, durability, safety, and every other aspect of its performance to the ultimate test. Even in a conventional car race, taking both first and second place is a major challenge. So, over the course of a 24-hour race, having nine cars finish in the top 10 is an achievement close to a miracle.
*Quoted from Casa Carrera Creative Compass – topic vol.04 – Casa Carrera Creative Compass.

When You Think About It, That’s Incredible

Building a car that can withstand 24 hours of flat-out racing—and then winning—is an extraordinary challenge. With that in mind, let’s look at the ad again.

Nobody’s Perfect.

Apparently, the ad means something along the lines of, “Porsche was striving for a perfect victory at Le Mans, but didn’t achieve a perfect result.” But at Le Mans, where even a one-two finish is incredibly difficult, taking every spot in the top 10 except ninth already sounds pretty close to perfect to me!

That’s what an ordinary person like me can’t help thinking.

But Porsche clearly wasn’t satisfied with that result. For Porsche, perfection means winning outright, without compromise. And, in another sense, the ad is also saying, “Porsche swept the top spots at Le Mans—see just how incredible Porsche is?” Or so I imagine…

Still, I’m reminded just how thrillingly focused Porsche is: no matter how far it goes, it stays true to its ideals and pursues them without compromise. That kind of commitment gives me chills.