Porsche 911 RSR

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The Porsche 911 RSR and its predecessor GT3 RSR , GT3 RS and GT3 R are GT racing cars from Porsche that are used in motorsport for endurance races. They are based on the currently highest class in GT racing worldwide, the GTE class from the ACO . These regulations lead back to the concept of a GT3 class below the then group GT1 and group GT2 from 1998. After the GT1 class was discontinued, the planned GT3 class was from 1999 at the ACO as a GT class below the GTS , as well advertised by the FIA ​​from 2000 as N-GT . After the adjustment of the GT rules between FIA and ACO in 2005, this class was renamed GT2 class. When the FIA's GT2 European Championship failed and the participants in the GT1 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans dwindled, the ACO renamed the GT2 class to GTE in 2011 and divided it into GTE-Pro for professionals and GTE-AM for amateurs. Over the years, Porsche was continuously represented in this class with different series of the 911.

In addition, the Porsche 911 also served as the basis for the higher classes with the Porsche 911 GT1 and Porsche 911 GT2 . Since 2006, Porsche has been represented in the newly formed GT3 class with the Porsche 911 GT3 R , which, in contrast to the factory sport of the GTE class, is geared towards customer racing and is based on the one-make cup car of the Carrera and Supercup .

The motorsport cars are built together with all other motorsport cars from Porsche in the manufactory of the motorsport center in Weissach.

Model history

Vehicle class Timeline of the Porsche 911 GT racing car
1990s 2000s 2010s
5 6th 7th 8th 9 0 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 0 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9
FIA GT1 993 GT2 Evo 993 GT1 996 GT1 Evo 996 GT1 '98
FIA GT2 / GT (until 2004)
ACO GTS (until 2004) 		993 GT2
FIA N-GT (until 2004)
ACO GT (until 2004)
FIA GT2 (from 2005)
ACO GTE (from 2011) 		996 GT3 R 996 GT3 RS 996 GT3 RSR 997 GT3 RSR 991 RSR 991 RSR
FIA GT3 997 GT3 Cup 997 GT3 Cup S. 997 GT3 R 991 GT3 R 991 GT3 R
Porsche Carrera Cup 993 Cup 3.8 996 GT3 Cup 996 GT3 Cup 996 GT3 Cup 996 GT3 Cup 997 GT3 Cup 997 GT3 Cup 997 GT3 Cup 991 GT3 Cup 991 GT3 Cup

Porsche 996 GT3 R / RS / RSR

Porsche 996 GT3 RS
Porsche 996 GT3 RSR

Based on the Porsche 996 GT3 , the racing version called the 996 GT3 R was created in 1999 .

The 996 GT3 R made its debut at the 1999 Le Mans 24-hour race . The Manthey Racing and Champion Racing teams fielded the new racing car as unofficial representatives of the plant. The Manthey-Porsche of Uwe Alzen , Patrick Huisman and Luca Riccitelli achieved the class win ahead of the Champion-Porsche of Dirk Müller , Bob Wollek and Bernd Mayländer .

The 996 GT3 R then took part in the American Le Mans Series and from mid-1999 to mid-2001 was also able to achieve almost all class victories in the “small” GT racing car class.

In the FIA GT Championship , the 996 GT3 R was the dominant vehicle in the new NGT class 2000 and won every run. That same year, the factory-supported won Team Phoenix in the 24 Hours Nürburgring .

In 2001 the modified version, now called the 996 GT3 RS , was used. The vehicle was not only very successful in its class, it also achieved overall victories. Jörg Bergmeister and Timo Bernhard prevailed against the much more powerful prototypes in the 2003 24-hour race at Daytona . In 2003, Stéphane Ortelli , Marc Lieb and Romain Dumas won the Spa-Francorchamps 24-hour race for the first time in the history of the FIA ​​GT Championship in an NGT vehicle .

The successor model 996 GT3 RSR , which can be recognized by its teardrop-shaped headlights , made its debut in 2004. The engine output increased from 415 to 455 hp. In addition, the vehicle received a sequential six-speed gearbox.

By 2006, the racing versions of the Porsche 996 GT3 had achieved seven class wins in the 24-hour race of Le Mans as well as five class wins and one overall victory in the 24-hour race of Spa-Francorchamps. Almost 200 racing cars of this type were produced.

Porsche 997 GT3 RSR

Porsche 997 GT3 RSR
RSR from the year at the 1000 km race at Spa-Francorchamps in 2009 with revised cooling air opening

The 997 GT3 RSR made its debut in 2006 at the Spa-Francorchamps 24-hour race. It had a displacement increased to 3.8 liters and an engine output of 342 kW (465 hp).

When the 997 GT3 RSR was first used, Manthey Racing was again the team under whose direction the vehicles were used. The vehicles finished 14th and 15th in the 2006 Spa-Francorchamps 24-hour race. From 2007 the 997 GT3 RSR was offered to customers (35 units were produced over the winter) and then also in the other races of the FIA GT championship and racing series used. In 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011 Manthey Racing won the Nürburgring 24-hour race on this vehicle.

For the 2009 season, the 997 GT3 RSR received a major overhaul. The vehicle can be recognized by the new front with large cooling air openings and ventilation ducts on the front hood. The aerodynamics have been improved and the displacement has been increased to four liters. The engine output sank to 331 kW (450 PS) due to the air flow limiter required by the regulations . The maximum speed is 9,400 rpm. 20 copies of the vehicle are to be produced.

Vehicle from 2012 of the Falken Team

The revised model was first used in racing at the Sebring 12-hour race . The qualification ended with a double pole position for the two factory-supported teams. In the race, the Porsche works drivers Jörg Bergmeister, Patrick Long and Marc Lieb narrowly missed the podium in the GT2 class after two collisions. The first class win followed at the 1000 km race of Barcelona in the Le Mans Series by Marc Lieb and Richard Lietz .

In November 2011, Porsche presented the final version of the 997 GT3 RSR. The Porsche 997 GT3 RSR has been delivered to customer teams around the world since January 2012. The sales price was 498,000 euros plus country-specific VAT. The body of the vehicle was widened by 48 mm and could accommodate 30 mm larger front wheels. In addition, the air flow has been changed. The car was given more air inlets in front of the rear fender. In return, the air scoop on the hood was removed. The cars were used in the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship and the American Le Mans Series.

On December 2, 2018, a 997 GT3 RSR entered by Flying Lizard Motorsports won the Thunderhill 25-hour race. The winning car was driven by Wolf Henzler , Johannes van Overbeek , Justin Marks, Charlie Hayes and Andy Wilzoch.

Porsche 991 RSR

Porsche 991 RSR 2015
Porsche 991 RSR 2015

The 991 RSR made its debut in 2013 and was for the first time based not on the GT3 model of the 911, but on the Carrera 4S, as the street version of the GT3 was introduced too late for homologation. Thus the name conflict with the racing car for the GT3 class could be avoided for the GTE model. Renaming it to GT2 RSR made little sense from a marketing point of view, since the GT2 series has a turbo engine, while the 991 RSR continued to use the well-known 4.0-liter naturally aspirated engine.

One of the development priorities for the new 911 RSR was a more balanced weight distribution. Compared to its competitors with (front) mid-engined engines, in which all heavy assemblies (engine, driver and tank) are arranged centrally, which reduces inertia about the vertical axis, the rear-mounted engine of the 911 is conceptually disadvantaged. Therefore, for packaging reasons, the tank was still installed at the front. However, this has a direct influence on the vehicle's balance. In addition, the rear tires wear out more with a rear-heavy weight distribution. With components made of light carbon fiber reinforced plastic: front and rear fenders, front and rear hood, doors, underbody, wheel arch linings, rear wing, dashboard and center console, an improved weight distribution should be achieved.

At the time, the GTE regulations allowed special technical permits (waivers) to be requested in order to compensate for objective conceptual disadvantages such as those of the rear engine. The number of waivers was not actively communicated to the RSR. It was known that waivers were approved for the side air intakes, the vehicle width, the height of the underbody, the double wishbones at the front and the engine.

The vehicles continued to be used in the WEC by Manthey Racing , who had been promoted to Porsche works teams from 2013.

For the 2016 season, new GTE regulations came into force, which were intended to improve driver safety and increase vehicle performance. This should set the GTE vehicles apart from the GT3 vehicles, which with less downforce but higher top speed were sometimes faster than the more complex GTE vehicles. This occurred particularly in the United SportsCar Championship , in which both GTE vehicles in the GTLM class and GT3 vehicles in the GTD class were eligible to compete. The performance of the GTE vehicles was achieved through an engine output that was around 20 hp higher and at the same time 15 kg less weight. The manufacturers were also given greater freedom in terms of aerodynamic design. The dimensions of the series vehicles no longer had to be adhered to so strictly. This should abolish the vehicle-specific special permits (waivers). In terms of the Balance of Performance , the vehicles should continue to be on a similar level.

At Porsche, the existing 911 RSR was first adapted to the new rules in 2016. So the rear wing was placed higher and further back. However, this vehicle was unable to exploit the full freedom of the new regulations, which is why it was inferior to the Ford GT and Ferrari 488 in the 2016 season .

Porsche 991 RSR 2018
Porsche 991 RSR 2017: new diffuser with originally planned separate exhaust system
Porsche 991 RSR 2018/19

For the 2017 season, Porsche presented a newly developed 911 RSR. The chassis, body structure, aerodynamic concept, engine and transmission have all been redesigned from scratch. The engine-gearbox unit was reversed, transforming the 911 from a rear-engined to a mid-engined racing car. For traditional reasons, Porsche itself described the installation position as the engine in front of the rear axle , which the Porsche 911 GT1 already had. This enabled two decisive advantages to be gained: firstly, the weight distribution was improved, which benefits tire use, and secondly, there was space for the larger rear diffuser permitted in the new GTE regulations. Since the gearbox now installed in the rear was flatter than the engine, the rear diffuser could be wider and, above all, higher. To further improve the aerodynamic efficiency, the rear wing holder was moved to the top of the rear wing blade in order to eliminate interfering contours and to improve the interaction between diffuser and rear wing.

The engine itself was also new. It was still a naturally aspirated engine based on the engine generation of the 911 GT3 R and 911 GT3 Cup with direct injection. Depending on the size of the restrictor, the 4.0-liter boxer six-cylinder developed around 375 kW (510 hp). Contrary to the trend in the GTE class towards turbo engines, Porsche opted for the naturally aspirated engine due to the weight disadvantage of 15 kg - 40 kg for turbo technology and the space and cooling requirements. Furthermore, the tank was installed in the front of the 991 RSR and not in the center of the vehicle, as is the case with thoroughbred mid-engined cars. A more pronounced balance shift depending on the level is therefore still given. Instead of the previous MacPherson struts with simple wishbones, a wheel suspension with double wishbones was used on the front axle . In addition, a new cockpit and a collision avoidance system were introduced, with which the faster prototypes can be recognized early on on a monitor in the cockpit, even in the dark.

The Manthey Racing Team achieved a double victory in the GTE Pro class at the 2018 Le Mans 24 Hours. The team also won the FIA ​​World Endurance Championship in the 2018/2019 season.

As part of the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2019, Porsche presented another new development of the Porsche 911 RSR based on the 991.2 , although production of the series model was discontinued at the end of 2019 and the first copies of the successor 992 were sold. The concept of the 2017 GTE model remained, but 95 percent were redeveloped to evolve the vehicle. Only components such as headlights, brakes, clutch, driver's seat and parts of the chassis have been taken over from the predecessor unchanged. The main goal of the development was to improve the road holding in long, medium-fast corners. In addition, the exhaust system has been changed to two tailpipes that end on the side in front of the rear wheels. The exhaust solution of the 2017 model was only an emergency solution, as the original version could ignite scraps of rubber that had been collected on the exhaust. The central rear protruding exhaust pipes had the disadvantage that they could be damaged quickly in a duel. In addition, the design of the diffuser was restricted by the central arrangement. The new exhaust gas routing has advantages in terms of weight, aerodynamics and vehicle contact on the racetrack. In addition, the naturally aspirated six-cylinder boxer engine has been enlarged to 4.2 l displacement with almost the same output in order to improve torque development.

The 991.2 RSR had its racing premiere at the start of the winter season of the WEC season 2019/20 in the GTE Pro class, while the previous model was used in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship until the end of the 2019 season .

Technical specifications

model 996 GT3 R / RS 996 GT3 RSR 997 GT3 RSR 991 RSR
Construction year 1999-2003 2004 2006-2008 2009-2010 2012-2017 2017-2019 Since 2019
engine 3.6 liter six-cylinder boxer engine 3.6 liter six-cylinder boxer engine 3.8 liter six-cylinder boxer engine 4.0 liter six-cylinder boxer engine 4.0 liter six-cylinder boxer engine 4.0 liter six-cylinder boxer engine 4.2-liter six-cylinder boxer engine
Performance * 415 hp (305 kW) at 8,200 rpm 455 hp (335 kW) at 8,500 rpm 465 hp (342 kW) at 8,000 rpm 450 hp (331 kW) at 7,800 rpm 460 hp (338 kW) at 7,800 rpm 510 PS (375 kW) at NA 1 / min 515 PS (378 kW) at NA 1 / min
Torque 380 Nm at 7,000 rpm 410 Nm at 7,200 rpm 430 Nm at 7,250 rpm 430 Nm at 7,250 rpm 450 Nm at NA 1 / min NA 1 / min at NA 1 / min NA 1 / min at NA 1 / min
Empty weight * 1,100 kg 1,100 kg 1,200 kg 1,200 kg 1,220 kg 1,245 kg 1,245 kg

* Depending on the purpose (FIA GT2, ACO GT2 / GTE, Nürburgring 24h / VLN etc.) and the applicable regulations. Air flow limiters are usually prescribed and the engines are designed for torque and economy

Web links

Commons : Porsche 996 GT3 RS  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files
Commons : Porsche 996 GT3 RSR  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files
Commons : Porsche 997 GT3 RSR  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files
Commons : Porsche 991 RSR  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ http://porscheplatz.porsche.com/de: Porsche News and background reports in picture and sound
  2. ↑ http://www.sportauto-online.de/motorsport/porsche-911-gt3-rsr-neuer-langstreckenrenner-1049237.html
  3. ↑ Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (MY 2012). Classic Driver, November 11, 2011, accessed November 25, 2011 .
  4. ↑ News - Motorsport - Sports & Events. Dr. Ing.hc F. Porsche AG , November 11, 2011, accessed on November 25, 2011 .
  5. ↑ Maximilian Graf: Thunderhill 25: Flying Lizard Motorsports wins for the fourth time. December 3, 2018, accessed December 3, 2018 .
  6. ↑ a b c Marcus Schurig: Porsche's new Le Mans weapon. auto-motor-und-sport.de, June 10, 2013, accessed December 30, 2019 .
  7. ↑ Porsche presents the 911 RSR: lightweight construction meets design highlight. Motorsport-Total.com, March 28, 2013, accessed December 30, 2019 .
  8. ^ Roman Wittemeier: GTE rules 2016: More power, less weight. Motorsport-Total.com, June 11, 2015, accessed December 30, 2019 .
  9. ↑ Marcus Schurig: GT-LM-Rennwagen 2016. auto-motor-und-sport.de, January 28, 2016, accessed on December 30, 2019 .
  10. ↑ Porsche officially presents the new 911 RSR. Motorsport-Total.com, November 17, 2016, accessed January 4, 2020 .
  11. ^ Roman Wittemeier: New 911 RSR: mid-engine creates space for aerodynamics. Motorsport-Total.com, November 29, 2016, accessed January 4, 2020 .
  12. ↑ Marcus Schurig: Preview LM GTE 24h-Race Le Mans 2017. auto-motor-und-sport.de, June 13, 2017, accessed on January 4, 2020 .
  13. ↑ a b Marcus Schurig: The technology of the new Porsche 911 RSR (2017). auto-motor-und-sport.de, December 30, 2016, accessed January 4, 2020 .
  14. ↑ Technical data: Porsche 911 RSR model year 2017. Motorsport-Total.com, November 17, 2016, accessed on January 4, 2020 .
  15. ↑ Dr. Ing.hc F. Porsche AG: Technical data 911 RSR. Retrieved May 11, 2019 .
  16. ^ Motorsport total: Milestones of the Porsche 911 in the WEC season 2018/19. May 5, 2019, accessed May 11, 2019 .
  17. ↑ Heiko Stritzke: Technical analysis of the Porsche 911 RSR: How to drive through curves more linearly. Motorsport-Total.com, August 28, 2019, accessed January 4, 2020 .
  18. ↑ Heiko Stritzke: New Porsche 911 RSR: Turbo was up for debate! Motorsport-Total.com, July 11, 2019, accessed January 4, 2020 .
  19. ↑ Roland Hildebrandt: New Porsche 911 RSR (2019) for the WEC: Mega 911 with monster boxer. Motorsport-Total.com, July 21, 2019, accessed January 4, 2020 .