Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas ALMS Entry
PORSCHE 911 GT3 R Hybrid
The Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid on the Track
Porsche AG works drivers Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas will enter the final round of the American Le Mans Series on October 2nd with the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid.
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Daytona 24 Hours Winners to Compete in Porsche Hybrid
Porsche AG works drivers Timo Bernhard (Germany) and Romain Dumas (France) will compete in the final round of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), one of the world's three major races, at Road Atlanta on October 2nd.
The machine they will use is a hybrid version of the Porsche 911 GT3 R, featuring two 60kW motors at the front, assisting the naturally aspirated 4-liter flat-six engine (maximum output 480PS) mounted at the rear.
This duo has achieved a historic record, winning the ALMS LMP2 prototype class championship, the 2008 12 Hours of Sebring overall, and the Nürburgring 24 Hours overall from 2007 to 2009.
The third driver for this team will be Mike Rockenfeller (Germany), a former Porsche Junior driver and current Audi works driver.
Timo Bernhard (left in photo)
Romain Dumas (right in photo)
"Mike Rockenfeller
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The team previously won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June and also won the 24 Hours of Daytona in January with a Daytona prototype equipped with a Porsche engine.
The Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid system converts kinetic energy generated during braking into electrical energy, storing it temporarily in a flywheel. During acceleration, this energy is automatically supplied to the front wheels to assist the rear engine. It demonstrates its power during corner exits and overtakes, supplying up to 120kW to the two front motors. This system reduces fuel consumption and extends range.
Furthermore, drivers can manually utilize this stored energy during overtakes using a boost paddle on the steering wheel.
Commitment to Enduring Harsh Conditions
However, the hybrid system of this car has not yet been approved under the GT regulations at Road Atlanta. Therefore, the car is not accumulating points.
Regarding this, Bernhard stated, "Our focus now is on further developing hybrid technology and optimizing fuel efficiency in racing. Of course, we are extremely curious to see how we perform against the GT2 cars." Dumas commented, "There is no other GT class race as demanding as this one in America."
The car demonstrated astonishing potential in this year's Nürburgring 24 Hours race, leading the overall standings for over eight hours before retiring after 22 hours and 15 minutes.
This can be seen as a clear embodiment of Porsche's guiding philosophy, 'Porsche Intelligent Performance'.
We eagerly await seeing how this car performs in the upcoming ALMS race.