Porsche has reverted to a spare chassis for its No. 94 GTE-Pro entry after Sven Mueller crashed out of the first Thursday evening qualifying session for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

A new Porsche 911 RSR tub has been built up overnight, with additional spare parts sourced from the German manufacturer’s motorsport headquarters at Weissach, following the heavy accident.

The original No. 94 car, which is part of a two-car U.S.-based effort run by CORE autosport, was initially set to make its race debut at Le Mans as a replacement for its No. 912 car in the U.S., which has been sold to a collector.

Mueller lost control of the car in the right-kink before the Indianapolis left-hander which sent it careering straight on into the tire barriers.

The Porsche sustained heavy left-side damage in the impact, which the German driver walked away from uninjured.

Mueller explained that he lost the car midway through the kink and that the Porsche had been driving well up until the accident.

“We put good tires on and tried to do a really good lap time,” he told Sportscar365. “It was a little bit wet but the air felt quite a little bit humid so grip levels were low.

“I had a little snap of oversteer and I just couldn’t catch the car because I went a bit off-line. It was a big impact.

“When you’re arriving really quick you have to brake. There was just no grip, so there was no chance to get it.”

Walliser Urging Drivers to Stay Calm

Head of Porsche motorsport Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser has warned his drivers to use their heads following a string of incidents involving the team’s cars.

On Wednesday, pole-sitter Gianmaria Bruni had a wild spin into the Dunlop chicane gravel, shortly after smashing the GTE-Pro lap record in the No. 91 Rothmans-themed car.

The No. 92 also had a lurid moment through the Porsche Curves in Q2, while the now-defunct No. 94 chassis had an earlier rotation at Mulsanne with Romain Dumas behind the wheel.

When asked if he is telling his drivers to take extra precaution in the race, Walliser told Sportscar365, “Yes, I am.”

“This is what I tell everybody, the drivers,” he said.

“Stay calm, stay out of trouble. I think our driver lineup really knows to stay calm and make their own race.”