

The legality of the Porsche 919 has been questioned at the Le Mans Test day. During the official pre event photo session the updated 919 was seen for the first time by rival teams and it was noted that a significant portion of its engine cover and rear bodywork flexed with a gentle finger push.



The panels either side of a cutout around the rear crash structure deform visibly and will clearly lower when the car is at speed. This seems to be in breach of article 3.4 of the technical regulations which states that ‘Movable bodywork parts/elements are forbidden when the car is in motion.’

In 2013 the Toyota TS030 was fitted with a flexible engine cover which gave notable aerodynamic gains, but Toyota agreed not to use it in 2014.

Indeed the cut out itself around the structure is a contentious region as some have suggested that it breaches article 3.4.1c which states that the rear bodywork viewed from above should have ‘a continuous unbroken surface without cut-outs.’



Additionally the rear bodywork extends a few mm beyond the rear of the diffuser something that may contravene article 3.5.2 of the technical regulations which states that ‘No part of the diffuser must be more than 200 mm above the reference surface and its rear end must be plumb (Flush) with the perimeter of the bodywork (rear wing removed)’

It is not clear whether any protests will be lodged but the rear of the Porsche was of much interest to both Toyota and Audi

engineers.

UPDATE: LE MANS TEST

During the test day itself it became clear that the Porsche’s were presented at the photo shoot in an incomplete state. When the cars actually hit the track the cutout over the rear crash structure was fitted with an additional panel which brought it fully in line with the regulations.



However even with the new panel fitted the rear bodywork visibly flexed at speed by a significant margin, something that will likely give a notable reduction in drag. It also still extends beyond the rear edge of the diffuser.



At high speeds the rear panels clearly deform. In the stationary position (above) the rear part of the engine cover is in line with the centre section panel, but at speed it drops substantially (below). Note the position of the breather pipe in both images relative to the body panel.



It is believed that both Toyota and Audi are seeking clarification over the legality of the Porsche design.

UPDATE LE MANS 24 HOURS:

Alex Hitzinger has claimed that the rear bodywork on the Porsche 919 has been changed “We did not want to show everything at the test so there are some new things” he told Racecar Engineering ahead of free practice. It has been suggested that the changes were made at the specific request of the FIA though there is no confirmation of this. Additionally it had been speculated that the fires experienced by both cars on the test day were caused by the flexing engine cover getting too close to the turbocharger but this again is not the case according to Hitzinger “We changed the heat shield material around the turbo and we got it wrong, and it started to burn, once it started to burn then everything burns, but we have changed that.”

