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Porsche 911 GT1 98

Porsche 911 GT1 98
Porsche 911 GT1 98
The Porsche 911 GT1 98 will be remembered as one of Porsche's most symbolic cars. His performance was lower than those of his direct rivals, but his high reliability earned him the victory in the endurance race of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which was Porsche's No. 16 victory, a record record.

Porsche is characterized by the added value of each of its products and achievements. The 911 GT1 98 is more than just a sum of good components... this racing car combines a delicate exterior design, a great technological development and a key factor: the long-awaited reliability of high-performance vehicles.

The first Porsche 911 developed for Le Mans competed in 1996. There he got a second place in the overall standings and victory in his category. In 1997, regulatory changes destabilized the Porsche team, which settled for fifth overall and third place in its class.

The year 1998 saw the glory of Porsche, which presented a very exotic looking car: the Porsche 911 GT1 98. The first test sessions worried the German company, as unexpected rivals such as Toyota (with the Toyota GT One) and BMW (with the Spyder LM V12) showed wide superiority. Other rivals such as McLaren F1, Mercedes CLK GTR, Nissan R390 GT1) and Panoz would also offer tough fighting.

During the course of the 24 Hours of Le Mans 1998, Porsche cars were relegated to the dominance of the Toyota GT One. But in the middle of the race one of the Toyota suffered an accident. Later, another Toyota had technical problems that forced him to leave. Other rivals also suffered mishaps that left a free track for Porsche.

The reliability award was a perfect finale, in which the Porsche 911 GT1 98 cars came first and second in the overall table. The first car was driven by the trio composed of Allan McNish, Stéphane Ortelli and Laurent Aiello, while in second place came Jörg Müller, Uwe Alzen and Bob Wollek.

Since the GT1 category had been above the LMP (supposedly higher), both ACO and FIA agreed to amend the regulations for next year. So GT1 category was removed and replaced by the LMGTP. Mercedes and Toyota adapted their vehicles to these changes, while Porsche chose to retire with their worthy victory and the record of 16 wins in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

During 1999 Porsche competed with the 911 GT1 in the USA in the American Le Mans Series category.

Specifications of the Porsche 911 GT1 98

  • Central engine 6 Cylinders Boxer bi-turbo
  • Displacement: 3.196 cm3
  • KKK Twin Turbos
  • 24 valves
  • Sequential six-speed transmission

  • Rear wheel drive

  • Power: 600 hp at 7,200 rpm

  • Torque: 630 Nm at 4,250 rpm

  • Top speed: 310 km/h

  • Carbon fiber monocoque chassis with aluminum honeycomb

  • Independent suspensions with double fuses
  • Brembo carbon vented disc brakes

Dimensions of the Porsche 911 GT1 98

  • Length: 4.890 mm
  • Width: 1.990 mm
  • Height: 1.140 mm
  • Wheelbase: 2.700 mm
  • Tyres: Michelin Radial
  • Magnesium wheels Ø 19 inches
  • Weight: 950 kg

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© Adrián Blanco 2007 - No full or partial reproduction of text and/or images without explicit written consent of the author. —

por Adrian Blanco