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Le Mans / ALMS
LE MANS: Porsche 991 GTE Breaks Cover
FIRST PHOTOS: New Porsche 991 testing at Sebring International Raceway...
Porsche's new 991-based GTE contender broke cover for the first time Thursday at Sebring. (Photo: Nick Busato/lendurance.co.uk)
Porsche’s new 991-based GTE contender broke cover today at Sebring as it prepares for the start of the FIA World Endurance Championship.
SPEED.com has obtained the first photos of the new 911 RSR model, which is testing alongside a group of cars from the American Le Mans Series on the famed airfield circuit.
Reports indicate the new-generation 991 turned its first laps shortly after 9 a.m. ET, making short five-lap stints with lap times in the 2:05 range. The pace picked up in the afternoon, which saw both factory drivers Patrick Pilet and Richard Lietz take turns in the car today.
The German manufacturer elected to take part in a single-day test at Sebring in order to evaluate the durability of the new car ahead of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where it will return with a factory effort for the first time since 1998.
"We are very pleased with how the testing has gone so far," said Porsche's Head of Motorsport Hartmut Kristen. "Our goal is to be well prepared for the challenges of the very strong GTE class in the WEC and at Le Mans. The circuit in Sebring is very well suited to put a new vehicle through some demanding trials.
"For this reason, a test in Sebring is a very good rehearsal for one of the toughest races of all, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Until the season kicks off in Silverstone, we will conduct some final tests on other race tracks so that our new 911 RSR is well and truly ready for the World Endurance Championship season."
There are currently no plans to race the car full-time in America until 2014. Porsche AG Team Manthey will campaign two of the new 911 RSR's in the FIA WEC this year as a development program.
Pilet will be joined by former ALMS champion Joerg Bergmeister in the No. 91 entry, while Lietz and longtime co-driver Marc Lieb are slated to pilot the No. 92 car in the full eight-round global championship. They'll be reinforced by Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas for Le Mans.
PHOTOS: Porsche 991 Reveal
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
SPEED.com has obtained the first photos of the new 911 RSR model, which is testing alongside a group of cars from the American Le Mans Series on the famed airfield circuit.
Reports indicate the new-generation 991 turned its first laps shortly after 9 a.m. ET, making short five-lap stints with lap times in the 2:05 range. The pace picked up in the afternoon, which saw both factory drivers Patrick Pilet and Richard Lietz take turns in the car today.
The German manufacturer elected to take part in a single-day test at Sebring in order to evaluate the durability of the new car ahead of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where it will return with a factory effort for the first time since 1998.
"We are very pleased with how the testing has gone so far," said Porsche's Head of Motorsport Hartmut Kristen. "Our goal is to be well prepared for the challenges of the very strong GTE class in the WEC and at Le Mans. The circuit in Sebring is very well suited to put a new vehicle through some demanding trials.
"For this reason, a test in Sebring is a very good rehearsal for one of the toughest races of all, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Until the season kicks off in Silverstone, we will conduct some final tests on other race tracks so that our new 911 RSR is well and truly ready for the World Endurance Championship season."
There are currently no plans to race the car full-time in America until 2014. Porsche AG Team Manthey will campaign two of the new 911 RSR's in the FIA WEC this year as a development program.
Pilet will be joined by former ALMS champion Joerg Bergmeister in the No. 91 entry, while Lietz and longtime co-driver Marc Lieb are slated to pilot the No. 92 car in the full eight-round global championship. They'll be reinforced by Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas for Le Mans.
PHOTOS: Porsche 991 Reveal
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
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