Porsche RS Spyder

The RS Spyder (known internally as Type 9R6) is a LMP2 class race car built by Porsche. It marks the return of the Porsche factory to the upper echelons of sports car racing since the Porsche 911 GT1 finished the 1998 season. The RS Spyder is named after the legendary 550 Spyder of the 1950s (combined with Porsche's common RS designation, for "Renn Sport"). This car marks Porsche's return to the Le Mans-type of sports car racing since the firm abandoned its latest Le Mans prototype in 1999.

Although the lighter P2-class cars do not have as much power as the larger P1 cars, the power to weight ratio between the two classes is very close. Combined with handling characteristics equal to the P1 cars, the RS Spyders are formidable opponents and have scored more than one overall race victory.

Racing

The RS Spyder made its debut in the final event of the 2005 American Le Mans Series, the Monterey Sports Car Championship at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, entered by Penske Racing and driven by a team of Porsche Junioren factory drivers. At the Laguna Seca race the sole RS Sypder of Lucas Luhr and Sascha Maassen finished first in class and fifth overall.

In the 2006 12 Hours of Sebring, the RS Spyder driven by Lucas Luhr was fastest in its class, as well as close to the fastest overall prototype, the Audi R10 Diesel. With lap times under 1:50 min, Luhr set the P2 class pole (2 secs slower) and fastest lap (less than 1 second down), but finished only 2nd in class and 8th overall after some trouble. The second car did not finish. The second race of the season at Houston was difficult, with both cars having trouble with the bumpy street circuit and slipping out of contention. However, the cars went very well in qualifying.

At the third ALMS race of 2006 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, everything came together well. Both cars filled the top two spots in qualifying, but the faster car of Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas was relegated to the back of the field due to being underweight following the qualifying. However, that car ended up winning the race overall, with the sister car of Luhr and Maassen very close behind in second place. Despite its success in North America, Penske did not compete at the 2006 24 Hours of Le Mans.

For 2007, Porsche announced their intention to sell the RS Spyder to customers outside of Penske for both the Le Mans Series and American Le Mans Series. Along with this announcement, Porsche also unveiled the 2007-spec RS Spyder (called the RS Spyder Evo) at the Paris Motor Show on September 28, 2006, which included an increase in power.

On December 18, 2006, American Le Mans Series veterans Dyson Racing announced they had purchased two RS Spyders Evos as the first customer team. Penske Motorsports remained as the primary factory backed team in 2007. The RS Spyders for Penske and for Dyson were identical. However, again no Porsche RS Spyders competed in the 2007 24 Hours of Le Mans as Penske and Dyson did not enter.

On December 16, 2007, Danish Team Essex unveiled their newly purchased 2008-spec RS Spyder, with which they plan to participate in the 2008 Le Mans Series season. Van Merksteijn Motorsport of The Netherlands and Horag Racing of Switzerland have also purchased RS Spyders for the LMS. Team Essex and Van Merksteijn also have entries for the 2008 24 Hours of Le Mans, marking the first entry by the RS Spyder.

The #7 Penske Motorsports RS Spyder LMP2 class entry, driven by Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas, and Emmanuel Collard, secured the overall victory at the 2008 12 Hours of Sebring, winning it on the 20th anniversary of Porsche's last overall win at the race.

To note in 2008 porsche plans to bring updated RS Spyders to the 24 hours of Lemans that will look completely different to the current 2008 car for the Essex and Van Merksteijn teams. No details have been given, perhaps extremely low down force bodywork peraps to gain more straight line speed over competitors.

The LMP2 class at the 2008 24 Hours of Le Mans was won in a Porsche RS Spyder from Van Merksteijn Motorsport driven by Jeroen Bleekemolen, Peter van Merksteijn and Jos Verstappen, with the Essex team coming second.

Technical data

The RS Spyder is powered by a 3.4-liter V8 designated MR6, producing 480 bhp (360 kW) in 2006-spec, and 503 bhp (375 kW) in 2007-spec (limited by a 44 mm air restrictor) mated with a 6-speed sequential transmission and has a dry weight of 1709 lb (775 kg).Fact|date=June 2008

ee also

*Porsche racing models

External links

* [http://www.porsche.com/usa Official Porsche website]
* [http://www.porsche.com/usa/eventsandracing/motorsport/racingcars/rsspyder/ RS Spyder at official Porsche site]
* [http://www.porsche.com/all/motorsport/rsspyder/flash/default.asp?language=en-us&market=pcna&browser=ie&instance=187&variant=&section=&bandwidth=dsl&width=945&height=609 Official Porsche RS Spyder minisite]
* [http://www.sportwagen.fr/photos.php?galerie=rs_spyder RS Spyder photos]
* [http://www.penskeracing.com/content.asp?nav=30057&cpid=879& Penske Racing]
* [http://www.vm-motorsport.nl/nl/porsche_rs_spyder.php Van Merksteijn Motorsport]