Hollywood A-lister Michael Fassbender will contest the 2020 European Le Mans Series (ELMS) Porsche 911 RSR fielded by the Proton Competition race team, Porsche announced Friday. He joins the likes of Steve McQueen, Paul Newman and Patrick Dempsey — another Porsche racer — in the ranks of Hollywood-actors-turned-hot-shoes.
"Even before I started acting, I had a big dream to go racing. It was clear to me at a young age. My father was an avid driver and he taught me a lot," Fassbender said in Porsche's announcement.
Fassbender has been working for several years toward his ultimate goal of racing in the infamous 24 Hours of Le Mans. His first taste of professional-level competition came in succession of entries in various Ferrari Challenge series in 2017 and 2018 behind the wheel of a Ferrari 488 Challenge.
In 2019, he campaigned in Germany's Porsche Sports Cup series behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, which was the focus of the Porsche-produced "Road to Le Mans" YouTube series, which Fassbender narrated.
"I've just always felt drawn to going fast into a corner — and fast out — and just naturally felt connected to it," Fassbender said in the series trailer. "And now I want to go to the ultimate place," he said, referring to Le Mans itself.
"It'll be interesting to see how Michael progresses. As a team, we’re delighted to be able to accompany him on his 'Road to Le Mans,'" said Proton Competition team owner Christian Ried. Fassbender will share the #93 911 RSR with factory driver Richard Lietz and Felipe Fernández Laser.
Fassbender portrays Magneto in the latest incarnations of the "X-Men" movie franchise and played the title role in 2015's "Steve Jobs," for which he received an Academy Award nomination for best actor; he was also nominated for best supporting actor for his portrayal of Edwin Epps in 2013's "12 Years a Slave."
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