Makowiecki: “The new Porsche remains a real 911”

Does this RSR ultimately retain only the name of the 911?

No, it remains a real 911, including a flat 6 with its own characteristics. Certainly, driving is evolving greatly, but it was imagined and assembled in the Weissach workshops by people who have this 911 culture in their blood, and this is reflected in its DNA.

In terms of dynamic behavior, how is this new RSR defined?

It suffers from much less inertia because the distribution of masses no longer affects the ends. Aerodynamics have also taken a huge leap forward thanks to the rear diffuser which now works perfectly with the front blade, and it is this multitude of things which makes the behavior more incisive than in the past. The lengthening of the wheelbase brought a lot of stability, even if it meant losing agility in slow turns.

Should keeping a naturally aspirated engine, when your competitors have chosen the turbo, worry you?

It all depends on the BoP more than the engine choice. The latter is new and has benefited from a lot of work, not to get more power, but more torque at all speeds. But having a small displacement engine, with fewer cylinders and which operates high in revs compared to the competition, puts us behind the operation of the car compared to our turbo opponents. But the concept is good, because the car is better balanced and dynamic, easier to cool, and if you lose pure acceleration, you can sometimes reaccelerate earlier, etc. Then, the fact of having a new precise, fast gearbox, which does not destabilize the car, is a real plus compared to the past. It is up to the ACO and the FIA ​​to pay close attention to the BoP and the torque effects of the turbo during restarts at medium and high speeds, particularly at Le Mans...

Découvrez notre dossier sur la Porsche 911 RSR 2017 avec les interviews du Dr. Frank Walliser, le directeur de Porsche Motorsport, de Marco Ujhasi, le chef de projet GT, et de Frédéric Makowiecki dans le n°2090 d’AUTOhebdo, available now in digital version on all platforms and on kiosks.