Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid Set To Race in U.S. and China

ATLANTA — Porsche on Wednesday announced two more racing venues for its 911 GT3 R Hybrid — including one in the U.S. — as the automaker continues to tinker with the potential of hybrid drivetrains in a racing environment. The Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid will run at the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta on October 2 and on November 7 at the new Le Mans International Cup in Zhuhai, China.

Porsche noted in a statement that the hybrid racecar will not be competing for points in either race. It said that the 911 GT3 R Hybrid will not be eligible for points in the Petit Le Mans race because "hybrid technology is not yet included in the GT regulations."

The German automaker has been using the 911 racing car, decked out in orange and white livery, as a rolling laboratory. The hybrid was introduced at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show and made its racing debut at the Nurburgring 24-hour race. It is expected that Porsche will return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a factory capacity, likely in 2012, with a racing car that uses technology similar to that in the 911 GT3 R Hybrid.

"We are now eager to gain more experience with the hybrid technology on a variety of racetracks," said Hartmut Kristen, head of Porsche Motorsport, in a statement. "At the same time, we would like to show fans and customers in our most important markets how our 'race lab' performs under racing conditions."

The 911 GT3 R Hybrid is equipped with two electric motors at the front axle, each developing 60 kilowatts to supplement the 480-horsepower rear engine. Under braking, the hybrid converts kinetic energy into electrical energy and stores it in a flywheel.

Inside Line says: Better pencil in October 2 on your calendar as your first chance to get a look at the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid on a U.S. track. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent