Porsche 961
Encyclopedia
The Porsche 961 was a racing car built by Porsche
and based on their 959
sports car. It was intended for Group B
sports car racing
, complementing the purpose-built 956
and 962C
which ran Group C
in the World Sports-Prototype Championship
. The 961 project was short lived, running only three races and seeing the construction of only one car. Plans to sell the car to customers were scrapped when the Group B class was canceled.
(FISA) reorganized their classification structure for motorsports. Two new categories, known as Group B
and Group C
, were designated for use in the World Sports-Prototype Championship
. Porsche had developed the 956
for the Group C rules, and following the 956's debut, began work on developing a Group B car. A initial prototype concept, named the Porsche Gruppe B, debuted in 1983, after which plans were made to build the car for production and provide racing versions for customers as had been done with the 956.
By time the Gruppe B had been launched as the production 959 in 1985, Group B rules had been altered by FISA to better suit the class' use in the World Rally Championship
rather than the Sports-Prototype Championship. Plans to develop multiple customer cars for sports car racing were therefore scrapped by Porsche, but development continued on the production of car which could be factory run in order to put the car's development to use. This lone racing car, built on 959 chassis No. 10016, became known as the 961.
The new 961 retained much from the 959 road car, including most notably the four-wheel drive
system that was uncommon in sports car racing at the time but allowable under the Group B regulations. The system was modified to distribution power more to the rear wheels rather than the balanced distribution of the 959. The driver adjustable damper
and suspension systems
were removed and replaced by a racing unit that could only be adjusted from by the pit crew, but was more reliable for endurance racing.
The 961's engine was a Porsche Type-935 unit. This twin-turbocharged
engine was not only used in the 959, but was also the Group C 956 and later the 962C
. This racing development helped the 961 run higher boost level than the standard 959. This resulted in a peak power output of 680 hp. The brakes were also adapted from those developed for the 962C. Bodywork was replaced with lighter panels to bring the car down to a weight of 1150 kilogram, while the rear wing and front fascia were replaced with modified designs in order to create more downforce
. Dunlop
, who already supported Porsche's factory 962C team, supplied the tyres for the 961.
When the 961 was completed in 1986, Porsche had not yet built enough 959s to satisfy the Group B regulations for homologation
. Due to this, the 961 had to be classified under International Motor Sports Association
's similar GTX class.
, the 961 was able to show its potential pace quickly by setting the tenth fastest lap time under the control of French driver René Metge. The 961's time was not only quicker than the BMW M1
which was entered in the Group B category, was also faster than several C1 and C2 class prototypes. At the race in June, Metge was joined by fellow Frenchman Claude Ballot-Léna
and the two were able to qualify the car 26th. Through dependability the 961 was able to climb through the field as the race progressed and eventually finished the race in seventh place, 47 laps behind the winning factory 962C.
Later in 1986, the 961 was moved to the United States and entered in the Camel GT Championship's
final round at Daytona International Speedway
. The car was reclassified once again by International Motor Sports Association, this time being entered in the GTP category alongside sports prototype
s like the 962. Drivers Kees Nierop of Canada and Günter Steckkönig of Germany were assigned to the car. The 961 however struggled with the banked turns of the Daytona circuit. The 961's Dunlop tyres were pushed beyond their limits and suffered several blowouts while the car was at full speed. This slowed the 961's overall pace down before it eventually finished the race in 24th position.
Porsche continued to develop the 961 into the 1987 season where it was prepared once more for Le Mans. The car was repainted in the colors of Rothmans to match the scheme used by the factory 962Cs. Performance fell from the previous year as the 961 earned only the 16th fastest lap in the May test session. Swiss driver Claude Haldi was assigned to partner René Metge, but the two were later joined by Kees Nierop whose 962C had been destroyed in a qualifying accident. Although the 961 managed to run as high as 11th overall in the race, Kees Nierop crashed the car after suffering a gearbox problem. The car was stopped and retired after it caught fire as Nierop attempted to return to the pit lane
.
Following the Le Mans difficulties, and with no championship with which to run the 961 against similar machinery, the project was canceled. The 961, repaired after its crash and fire in 1987, now resides on display in the Porsche Museum
in Stuttgart
, Germany
.
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
and based on their 959
Porsche 959
The Porsche 959 is a sports car manufactured by Porsche from 1986 to 1989, first as a Group B rally car and later as a legal production car designed to satisfy FIA homologation regulations requiring that a minimum number of 200 street legal units be built....
sports car. It was intended for Group B
Group B
Group B was a set of regulations introduced in 1982 for competition vehicles in sportscar racing and rallying regulated by the FIA. The Group B regulations fostered some of the quickest, most powerful and sophisticated rally cars ever built. However, a series of major accidents, some fatal, were...
sports car racing
Sports car racing
Sports car racing is a form of circuit auto racing with automobiles that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built or related to road-going sports cars....
, complementing the purpose-built 956
Porsche 956
The Porsche 956 was a Group C sports-prototype racing car designed by Norbert Singer and built by Porsche in 1982 for the FIA World Sportscar Championship...
and 962C
Porsche 962
The Porsche 962 was a sports-prototype racing car built by Porsche as a replacement for the 956 and designed mainly to comply with IMSA's GTP regulations, although it would later compete in the European Group C formula as the 956 had...
which ran Group C
Group C
Group C was a category of motorsport, introduced by the FIA in 1982 for sports car racing, along with Group A for touring cars and Group B for GTs....
in the World Sports-Prototype Championship
World Sportscar Championship
The World Sportscar Championship was the world series run for sports car racing by the FIA from 1953 to 1992.The championship evolved from a small collection of the most important sportscar, endurance and road racing events in Europe and North America with dozens of gentleman drivers at the grid,...
. The 961 project was short lived, running only three races and seeing the construction of only one car. Plans to sell the car to customers were scrapped when the Group B class was canceled.
Development
In the early 1980s, the Fédération Internationale du Sport AutomobileFédération Internationale du Sport Automobile
The Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile was the governing body for motor racing events. The organisation's origins date from 1922, when the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile delegated the organisation of automobile racing to the CSI , an autonomous committee that would later...
(FISA) reorganized their classification structure for motorsports. Two new categories, known as Group B
Group B
Group B was a set of regulations introduced in 1982 for competition vehicles in sportscar racing and rallying regulated by the FIA. The Group B regulations fostered some of the quickest, most powerful and sophisticated rally cars ever built. However, a series of major accidents, some fatal, were...
and Group C
Group C
Group C was a category of motorsport, introduced by the FIA in 1982 for sports car racing, along with Group A for touring cars and Group B for GTs....
, were designated for use in the World Sports-Prototype Championship
World Sportscar Championship
The World Sportscar Championship was the world series run for sports car racing by the FIA from 1953 to 1992.The championship evolved from a small collection of the most important sportscar, endurance and road racing events in Europe and North America with dozens of gentleman drivers at the grid,...
. Porsche had developed the 956
Porsche 956
The Porsche 956 was a Group C sports-prototype racing car designed by Norbert Singer and built by Porsche in 1982 for the FIA World Sportscar Championship...
for the Group C rules, and following the 956's debut, began work on developing a Group B car. A initial prototype concept, named the Porsche Gruppe B, debuted in 1983, after which plans were made to build the car for production and provide racing versions for customers as had been done with the 956.
By time the Gruppe B had been launched as the production 959 in 1985, Group B rules had been altered by FISA to better suit the class' use in the World Rally Championship
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
rather than the Sports-Prototype Championship. Plans to develop multiple customer cars for sports car racing were therefore scrapped by Porsche, but development continued on the production of car which could be factory run in order to put the car's development to use. This lone racing car, built on 959 chassis No. 10016, became known as the 961.
The new 961 retained much from the 959 road car, including most notably the four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...
system that was uncommon in sports car racing at the time but allowable under the Group B regulations. The system was modified to distribution power more to the rear wheels rather than the balanced distribution of the 959. The driver adjustable damper
Shock absorber
A shock absorber is a mechanical device designed to smooth out or damp shock impulse, and dissipate kinetic energy. It is a type of dashpot.-Nomenclature:...
and suspension systems
Suspension (vehicle)
Suspension is the term given to the system of springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels. Suspension systems serve a dual purpose — contributing to the car's roadholding/handling and braking for good active safety and driving pleasure, and keeping vehicle occupants...
were removed and replaced by a racing unit that could only be adjusted from by the pit crew, but was more reliable for endurance racing.
The 961's engine was a Porsche Type-935 unit. This twin-turbocharged
Turbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...
engine was not only used in the 959, but was also the Group C 956 and later the 962C
Porsche 962
The Porsche 962 was a sports-prototype racing car built by Porsche as a replacement for the 956 and designed mainly to comply with IMSA's GTP regulations, although it would later compete in the European Group C formula as the 956 had...
. This racing development helped the 961 run higher boost level than the standard 959. This resulted in a peak power output of 680 hp. The brakes were also adapted from those developed for the 962C. Bodywork was replaced with lighter panels to bring the car down to a weight of 1150 kilogram, while the rear wing and front fascia were replaced with modified designs in order to create more downforce
Downforce
Downforce is a downwards thrust created by the aerodynamic characteristics of a car. The purpose of downforce is to allow a car to travel faster through a corner by increasing the vertical force on the tires, thus creating more grip....
. Dunlop
Dunlop Tyres
Dunlop Tyres is a British company owned 75% by Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and 25% by Sumitomo Rubber Industries, which bought the right to sell Dunlop-branded road tyres....
, who already supported Porsche's factory 962C team, supplied the tyres for the 961.
When the 961 was completed in 1986, Porsche had not yet built enough 959s to satisfy the Group B regulations for homologation
Homologation
Homologation is a technical term, derived from the Greek homologeo for "to agree", which is generally used in English to signify the granting of approval by an official authority...
. Due to this, the 961 had to be classified under International Motor Sports Association
International Motor Sports Association
The International Motor Sports Association is an American sports car auto racing sanctioning body based in Braselton, Georgia. It was started by John Bishop, a former employee of SCCA , and his wife Peggy in 1969 with help from Bill France, Sr...
's similar GTX class.
Racing history
Making its first appearance at the May test for the 1986 24 Hours of Le Mans1986 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1986 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 54th Grand Prix of Endurance as well as the third round of the 1986 World Sports-Prototype Championship. It took place on May 31 and June 1, 1986.-Pre-race:...
, the 961 was able to show its potential pace quickly by setting the tenth fastest lap time under the control of French driver René Metge. The 961's time was not only quicker than the BMW M1
BMW M1
The BMW M1 is a sports car that was produced by German automaker BMW from 1978 to 1981.In the late 1970s, Italian manufacturer Lamborghini entered into an agreement with BMW to build a production racing car in sufficient quantity for homologation. The result was sold to the public, from 1978 to...
which was entered in the Group B category, was also faster than several C1 and C2 class prototypes. At the race in June, Metge was joined by fellow Frenchman Claude Ballot-Léna
Claude Ballot-Léna
Claude Ballot-Léna was a French race driver born in Paris. He won the 1969 Spa 24 Hours in a Porsche 911 and the 1983 24 Hours of Daytona in a Porsche 935 Turbo owned by Preston Henn. He also entered the 24 Hours of Le Mans many times from 1966 until the 1980s...
and the two were able to qualify the car 26th. Through dependability the 961 was able to climb through the field as the race progressed and eventually finished the race in seventh place, 47 laps behind the winning factory 962C.
IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.-History:...
final round at Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
. The car was reclassified once again by International Motor Sports Association, this time being entered in the GTP category alongside sports prototype
Sports prototype
A sports prototype, also referred to as simply a prototype, is a form of racing car that is used as a top category in sports car racing. These purpose-built racing cars differ from street-legal and production-based racing cars that also compete in sports car racing.Prototype racing cars have...
s like the 962. Drivers Kees Nierop of Canada and Günter Steckkönig of Germany were assigned to the car. The 961 however struggled with the banked turns of the Daytona circuit. The 961's Dunlop tyres were pushed beyond their limits and suffered several blowouts while the car was at full speed. This slowed the 961's overall pace down before it eventually finished the race in 24th position.
Porsche continued to develop the 961 into the 1987 season where it was prepared once more for Le Mans. The car was repainted in the colors of Rothmans to match the scheme used by the factory 962Cs. Performance fell from the previous year as the 961 earned only the 16th fastest lap in the May test session. Swiss driver Claude Haldi was assigned to partner René Metge, but the two were later joined by Kees Nierop whose 962C had been destroyed in a qualifying accident. Although the 961 managed to run as high as 11th overall in the race, Kees Nierop crashed the car after suffering a gearbox problem. The car was stopped and retired after it caught fire as Nierop attempted to return to the pit lane
Pit stop
In motorsports, a pit stop is where a racing vehicle stops in the pits during a race for refuelling, new tires, repairs, mechanical adjustments, a driver change, or any combination of the above...
.
Following the Le Mans difficulties, and with no championship with which to run the 961 against similar machinery, the project was canceled. The 961, repaired after its crash and fire in 1987, now resides on display in the Porsche Museum
Porsche Museum, Stuttgart
The Porsche Museum is an automotive museum in the Zuffenhausen district of Stuttgart, Germany on the site of carmaker Porsche.- The new museum :The new Porsche museum stands on a conspicuous junction just outside Porsche Headquarters in Zuffenhausen...
in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.