New RSR revs up in 50th anniversary year of the Porsche 911
This weekend, at the 6 Hours of Silverstone race in Northamptonshire, the new Porsche 911 RSR ‘Type 991’ makes its competition debut in the World Endurance Championship (WEC). At the same time, the livery of this exceptional version of the 911 honours a very special anniversary – 50 years of the Porsche 911.
Based on the seventh generation of the iconic 911 sports coupe, the RSR follows in the footsteps of its successful predecessor, the 911 GT3 RSR (‘Type 997’). The new race car exploits significant lightweight design technology and sophisticated aerodynamics. As with the latest ‘Type 991’ 911 road car, the wheelbase is longer by 100mm. New wishbone front suspension replaces the McPherson struts used previously. Another new development from Porsche Motorsport is the particularly lightweight racing transmission, whose six gears are selected via paddles on the steering wheel. The rear-mounted, 460 hp, 4.0-litre six-cylinder ‘boxer’ engine has been taken from the predecessor and further optimised in detail.
One of the priorities in the development of the new 911 RSR was more evenly balanced weight distribution. The centre of gravity is also significantly lower than that of the prior model. Carbon fibre played a crucial role in the new design. The front and rear wheel housings, front and rear lids, doors, underbody, wheel arches, rear wing, dashboard and centre console are constructed from this very light and strong material. Moreover, all windows are made of particularly thin and light polycarbonate. Also contributing to the weight reduction is the lithium-ion battery, pioneered in the 911 GT3 and RS road-going sports cars.
The appearance of the new 911 RSR is dominated not just by its distinctive livery but also by the flared wheel arches and the deep cooling air intakes at the front. With the new air ducting, the radiator is now centrally-located in the nose and more effective than that of the previous model. At the same time, the cockpit air conditioning has become more efficient. The quick-change concept of the body panels was especially adapted for endurance racing, allowing for easier maintenance and shorter repair times. The front end, front lid and rear panel are fitted with quick release systems and can be replaced within seconds.
The Porsche Drivers
Factory drivers Joerg Bergmeister (Germany) and Patrick Pilet (France) are at the wheel of the number 91 RSR in the GTE-Pro class. At Silverstone, Spa and Le Mans, the duo is joined by Timo Bernhard (Germany).
Competing in the RSR with starting number 92 are Porsche works drivers Marc Lieb (Germany) and Richard Lietz (Austria), who already shared a cockpit together in the 2012 WEC. At the first two races of the season in Silverstone and Spa (4 May), as well as at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (22 June), they receive support from their works driver colleague Romain Dumas (France).
Two customer teams tackle the GTE-Am class with last year’s Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (‘Type 997’). Driving the Proton Competition entry is Christian Ried (Germany) and his Italian team-mates Paolo Ruberti and Gianluca Roda, with an all-French line-up of Raymond Narac, Christophe Bourret and Jean-Karl Vernay competing for IMSA Performance Matmut.
The schedule
The six hour Silverstone race starts on Sunday, 14 April, at mid-day (13.00 hrs CET). Satellite TV channel Eurosport 2 will broadcast the start of the race live at 13.00 hours (30 minutes) and returns to a live broadcast at 15.00 hours (30 minutes). The final hour is aired live from 18.00 hours on Eurosport 1. The race can be viewed live on the internet under fiawec.com.
