*NOW UPDATED WITH VIDEO* Porsche unveils new 919 Hybrid ahead of the 2016 World Endurance Championship season.
[Not a valid template]Two for two going into 2016 with both the Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ championships under its belt, the new Porsche 919 Hybrid has some insanely big shoes to fill during this year’s World Endurance Championship.
Turns out Weissach might have a couple of tricks up its sleeves for this year though, with the 919 Hybrid – appearing for the first time with the hallowed #1 on its nosecone – looking to “fully exploit the WEC regulations’ for this year across two key areas.
The first is a bevy of new aerodynamic packages for the 919. Though principally an ‘evolution’ of last year’s dual-championship winner rather than an all-new model, a newly developed ‘high downforce’ package – one of three permitted this season – could allow Porsche to leap out the blocks early at the season opening round in Silverstone, traditionally an event – much like its follow-up in Spa-Francorchamps – to have been sacrificed in favour of a low downforce setup ideal for Le Mans, at which Porsche took its 17th outright victory there last year. A potential game-changer, given that Silverstone and Spa were the only races Porsche failed to win last season.
Also of significance are changes to the team’s hybrid powerplant, a result of reduced fuel limits by the FIA. We’ll save you the technical jargon, since it took us four attempts to get through without bursting into tears. Essentially, in choosing to compete in the 8MJ sub-category- the highest available – Porsche must now eke out as much fuel economy as possible from a 2-litre turbocharged petrol V4 that produces ‘well above 500bhp’, leading to yet further weight saving and greater efficiency. The mated seven-sequential racing transmission has also hit the scales, while a new front axle is also hoped to improve traction.
The driver line-up meanwhile remains unchanged, with Mark Webber, Timo Bernhard and Brendon Hartley starting their title defence in the #1 car, while Romain Dumas, Neel Jani and Marc Lieb will carry the #2.
Source – Porsche
