Porsche's->ke1 comeback in Le Mans->ke1591 was a long time in the making. As the automaker with the most wins in the race's history at 16, Porsche returning to the scene of its glory has put the clock on its rivals.

But it wasn't the only racing series the automaker was considering.

Before deciding on a Le Mans comeback, Porsche R&D boss, Wolfgang Hatz, told Autocar that the company also considered Formula One. In the end, however, the decision was made to return to Le Mans because conditions in Formula one were so "extreme that it cannot result in any development in our road car understanding."

It's a valid reason, especially considering that Formula One technology seemingly has a life of its own and it didn't make sense for Porsche to spend valuable resources and finances in a series that wouldn't translate to its production development.

So there it is. Formula One->ke190's loss - if it cares - is Le Mans' gain. And with the competitiveness of the latter in the past few years, the return of the king will only make Le Mans even more fun to watch.

Click past the jump to watch Porsche's history at Le Mans

Porsche Chronicles its Le Mans History

Porsche Le Mans 1971: The Race of Records