For four heady years of competition between up to four manufacturers, the World Endurance Championship lived the true spirit of technical innovation within the quest for fuel efficiency, more so even than contemporary Formula One. For the last three of those four years - 2015 through 2017 - Porsche - after a learning year returning to Prototype racing in 2014 - won Le Mans and the Manufacturers’ title in the World Endurance Championship each season. 

Porsche’s 900 bhp power unit for its 2014-2017 919 LM P1 car demonstrated what is possible when the quest is to maximise performance from a given amount of fuel within the context of a hybridised power unit and without the shackles current rules impose upon the Formula One power plant. This is a World title winning hybrid powertrain that is not a refinement within a template imposed by rule makers but one optimally designed as fit for purpose.

RET 124 presents in depth the story of this remarkable power unit that went on allow a ‘formula libre’ version of the Porsche 919 to set new lap time benchmarks at Spa Francorchamps and the Nurburgring Nordschleife in 2018. It is an unrivalled investigation into the state of the art in fuel flow limited racing. Don’t miss what will be one of the most exclusive and talked about issues of RET of recent times!

Other highlights in this issue include a look at the challenge of GTE racing, focuses on vibration analysis and friction reduction.  We report back from PRI 2019 and have the latest edition of our E-Race Power Expo feature.