Porsche
Porsche’s next race car is so new that it still doesn’t have an official name. It’s not even due to enter its first race for more than 11 months. But there are few things Porsche takes more seriously than a racing program, particularly one that has a good chance of victory at significant races in Daytona, Sebring, and Le Mans. That’s why the car has already completed its first test at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona, Spain.
After all, this new car, built for a new “hypercar” class in the IMSA’s WeatherTech championship and the FIA’s World Endurance Championship, has a lot to live up to. Porsche has had 22 overall wins in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, 18 overall wins at the 12 Hours of Sebring, and 19 overall wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
“We’re the first to put an LMDh vehicle through its paces in test mode,” said Jonathan Diuguid, managing director of Porsche Penske Motorsport. “This gives us the chance to systematically sort out every aspect over the coming weeks and months and to take on the competition in 2023 with the best possible preparation.”
Porsche
In contrast to previous race-winning machines like the 917, 956, or 919 Hybrid, Porsche’s LMDh car represents a collaboration of sorts. The rules for LMDh require that each OEM start off with one of four approved chassis. In this case, Porsche is using one developed by Multimatic, which also provided the chassis for Mazda’s recent IMSA program. (Porsche’s sibling brand Audi will also use a Multimatic chassis for its LMDh car.)
From this starting point, each OEM has the freedom to bring its own engine and electronics but must use the same specified hybrid system and gearbox. (Bosch provides the electric motor, Williams Advanced Engineering supplies the lithium-ion traction battery, and the gearbox is from Xtrac.)
When we saw images of the Porsche LMDh car’s first test at Porsche’s facility in Weissach, Germany, we reported that the car would use a racing version of the twin-turbo V8 found under the hood of some Cayennes and Panameras.
Porsche
However, during the race broadcast for this year’s Rolex 24, the new head of Porsche Motorsport North America, Volker Holzmeyer, introduced some confusion, telling an interviewer that the LMDh engine would not be derived from a road car. So far, Porsche hasn’t elaborated, but I still think we’ll see a race version of the road-going twin-turbo 4.0 L V8.
The rules for 2023 also limit a car’s downforce-to-drag ratio to a relatively low 4:1, so there’s less reason to chase aerodynamic gains and more latitude for road car styling. So far, that’s visible in the car’s headlights—a new addition since the first test in January—which resemble the four horizontal elements in the Taycan’s headlights.
“We completed the first tests on a ‘real’ race track and managed to more than double the previous mileage of the new Porsche LMDh to over 2,000 kilometers,” said Urs Kuratle, the director of Factory Motorsport LMDh.
Porsche
“This shows that we used the time after the planned-but-cancelled tests very well for this intensive preparation,” Kuratle said. “Including our partners, more than 70 people were at the track. From an organization viewpoint, that was another challenge. We’ve made major progress, not only with the car but with the operational cooperation and processes within Porsche Penske Motorsport. But we still have a long way to go before we’re where we want to be.”
“The progress that’s been made up to our first laps at Barcelona is impressive,” said Dane Cameron, one of Porsche Penske Motorsport’s drivers. “Each day, we managed to cover more mileage, and the performance improved noticeably. Of course, at this early development stage, it’s not about pushing to the very limit. On the contrary, our approach is very conservative.”
Porsche
Cameron had the benefit of getting behind the wheel at Weissach, but for his teammate Felipe Nasr, the test at Catalunya was his first experience with the new car.
“These were my first laps in the LMDh car—a terrific experience,” Nasr said. “Although the car is brand new, we managed to cover a lot of kilometers. That was great and shouldn’t be underestimated. We could even begin the setup work and tire tests. My impression of the vehicle is positive, and I’ll leave Barcelona with a smile. I was very much looking forward to these first runs. Now I got the chance to finally work with the Porsche Penske Motorsport team, take the wheel, and step on the gas. It was a very special experience for me and makes me excited for everything to come in the future.”
