Porsche RS Spyder competing in two variants for 2008

The Porsche RS Spyder is facing revised rules for classification this year. You may remember that the underclassed and underpowered (by 200hp) Spyder was regularly putting a hurting on the the Audi R10.

This year LeMan Series (in Europe) is making the RS Spyder bulk up in weight while also dropping the minimum weight for the LMP1 cars. The governing body has also dropped the fuel tank capacity on the LMP2 from 90 liters to 80 liters.

In ALMS (American), the RS Spyder also has to bulk up, but not as much as in Europe and they still retain the 90 liter fuel tank.

More from Porsche's Racing Director

"The LMP2 cars still have more than 200 bhp less power than the cars in the LMP1 class. In Europe the difference in weight between the two categories has been halved from 150 to now just 75 kilograms. The reduction in tank capacity means at least one additional stop for refuelling in a normal LMS race over a distance of 1,000 km. This will put RS Spyder customers in Europe far behind the LMP1 teams", states Porsche's Racing Director Hartmut Kristen. "In the ALMS our chances for an overall win in the 2008 season are also smaller due to the 25 kilos extra weight, but LMP2 cars will still be able on some tracks to make life difficult for the far more powerful LMP1 cars. So I am happy that IMSA in the USA, in determining the specifications for the LMP2 cars, has taken a decision for the fans and for our sport as a whole."