Evaluation of Porsche Observe Expertise/Manthey Racing GT Trackday Racecar Drive of the 911 GT2RS Clubsport at Pink Bull Ring on October 7, 2024 – A 700 Horsepower Rocket Ship

Evaluation of Porsche Observe Expertise/Manthey Racing GT Trackday Racecar Drive of the 911 GT2RS Clubsport at Pink Bull Ring on October 7, 2024 – A 700 Horsepower Rocket Ship

Final Monday, October 7 at Pink Bull Ring in Austria, dwelling of the Austrian Grand Prix, I drove probably the most highly effective non-street authorized buyer racecar Porsche has each constructed for over 350 kilometers on observe – the 700 horsepower 911 GT2RS Clubsport whereas collaborating within the Porsche Observe Expertise (“PTE”) GT Trackway Racecar program, which is run by Manthey Racing. To totally exploit this uncommon and highly effective automobile, I employed the identical PTE teacher I had for the Grasp Racecar program at Spa I took half in within the earlier month – the all the time wonderful Stefan Schmucker.

SUMMARY: This was a thoughts blowing expertise, maximized additional by the truth that PTE/Manthey Racing had rented out the observe completely for the occasion.

I can’t advocate driving the 911 GT2RS Clubsport strongly sufficient. The ability and velocity of the 911 GT2RS Clubsport are on one other degree from another Porsche race automobile apart from the 963 hypercar. At 700 horsepower, a weight of simply 3,000 kilos, and no inside and with slick tires, the automobile is a rolling teleportation gadget. I used to be pulling onerous on every thing else on observe, passing different Porsche race automobiles on the straights like they have been standing nonetheless provided that this beast has at the least 135 horsepower greater than every thing else from Porsche on observe – a full 200 greater than the 718 GT4RS Clubsport, 190 greater than the 992 GT3 Cup automobile and 911 RSR, and 135 greater than the 911 GT3 R that competes in WEC and IMSA.

The 911 GT2RS Clubsport is so quick and so comparatively good natured in its dealing with that, in case you are unafraid of its large velocity and prepared and in a position to brake HARD when wanted in brake zones (as in 90 to 120 bar of brake strain on preliminary brake utility), it would make you appear like a greater driver than you in all probability are. It certain did for me.

To me, the 992 GT3RS that I drove for two observe days within the subsequent program felt so underpowered and so gradual and missing in torque by comparability though it was quicker by means of the excessive velocity corners as a result of it has virtually double the downforce of the 911 GT2RS Clubsport. I didn’t discover the GT3RS practically as thrilling, as far or as rewarding because the 911 GT2RS Clubsport. After all, if you’ll be able to purchase the GT3RS at retail (and few are) it’s virtually half the cash however they’re really promoting for nearly the identical cash on the 911 GT2RS Clubsport. And as a observe automobile I might by no means decide the GT3RS over the 911 GT2RS Clubsport. However I’m a lover of Turbo energy and that’s me.

By the final of the 5 45 minute stints I had within the automobile (which was my first full day within the automobile and on this observe), I used to be reliably lapping Pink Bull Ring at 1:37-1:38. My greatest lap was 1:37.23 – about two seconds slower than the trainer’s reference lap and solely 5 seconds slower than the quickest race lap set by the automobile in a GT2 race this 12 months on the observe (a 1:32). Merely put, I liked this automobile, which was not a shock to me as I owned a 911 (991.1 technology) Turbo S for 5 years that I had modified to 750 horsepower and I used to trace it, drag race it and do numerous mountain move drives in it.

This was an impressive someday program, which maximizes your observe time. As such, within the 5 45 minute stints I had within the automobile, I managed to drive about 350 kilometers and over 80 laps round Pink Bull Ring.

The non-obligatory instruction I bought was invaluable. My teacher, Stefan Schmucker, a former Porsche racer, was very educated concerning the automobile, how you can get its tires into the working window, what driving strategies to make use of to get probably the most out of the automobile and what widespread errors to keep away from (as errors in a automobile this quick and highly effective may have very severe penalties).

Given the automobile’s immense energy and torque, this could NEVER be the primary racecar that somebody drives on observe. And certainly, I used to be not in a position to hire this automobile till I had been by means of the 2 day PTE/Manthey Racing Grasp Racecar coaching final month at Spa Francorchamps (which gave PTE/Manthey Racing a possibility to guage if I used to be a protected sufficient pair of palms through which to entrust this extraordinarily uncommon, $500,000, 1 of 200 ever constructed automobile).

As a result of this can be a “Clubsport” automobile, the Porsche motorsport consultants attending the occasion defined to me that the dealing with is geared extra towards the “gentleman driver” and as such, is much less snappy (i.e., much less vulnerable to snap oversteer) (and subsequently barely much less quick) than it might be. That being stated, I may definitely see than an overeager utility of throttle with the steering wheel turned too far may simply spin the automobile and a half-hearted utility of the brakes in a brief braking zone attempting to decelerate from the 250 kph that this automobile was doing as I entered every of the braking zones on the finish of the of the three longer straights (about 25 kph greater than the GT3RS) may simply ship one into the wall/off the observe.

When you like driving race automobiles and love the immense torque and energy starting from the low finish that solely a turbo Porsche 911 can ship then that is the automobile for you. However if you would like a extremely snappy, extra oversteer-biased extra basic feeling 911 that should rev very excessive to make energy, then a GT3 Cup automobile would doubtless be extra for you.

When you like driving a Porsche racecar on a basic F1 observe, that is the course for you. Footage from my expertise within the course are beneath. I’ll publish in automobile GoPro and VBOX movies from my quickest laps within the automobile subsequent so you will get an concept what it was like.

PROGRAM SUMMARY: The Porsche GT Trackday Racecar program permits you to hire a Porsche racecar from Manthey Racing and drive it on observe or use your personal Porsche race automobile. This isn’t actually a course however a trackday for Porsche race automobiles that alternates stints with the same program that PTE/Manthey Racing runs for Porsche street automobiles generally known as GT Trackday.

If in case you have enough expertise or have efficiently accomplished the Grasp Racecar course from Porsche Observe Expertise, you do not want to rent an teacher. Nonetheless, though I’ve accomplished that course, I employed a Manthey Racing teacher as I used to be unfamiliar with each the observe and the automobile and have rather more to study. I requested and obtained the identical wonderful teacher I labored with within the Spa Grasp Racecar course – Stefan Schmucker.

Sadly (for me anyway) PTE/Manthey Racing solely provided someday for this race automobile program. I might have most well-liked two days as I used to be actually getting higher within the automobile throughout my final 2 stints.

DEDICATED RACECAR AND MECHANIC FOR EACH PARTICIPANT (RENTING THE SERVICES OF AN INSTRUCTOR: Every participant who rents a racecar from Manthey Racing will get their very own race automobile and race mechanic. I used to be lucky to get the identical mechanic with whom I labored throughout final month’s Grasp Racecar course at Spa, Philip.

To get probably the most out of the automobile and the observe, each of which have been new to me, I rented the providers of my excellent Porsche teacher who had taught me throughout the Grasp Racecar course at Spa in September – Stefan Schmucker. Stefan labored with me completely throughout your complete day. Stefan, as he was at Spa, was excellent right here. He has important prior Porsche racing expertise and knew his stuff. His steering was invaluable and he’s an actual skilled and a terrific particular person as well. He additionally has immense Porsche product information as he sells Porsches of their Stuttgart showroom. Extremely really helpful.

SIGNIFICANT TIME ON TRACK – 350 KILOMETERS DRIVING – AND TWO OF SETS OF SLICK TIRES: On account of the undivided time in my racecar, I drove 5 45 minute stints within the automobile, driving over 80 laps at Pink Bull Ring or over 350 kilometers. I went by means of two units of slick tires. There was no additional cost for the tires.

Word that the rental payment for the automobile, and all different Porsche race automobiles on this program, solely consists of 250 kilometers. Beware that 250 kilometers is NOT sufficient to fill all 5 race automobile stints when you drive all of them as I did. Slightly, 350 kilometers is. Above 250 kilometers, PTE/Manthey Racing expenses you an additional payment for each 50 kilometers. For this automobile, it’s 999 Euros for each 50 kilometers. Accordingly, along with my rental payment, participation payment and the payment for my teacher’s time, I paid roughly 2,000 Euros for the additional 100 kilometers, which have been value each penny because the automobile is just unbelievable and it was in these additional two stints that I drove my quickest laps as I realized how you can drive the automobile quicker.

The payment for the additional distance pushed is dependent upon the particular Porsche raced automobile you rented, starting from about 500 Euros for every additional 50 kilometers within the 718 GT4RS Membership Sport to 2499 Euros for every additional 50 kilometers within the range-topping 911 RSR (a automobile with a lot downforce that the Porsche racing drivers there on the program informed me you may take Eau Rouge completely flat in it (and which nobody rented on this observe day – a full day rental is 48,000 Euros for that super-rare, ultra-expensive machine and a 2 stint take a look at drive of 1 hour is, I consider, 10,000 Euros). The opposite Porsche race automobiles are all a lot much less with the 911 GT3 R (the automobile that Porsche presently makes use of within the LMGT3 class in WEC and the GTD Professional and GTD courses in IMSA) being about half that value at 24,000 Euros per day to hire and the opposite automobiles all being cheaper than that).

THE PORSCHE RACE CARS: Every participant rents no matter Porsche race automobile they need supplied that PTE/Manthey Racing believes they’re certified to hire it. All first-time prospects (assumedly apart from these with substantial documented prior racing expertise in a Porsche) should drive the 718 GT4RS Clubsport the primary time they drive a PTE/Manthey Racing race automobile.

As a result of it was my second race automobile program with PTE/Manthey Racing and since I had beforehand accomplished the Grasp Racecar program at Spa Francorchamps to PTE’s/Manthey Racing’s obvious satisfaction, I used to be free to hire no matter Porsche race automobile I needed from PTE’s/Manthey Racing’s fleet.

The fleet begins with the bottom racecar, the 718 GT4RS Clubsport with 500 horsepower, mid-engine and the least downforce of the Porsche race automobiles, which is about 6,000 Euros a day to hire along with a program payment. That is the race automobile model of the 718 GT4RS street automobile.

Subsequent up the meals chain is the 911 GT3 Cup automobile with 510 horsepower, the best-selling buyer race automobile on the planet in line with Porsche. The payment for that’s, I consider 9,000 Euros a day.

Above that’s the automobile I rented, the 911 GT2RS Clubsport with 700 horsepower from a 3.8 liter twin turbo flat 6 cylinder engine, and virtually 1,000 kilos of downforce at full velocity (slightly over half that of the 992 GT3RS street automobile), the rental payment for which is 10,000 Euros per day. That automobile is a race automobile model of the 991.2 GT2RS street automobile. The powertrain is identical or just about the identical because the street automobile.

The 911 GT2RS Clubsport is closely modified from the street automobile model and virtually 200 kilos lighter with the inside ripped out and changed with a cage and race automobile inside, slick tires, carbon fiber physique panels and different carbon fiber components changing lots of the heavier street automobile components. The brakes are straight up racing brakes out of the GT3 R and are metal. And they’re very loud. The suspension can also be out of considered one of Porsche’s race automobiles. The aero bundle is rather more radical than the street automobile model of the GT2RS with an enormous rear wing and an enormous downforce-producing hood scoop and ducts changing the entrance trunk. Mainly, this can be a race automobile model of the GT2RS with large acceleration and grip. This can be a very uncommon and particular automobile and solely 200 have been ever made. Porsche subsequently made an “evo” bundle for the automobile to, amongst different issues, enhance aerodynamics for 85,000 Euros however the 2 PTE/Manthey Racing GT2RS Clubsports current lacked the “evo” bundle.

As was the case in Spa, the automobiles have been glowing clear once they arrived and have been meticulously maintained by Manthey Racing. Manthey Racing is, for many who don't know, one of many high GT racing groups in Europe in addition to the main efficiency/racing bundle provider for Porsche, which is almost all proprietor of the corporate.

That being stated, my teacher’s 911 GT2RS Clubsport suffered a gap in its radiator (maybe from an object on observe) and was knocked out of service so my teacher then had to make use of a 911 GT3 Cup Automobile which was not in a position to maintain tempo with my GT2RS Clubsport within the straights though it was greater than a match for me and my GT2RS Clubsport within the corners particularly with my teacher’s far superior race driving abilities.

Nonetheless, as a result of I got here up the training curve in a short time on the 911 GT2RS Clubsport and since this automobile was SO a lot quicker than the GT3 Cup automobile by the point of the braking zone on the finish of the lengthy three straights (a 190 horsepower distinction can’t be pushed round on an extended straight), I requested to drive in entrance for the rest of the day, which by the purpose of that call was someplace by the 4th or fifth stint.

VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE RISK OF LOSS OF THE CAR REMAINS ON PTE/MANTHEY RACING: In contrast to personal racecar leases, the chance of lack of these automobiles for collision injury (though not for legal responsibility for harming others) is NOT on the contributors however stays with PTE/Manthey Racing apart from a modest deductible in relation to the worth of the automobile – 10,000 Euros for the GT4RS and 25,000 Euros for the GT3 Cup Automobile and, as I recall, additionally for the GT2RS Membership Sport. Which means that, not like personal racecar leases, you do not want to purchase observe insurance coverage, which could be very costly.

THE INSTRUCTION METHOD – HOW THEY TEACH YOU: After an preliminary security briefing, my GT Trackday racecar program with my teacher consisted of 5 45 minute driving stints on observe, separated by roughly 45 minute intervals the place my teacher and I took a break and reviewed the info and video from my automobile and the trainer's automobile (the road/street automobile observe classes have been held throughout these intervals). Throughout these classes, my teacher gave me pointers as to what I used to be doing unsuitable and the way I may enhance in addition to what our growth targets have been for the subsequent stint. At first of the day, my teacher had a plan for each considered one of our 5 stints, which he executed.

THE RACING GEAR: For this program, contributors can hire racing gear from PTE/Manthey Racing. I introduced all of my very own racing gear – the helmet, HANS gadget, firesuit, gloves, boots, balaclava, in ear headphones, and so on.

SUPPORT FROM YOUR DEDICATED MECHANIC: My devoted race mechanic, Philipp, was superior. Not solely did he guarantee my race automobile was working in tiptop form, however he helped me strap into the automobile in order that the harness was very tight and correctly positioned over the HANS gadget (if the shoulder harness straps usually are not correctly positioned over the HANS gadget, the HANS won’t work and shield you) in addition to helped to attach my helmet communication methods to the automobile's radio. He additionally assisted with entry and exit, eradicating the steering wheel and placing it again on.

THE RISK LEVEL: Driving race automobiles on observe will not be with out danger. Individuals will generally make errors and push their automobiles past their very own driving capabilities or the capabilities of the automobiles. Throughout our 5 stints there have been about three crimson flags because of racecar contributors going off the observe. Nobody hit the wall and there have been no heavy crashes however these 3 or so contributors did go off into the gravel and wanted to be pulled out by the protection vehicles.

The Spa occasion, against this, produced extra heavy crashes and collisions with the wall – not stunning as Spa is a harder, increased velocity and usually extra harmful and difficult observe than Pink Bull Ring.

As for me, I had no offs, spins or crashes. I had no oversteer moments apart from a slight one exiting the storage throughout my first stint when my slick tires have been ice chilly and it was about 40 levels F. I barely touched the gasoline pedal however that was sufficient to get the rear finish sliding barely. This was a danger my teacher had warned me about. I actually babied the accelerator till the slicks have been within the correct working window of about 1.6-1.7 bar minimal.

Additionally, as soon as going into flip 1, I overcooked my entry into the braking zone, knew instantly that my automobile wouldn’t make the nook and used the paved escape street as I had been educated to do. Simple, fast and painless. You steer onto the escape street as you brake straight after which take the street and rejoin the observe on the finish of flip 1.

GROUP MEALS AND GIFTING: PTE/Manthey Racing equipped very nice hospitality and catering for the occasion in a devoted very giant tent, supplying a really high-end, breakfast, lunch and dinner the place contributors of this program and the simultaneous GT Trackday program for roadcars (the street automobiles and race automobiles have been by no means on observe collectively and alternated stints on observe) in addition to instructors, may eat, discuss and mingle (the identical hospitality tent they used at Spa). On the finish of this program, every participant in this system obtained a certificates of completion, a Porsche cap and a mannequin of the primary 930 Turbo. A pleasant contact.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: This was a implausible program and I extremely advocate it. I sit up for rejoining PTE/Manthey Racing subsequent 12 months. They may have open signal ups I consider in November 2024.