With the pioneering 911 GT3 R Hybrid, Porsche had already almost pulled off a sensational win here in 2010: this GT3, with a rear-mounted four-litre six-cylinder engine delivering around 465 hp and two electric motors on the front axle each producing 75 kW, was in the lead until just two hours before the end.
In addition to pure Porsche speed, the GT3 R Hybrid profited from its superior efficiency. The ‘mobile race lab’ came into the pits to refuel significantly less often than the competition. The findings from the deployments of this experimental car were incorporated directly into the development of the future 918 super sports car.
The 911 will set a milestone in motorsport history in 2013 as well. After a 14-year break, during which Porsche has dedicated itself wholly to client motorsport, the works team is returning to Gran Turismo racing. The race car, based on the current Type 991, carries the very traditional name ‘911 RSR’.
The basis and spine of the Porsche 911 involvement in motorsport has been formed since 1990 by the single-make cups, where enthusiasts, up-and-coming drivers and established pros race in technically identical modified road cars. The first 911 to race in such cup competitions was the Carrera 2 Cup based on the Type 964 in the German Carrera Cup in 1990. This first ‘Cup 911’ delivered 265 hp (195 kW) from a 3.6-litre engine and weighed 1,120 kilograms. Exhaust gas purification was handled by a standard metal carrier catalytic converter and the car was fitted with ABS.
The single-make cup competitions quickly proved an extremely successful idea. Since 1993, the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup has been staged exclusively within the framework of the Formula 1 World Championship. In 2013, there are 20 Porsche single-cup competitions to see all around the world: the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, the Carrera Cups and the GT3 Cup Challenges acting as a link to club sport. The Carrera Cups in particular are seen as demanding race series and excellent training grounds for young drivers aiming to progress to GT and prototype racing. Since 1998, the car used here has been the 911 GT3 Cup. The latest version, based on the Type 991 with 460 hp (338 kW) and a weight of 1,170 kilograms, is initially to be seen in 2013 exclusively in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. In all other Porsche single-make series the previous models are being used. The 911 GT3 Cup is always good for a win away from the single-make cups as well. Between 2005 and 2012, for example, this 911 won the GT class at the 24-hour race in Daytona no less than six times.
The success of the single-make cups is also reflected in the sales figures for the 911 GT3 Cup, which is made on the same production lines in Stuttgart as all 911 models: with over 2,400 units sold the 911 GT3 Cup is the best-selling racing car in the world.
