Porsche on track with N24 preparations

Porsche @ VLN - April 2010

In the lead up to next month’s 24 hour race the Manthey Racing team is well on track to defending its 24 hour title by claiming victory during a VLN race yesterday. It was the second win of the season for the team’s 911 GT3 R.

Manthey Racing is also managing the racing debut of the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid. And it would seem they are doing a great job with this emerging technology as the Hybrid came home in third position.

During these early stages of development the GT3 R Hybrid is a bit off the pace shown by the conventionally power GT3 R, but the secret to its success lies in its fuel efficiency. The winning car completed 28 laps during the four hour race, which included three pit stops. The Hybrid car, though, needed just two pit stops saving over five minutes compared to its nearest rivals.

“The hybrid system clearly helped us to save fuel. Moreover, it’s a great feeling to have those extra 120 kW from the electric motors when you accelerate out of the corners,” describes works driver Joerg Bergmeister.

Chris Harris and his teammates (except for Walter, who needs no practice around the Nordschleife) also had another run in the road-going GT3 RS. You can keep up to date with him during race weekends via twitter.

Porsche @ VLN - April 2010

Porsche @ VLN - April 2010

Porsche @ VLN - April 2010

Porsche @ VLN - April 2010

Porsche @ VLN - April 2010

Nürburgring Long Distance Championship

Second Porsche win in a row – 911 GT3 R Hybrid on podium

Stuttgart. The Porsche 911 has again underlined its supremacy as the world’s most successful GT race car: At the second race of the Nürburgring Long Distance Championship, the new Porsche 911 GT3 R celebrated its second straight win. The innovative 911 GT3 R Hybrid, which features two electric motors supplementing the combustion engine in the rear, finished third. Seven Porsche 911 were amongst the top ten finishers.

In a repeat of the season-opening race, the yellow-green Porsche 911 GT3 R fielded by Manthey Racing ran without any technical problems from start to finish. The result for the driver trio Timo Bernhard (Germany), Romain Dumas (France) and Marcel Tiemann (Monaco): Win number two of the season.

Works drivers Joerg Bergmeister and Wolf Henzler (both Germany) drove an entirely trouble free race in the new Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid. The hybrid vehicle impressed with outstanding efficiency and needed one less pit stop than most competitors. “The hybrid system clearly helped us to save fuel. Moreover, it’s a great feeling to have those extra 120 kW from the electric motors when you accelerate out of the corners,” describes Joerg Bergmeister.

Mamerow Racing’s Porsche 911 GT3 R with drivers Chris Mamerow and Sascha Bert (both Germany) also put in an excellent drive until they were sidelined by an accident while running second.

The standard Porsche 911 GT3 RS was taken through another test for the 24 hour race in May. “We made some changes to the set-up during the practice and race in preparation for the 24 hour race,” explains former DTM pilot Roland Asch (Germany). “When you’re in the middle of the race action, you almost forget you’re sitting in a road-going car. I’m very much looking forward to contesting the 24 hour race.”

Round three of the Nürburgring Long Distance Championship takes off on 24 April at midday with a duration of four hours.