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Next-gen Porsche 911 RSR tests at Monza

Image copyright and courtesy of Stefano Ciabattoni


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By: Graham Goodwin | May 26, 2019 5:35 PM


The next-generation Porsche 911 RSR has been seen testing undisguised this weekend at Italy’s Monza circuit.

The car is markedly different from the current 911 RSR, now based on the newer Porsche 992 model road car.

Image copyright and courtesy of Stefano Ciabattoni


Porsche was testing the car back to back with a pair of apparently standard current-spec 911 RSRs. There are distinct differences between the current and replacement car, including revised front bodywork, rear diffuser and, in particular new side skirts containing side exit exhausts, with the new car also featuring significantly larger air intakes on the car flanks.

Observers at Monza reported that the car sounds significantly different from the current car, leading some to conclude that the car is now turbocharged. However RACER believes that the new car, expected to debut with the factory team from the start of the 2019/20 FIA WEC in September this year, and in IMSA’s Weathertech Sportscar Championship from the start of the 2020 season, retains a normally-aspirated engine.


IMSA, Le Mans/WEC

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Porsche reveals new 911 RSR ahead of WEC title defense

Images by Porsche


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By: Stephen Kilbey | 5 hours ago


Porsche revealed a new 911 RSR GTE at the Goodwood Festival of Speed ahead of the 2019/20 FIA World Endurance Championship season. Porsche also revealed its WEC driving line-up, with Michael Christensen and Kevin Estre set to continue to drive for the German brand in Pro, as well as Gianmaria Bruni and Richard Lietz.

The new car will replace the outgoing 911 RSR which was part of the marque’s title-winning campaign in the 2018-19 season. During the ‘Super Season’ it won the 2018 Le Mans 24 Hours in GTE Pro and the drivers and manufacturers crowns. It has also been a success in IMSA, winning multiple races including Endurance Cup races at Sebring, Road Atlanta and Watkins Glen.

Improvements have been made across the board to the new 911 RSR, which will remain a normally aspirated, mid-engined racer.

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“Since 2017 the 911 RSR has yielded us more than 20 class wins in the world championship as well as at long-distance series in North America and Europe. Our job in the development was to make a very good car even better. The engineers at Weissach have perfectly implemented this in every aspect,” says Fritz Enzinger, Vice President Porsche Motorsport.

“We never rest on our laurels,” added Pascal Zurlinden, GT Factory Motorsport Director. “We’ve extensively analyzed all factory and customer campaigns with the Porsche 911 RSR. Our engineers noticed room for improvement in a number of areas. We have made significant progress in the development of our car for the next three-year homologation period, especially in the complex areas of driveability, efficiency, durability and serviceability.

“Ninety-five percent of the car is new. The only components that we’ve kept unchanged from the predecessor are the headlights, brake system, clutch, driver’s seat and parts of the suspension. Tests so far have run excellently. We’re already looking forward to the first races of the 2019/2020 FIA WEC season.”

In terms of the drivetrain, the car will be powered by a six-cylinder naturally aspirated engine which produces 515 horsepower. It boasts faster gear shift times, and new exhaust placement, on each side in front of the rear wheels.

With the repositioning of the tailpipes, space has been made for an optimized diffuser. The distinctive component at the rear of the Porsche 911 RSR now generates even more downforce. Aerodynamic efficiency and stability have increased significantly, thereby further improving the use and durability of the tires during racing. In addition, the cockpit has been reworked significantly, with a focus on usability and safety.

The first race outing for the new car, first seen in testing at Monza earlier this year, will be at the 6 Hours of Silverstone at the end of August, the opening round of the upcoming WEC season. Prior to that the car will take part in the WEC Prologue test at Barcelona later this month.

“We’ve been working on the concept of the new Porsche 911 RSR since 2017. The first designs were created using CAD software. In August 2018, the best racing 911 to date completed its first kilometers on the factory’s own test track in Weissach,” said Zurlinden.

“Another milestone was our long run in March 2019 at Le Castellet, where we included the works teams from both the WEC and IMSA. We covered more than 6,000 kilometers over 30 hours without any technical hiccups. The drivers and engineers were very satisfied. The car received its racing homologation on July 1,” he added.

Porsche will field two cars in the GTE Pro class in the 2019/20 WEC season, with both cars sporting different liveries. The car will then make its IMSA debut in 2020.








GTE-Pro, Porsche, Le Mans/WEC