Porsche will continue to supply the FIA World Endurance Championship WEC with safety cars. When the season kicks off next weekend at Sebring Int’l Raceway, the new safety cars based on the Porsche 911 Turbo S will be deployed for the first time. For use as a safety car in the FIA WEC, the sports car from Weissach has been fitted with data and transmission technology as well as a lighting signal system and two additional monitors in the cockpit.
“The large LED element on the roof flashes amber when the safety car is operating. If necessary, we can switch the middle section to green,” said Adam Kot, who is responsible for the running and maintenance of the safety cars at Porsche’s partner Manthey.
Green means that the cars behind may overtake until the leading car in the race has slotted in behind the Porsche 911 Turbo S. The controls for the large lighting system on the roof and the flashing lights at the front and rear of the safety car have been relocated to the luggage compartment in the front. To save space, the radio connection to race control including the power supply and electronics for the so-called marshalling system are also housed there. This system communicates the status of flag signals along the racetrack.
The Porsche 911 Turbo S is also equipped with a special suspension set up for the racetrack. The drivers of the safety cars for the season remain unchanged with Pedro Couceiro from Portugal and Yannick Dalmas. In 1994, the Frenchman achieved overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans at the wheel of a Porsche 962.
Two new safety cars decked out in the familiar black and red livery will attend all WEC races this season. Special rules only apply for the 24 Hours of Le Mans due to the particularly long 13.623-kilometre racetrack: there, safety cars are deployed at the same time. For this event, which marks the highlight of the World Endurance Championship in June, Manthey prepares three additional Porsche 911 Turbo S.