Porsche 911 GT3-MR
The Porsche 911 GT3-MR is a GT racing car that was used by Manthey Racing in the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring and in the BFGoodrich endurance championship. The vehicle is also known as the "fat one" due to its wide construction.
vehicle
The vehicle was created in 2004 based on the Porsche 996 GT3 RS that Timo Bernhard and Jörg Bergmeister drove in the 2003 ALMS season . Team boss Olaf Manthey converted the car for the Nordschleife and installed the “widebody kit”, which had been used on a former Manthey Porsche since 1999. The conversion made the vehicle ten centimeters wider, which increased the mechanical grip. The rear fenders were pulled far up and ran into a rear spoiler ramp with a sharp tear-off edge. Together with a diffuser made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic and a massive rear wing , downforce values of well over 100 kilograms were achieved. The use of carbon fibers has reduced the weight of the fenders by 70 kilograms. The chassis with KW dampers and Eibach springs was tailored to the uneven road surface of the Nordschleife and enabled a high level of driving stability. The diameter of the brake discs was 380 millimeters at the front and 350 millimeters at the rear. An anti-lock braking system was used.
In addition to the changes in aerodynamics , the Porsche 911 GT3-MR also received the external appearance of the turbo versions. The car can be recognized by its teardrop-shaped headlights and large cooling air openings. At first, like its predecessor, it was painted white. From the 2005 season it wore its distinctive yellow-green livery. From 2007 it was last released in blue and white, but is now back in the livery from the 2006 24-hour race.
In contrast to the vehicle used before, a naturally aspirated engine was used in the Porsche 911 GT3-MR instead of a turbo engine . This resulted in a regulation-related weight advantage of 100 kilograms. The engine capacity has been increased from 3.6 liters to just under 3.9 liters. The maximum output of the engine was 363 kW (493 hp) at 7960 revolutions per minute. The maximum torque was 460 Newton meters at 7090 revolutions per minute. At 4500 revolutions per minute, the engine delivered a torque of over 400 Newton meters. At 8500 revolutions per minute, the rev limiter kicked in to keep fuel consumption as low as possible. On the “Tiergarten” section of the route, the car reached a top speed of around 295 kilometers per hour. A six-speed H circuit was used to shift the car.
| engine | Six-cylinder boxer engine |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 3865 cc |
| power | 363 kW at 7960 rpm |
| Torque | 460 Nm at 7090 rpm |
| Weight | 1250 kg |
| transmission | Six-speed H circuit |
| Wheels / tires | Dunlop slicks; front 260 / 655-18 ″, rear 330 / 680-18 ″ |
Racing history
The racing premiere of the Porsche 911 GT3-MR was on April 17, 2004 at the second round of the BFGoodrich endurance championship of the year. The vehicle driven by Olaf Manthey, Timo Bernhard and Nicolas Leutwiler qualified for third place on the grid, but was eliminated due to an accident. In the next race, Bernhard, Leutwiler and Arno Klasen took first place on the grid and won the subsequent race. In the first season there were two more victories by Manthey, Klasen and Bert Lambrecht as well as by Bernhard and Lucas Luhr . The season highlight was the 24-hour race, in which Luhr, Klasen, Bernhard and Manthey drove the car to third place. It was only struck by the factory carvers -BMW.
In the 2005 season Manthey-Racing celebrated two racing successes. Arno Klasen and Michael Jacobs ensured the first victory . In a later championship run, Timo Bernhard and Olaf Manthey drove the vehicle to victory. The 24-hour race, however, was less successful. Lucas Luhr, Timo Bernhard, Emmanuel Collard and Marcel Tiemann were in the lead in the Porsche 911 GT3-MR for a long time until an engine failure drove the team back to ninth place in the morning.
2006 was to be the last year in which the Porsche 911 GT3-MR served as the team's main vehicle. Lucas Luhr, Timo Bernhard and Marcel Tiemann won the season opener. In the second run they repeated their victory. In the following race Tiemann and Arno Klasen only had to admit defeat to the Porsche of the Land Motorsport team. At the 24-hour race of the year, Manthey Racing achieved the greatest racing success with this vehicle. Luhr, Bernhard, Tiemann and Mike Rockenfeller decided the race for themselves and ensured the team's first victory at this motorsport event. With 151 laps completed, Manthey Racing also broke the distance record on this vehicle.
In 2007, the Porsche 911 GT3-MR was no longer Manthey Racing's main vehicle, as the team relied on the new Porsche 997 GT3 RSR . The old GT3-MR was still used in races and driven by Armin Hahne and Christian Haarmann . However, they did not achieve any podium finishes.
The final season of the Porsche 911 GT3-MR, directed by Manthey Racing, was more successful again. In the 2008 24-hour race, the vehicle was considered a secret favorite, but Armin Hahne, Christian Haarmann, Jochen Krumbach and Pierre Kaffer were able to surprise when they drove the aged vehicle into second place. It completed only one lap less than the winning car, the Porsche 997 GT3 RSR also used by Manthey Racing. Towards the end of the season, Hahne and Haarmann reached the podium twice in the BFGoodrich endurance championship, the first time with the support of Kaffer.
After the 2008 season, the Porsche 911 GT3-MR was sold to a Porsche enthusiast and the races initially ended. Later he wanted to use the vehicle again in races in the United States. Manthey Racing then agreed to support the mission. From mid-October to early December 2009, the Porsche 911 GT3-MR was used in three races at Road Atlanta , Daytona and Sebring . Mark Bullitt and Klaus Graf finished all races victorious with their car.
The vehicle is now back in the hands of Manthey Racing and is on public display.
Individual evidence
- ↑ http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/motorsport/24-stunden-2006-doppelsieg-fuer-porsche-am-ring-748529.html
- ↑ http://www.motorsport-total.com/mehr/news/2008/05/Porsche_jubelt_ueber_Dreifachsieg_08052602.html
- ↑ http://www.manthey-racing.de/nextshopcms/show.asp?lang=de&e1=221&ssid=1&mdocid=329&newsid=247