Porsche Is About To Annihilate Track Records With This Modified 919 Hybrid
Last year, Porsche shocked the motorsport world by pulling out of the World Endurance Championship, paving the way for a Formula E entry.
The move certainly wasn’t down to a lack of success: Stuttgart’s 919 Hybrid LMP1 machine won 17 of the 33 races it entered, bagged three contructors’ championships and was raced to victory three times at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It’s a shame, then, to see it retired in its prime. But worry not - Porsche is planning a farewell tour.
There’s just one thing: it won’t be quite the same car Porsche competed with. As you can see from the teaser video above and the Spa testing footage below, there have been some significant changes which WEC regulations simply wouldn’t have allowed.
See that rear wing? It’s completely new. It’s a different shape, and is mounted much further back than before. The front end has been completely reshaped too, losing its massive headlights in the process. There are almost certainly myriad changes under the skin, too.
So why is Porsche doing all this? The only logical explanation is that the firm will be using the car to hunt down outright track records the world over. With a former LMP1 that’s now unconstrained by regulations, we like Porsche’s chances.
UPDATE: Porsche has already managed to break a record at Spa Francorchamps. The modified 919 set a 1:41.770 with Neel Jani at the wheel, beating Lewis Hamilton’s 2017 Belgian Grand Prix pole lap by 0.783sec.
We’ve also been given a few more details as to the car’s mechanical changes. First up, the V4 internal combustion component of the powertain: it’s been re-restricted, bumping the power from 500bhp to 710. The energy recovery systems have been uncorked too - these now output 434bhp, up from 395.
The next stop on its tour will be the Nordschleife, where it’ll be doing a “demo lap” before the start of the 24 Hours Nurburgring.
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
Apparently it’s already set a 1:41.770 at spa which is almost a second quicker than the previous lap record held by lewis hamilton with his 2017 belgian gp pole lap a 1.42.553 in his mercedes w08 f1 car . Porsche target lap is reportedly a 1.36 , so there’s still lots more to come .
I wouldnt be surprised if that car at the moment is on the “Low Boost” setting running 1200bhp, I wonder what will happen when the turn those turbos up to 11, 1973 Porsche 917/30 Spyder better be scared because theres a new kid on the block with more power coming soon…..
the lap has been confirmed by porsche a 1.41.770 . Will be interesting to see if f1 can take it back this year at the belgian gp. I expect them to considering there’s a about a second improvement over last year in the first 2 races of 2018 and 2017 f1 pole lap is under a second slower than this record lap , and by the time they get to spa the teams will have brougham numerous updates to the cars making the gap over last year bigger and spa is quite a long track meaning improvement will be even larger.
That awkward moment when you’ve read about this topic three times.
porsche are something seriously awesome
I really hope they try the Nordschleife in this thing but I’m pretty sure that’s not going to happen.
Yeah, same. I think it could easily get a 5:30, possibly less. In sim racers, formula cars have been known to lap in the 5:10s around the nordschliefe.
I am sure they will the record is 6:11 around the circuit, I could easily see 5:30 seconds at most if they really pushed the boost way up and forced it to go harder than it has ever gone before…..
Just win pikes peak man
F1 fanboys currently
“Porsche Is About Annihilate Track Records With This Modified 919 Hybrid” should be “Porsche Is About to Annihilate Track Records With This Modified 919 Hybrid”.
I always remember what Mark Donahue said “If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower”
I am seeing 1200bhp on “low boost” and 1600bhp+ on “High Boost”…Mercedes Benz AMG F1 better be scared…..Stuttgart is creating a monster that will make F1 cars look like kids toys…..
I would think mercedes can make a f1 car go just as fast if not faster than this given that they’re limited to 3 engines per year and still manage 1000hp and have very tight aero regulations plus ‘stock’ f1 cars are over 10 seconds faster than ‘stock’ lmp1 cars around spa .
Judging by the pretty gnarly side skirts, I think this is running a ground effect underbody too.
A true venturi-based ground effect underbody would require a completely new chassis with a narrower tub, displaced rear suspension and general repackaging of the powertrain to make room for the massive tunnels. I’m not saying Porsche couldn’t do that, but it would be a lot of extra work.
My guess is they simply optimized the 919’s standard flat floor + diffuser with (normally illegal) skirts.
TechedPbO6
Dear god I hope they run this in the build up to the Nurburgring 24 Hours. Would love to see it have a go at Bellof’s 6:11 in real life.
Why would they even attempt to break their own record, let alone that specific record, that atleast i think should never be broken to keep up bellof’s legacy