Porsche Unveils Next-Gen 911 Cup Race Car for 2026 Season

Porsche is set to unveil its new 911 Cup race car this summer, with its debut slated for the 2026 racing season. Based on the latest 992.2 generation of the 911, this comprehensively optimized one-make cup car has undergone extensive development, promising enhanced performance and drivability for the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup and various Carrera Cup series worldwide.

Porsche's Enduring Legacy in One-Make Racing

Since 1990, the Porsche 911 has been the cornerstone of the manufacturer's one-make cup racing series. What began with the German Porsche Carrera Cup and expanded to the Porsche Supercup has evolved into a global phenomenon. Currently, Carrera Cup competitions are held in over twelve countries, complemented by 23 Porsche-sanctioned Sprint and Endurance Challenges and Trophies, all utilizing the 911 GT3 Cup.

• The 911-based one-make cup cars are among the most produced racing cars globally, with 5,381 units built to date.

• Production of these race cars occurs alongside standard 911 series models at the main plant in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen.

• The current 992.1 generation model, introduced in 2021, has seen 1,130 units produced, with each car taking approximately eight hours to build.

Dynamic Development and Key Enhancements

Development for the new 911 Cup began in January 2024 at Porsche Motorsport in Weissach. The new model seamlessly integrates series production technology with high-caliber motorsport attributes, transforming it into a purebred racing machine. Key areas of focus during development included:

• Aerodynamics: Significant improvements to the front end for enhanced drivability.

• Safety and Electronics: Numerous advancements for increased driver protection and system efficiency.

• Brakes and Power Transmission: Refinements for superior stopping power and power delivery.

• Engine: Optimizations to the six-cylinder boxer engine for improved performance.

• Vehicle Handling: Overall enhancements for better control and responsiveness.

Jan Feldmann, Project Manager for GT racing cars at Porsche Motorsport, noted, “We are already operating at a very high-performance level with the current 911 GT3 Cup. This has allowed us to focus more on feedback from the global one-make cups and develop a racing car that has been refined in many areas compared to the current Cup 911.” Michelin will continue as the official tire partner.

Sustainable Testing with eFuels

For the development and testing of the new 911 Cup, Porsche Motorsport exclusively utilized the eFuel blend currently used in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup (PMSC). Real-world test drives were conducted at demanding tracks including Monza, Lausitzring, and Porsche's in-house Weissach development center. Former Porsche juniors Bastian Buus and Klaus Bachler, along with Laurin Heinrich and Marco Seefried, were among the drivers who put the prototypes through their paces.

• The eFuel blend meets the new FIA Appendix J requirements for renewable fuels.

• It achieves a 66% CO₂ equivalent reduction compared to fossil fuels, considering all combined CO₂ reduction measures.

• The blend contains 79.7% renewable components by volume, primarily renewable synthetic raw petrol (MtG).

• It also includes renewable, waste-based, or residual-based ethanol to boost oxygen content and octane rating (100.5 RON).

• This racing fuel blend is specifically designed for boxer engines, balancing high performance with a high proportion of renewable components.