Monday 10th November 2014

Tuthill 997 GT3 on WRC Germany: Time For Tea?

The shakedown is done, the testing is done, here's the first WRC onboard

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It definitely sounds better from outside. That's likely to be your first impression from Tuthill Porsche's 997 GT3 onboard from the recent Rally Germany. There's a lot of gearbox whine from inside than Mezger wail but there we are.

What you do get from inside though is just how busy driver Richard Tuthill is kept by the sinewy, bumpy, dusty German roads in the Porsche. That huge handbrake lever isn't just there for show...

But most importantly the car looks fast. In fact Richard and the Tuthill team finished 27th in Germany, a fantastic result for a first WRC event. And it's a Porsche at the top level of world rallying goodness sake; surely that has to be worth celebrating!

See the video here.

 

[moribund]

Looking forward to seeing these guys in Wales at the weekend, along with Jimmy McCrae in a V8 Vauxhall and Perez in his Lancia Stratos too

For those who've not been for a while, the top 10 WRC cars seemed shockingly fast in person, I'm going to find some open bends to stand on

[Blayney]

Had a nice surprise seeing this on shakedown at Epynt earlier this year. Makes a great sound and is pretty damn quick! Put it in a video that's on YouTube somewhere.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4ojCPZMDjQ

[Adam205]

We called in to watch, was something slightly different among the flocks of DS3s and sounded nice but seemed a bit ungainly on the narrow little lanes. WRC definitely needs more variation in cars though.

[anonymous-user]

Is this the same GT3 running at Wales on the weekend?

[moribund]

Yup.

[School boy]

What class is that in?

[anonymous-user]

moribund said:

Yup.

[racerrb320]

I was lucky enough to be at WRC Germany spectating, when this vehicle came onto the stages the Germans loved it, when we all heard it, we all loved it.

[Alex Langheck]

Have a look for the recent ERC Tour de Corse onboard from Romain Dumas/ Denis Giraudet. A definite crowd pleaser. And there is a FiA R-GT Cup next year for these type of cars.

[GravelBen]

School boy said:

What class is that in?

FIA RGT.

I think they run the same restrictors as WRC, so are limited to around 300bhp as well. Pity really, would be interesting to see how a full power GT3 would compare.

[Mr.Jimbo]

I can't work out if it's driving style or the car is set up to be very understeery.

However - this was it's first event and I can quite understand having a 'safe' setup that favours understeer in one of these beasts!

Can't wait to see this at the weekend. There are some interesting videos on youtube of some French idiots rallying a GT3 in the snow from a few years ago, the boxer six is definitely singing in that one!

[Pumajay]

Be interesting to see how far up the order a top line driver could get it on a tarmac rally, maybe they should put Kubica in it!

[Alex Langheck]

The ‘regs’ have changed since Germany – and are evolving. They ran with a bigger restrictor in Rally France-Alsace, and going forward it’s possible they will be allowed more power. There is no ‘homologation’ as we know it – it’s a case of building a car to the current regs. So, the Tuthill car I think is a 3.6, whereas the Dumas is a 4.0 car.

[The Wookie]

Mr.Jimbo said:

I can't work out if it's driving style or the car is set up to be very understeery.

The Cup Car I assume it's based on has buckets of understeer if you lose the front splitter. I'm guessing this has been raised a fair amount to get some ground clearance and travel so maybe it's an issue?

To be honest I can't really say a Porsche Cup Car would be my first choice for a rally car, although at least it looks like they've improved the non existent steering lock!

[Speed_Demon]

Can't help but remember the video of this car on shake down and many calling Mr Tuthill very much amateur. "Doesn't look like he's trying very hard", "not very committed", "I could do that quicker in my MX5", OK so I made the last one up, but looks like he's on full attack in this vid. Found it quite impressive.

Can anyone help me out as I am a bit of a noob when it comes to rallying; obviously the co-driver is telling the driver "Don't cut" when there's a ditch or rock or whatever on the apex, but why is he telling him to keep right or left? I would assume to set the line up for the next corner but in most cases I can't see it making a difference?

Though I don't know what difference it makes that the corners are sleepy?!

[Krikkit]

Speed_Demon said:

Can anyone help me out as I am a bit of a noob when it comes to rallying; obviously the co-driver is telling the driver "Don't cut" when there's a ditch or rock or whatever on the apex, but why is he telling him to keep right or left? I would assume to set the line up for the next corner but in most cases I can't see it making a difference?

Though I don't know what difference it makes that the corners are sleepy?!

Sometimes it can indicate a bad bit of surface, a likely spot for debris, adjusting the line through a sequence of corners etc. It varies.

[NelsonP]

You can hear it from the outside here. Sounds pretty sweet!

http://www.tuthillporsche.com/blog/porsche-911-fia...

And with Francois Delecour at the wheel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hh6yipiOg0g#t=102

Edited by NelsonP on Tuesday 11th November 14:19

[GTRene]

listen to this Porsche rally car, its loud

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5iPm7dDMXI

[redroadster]

This is more like it keep your polos and fiestas rallying needs more excitement this is just the ticket.

[Furyblade_Lee]

Didn't realise Tuthill drove, just thought his business built cars? He is pretty handy.... I think a "special" RWD class is the way forward for the WRC run alongside what the FiA / manufacturers want ie: euroboxes you cannot buy. I personally dont care how fast rally cars go, I want to see some crazy angles being pulled, not neat and tidy.