This recently updated Porsche EV will first see on-track action at the upcoming Berlin double-header.
While there is certainly a lot of new stuff to look forward to at this weekend’s Formula E race in Berlin, from new track layout and a few new faces on the starting grid, one other thing that will be making its premiere out on track at the Tempelhof Airport street circuit is a new safety car. That is as after two years, the outgoing Porsche Taycan has been put to pasture, and in its stead comes… a Porsche Taycan.
More specifically now, the new Formula E safety car will be the newly updated Porsche Taycan Turbo GT. Unveiled in its production form just two months prior, this most powerful production Porsche of all time will soon be pressed into service as the safety car in the all-electric world championship from the Berlin double header onwards.
Though the astute observer might point out to say the correct term up there should be safety cars, as Porsche has supplied a pair of Taycan GTs for this particular role this time round. The Purple Sky Metallic variant kitted out with the Weissach package (and with its rear seats removed) will serve as the main car on duty throughout the weekends, while its Shade Green Metallic sibling (sans Weissach package and with its rear seats reinstated) will be the substitute car.
Nürburgring-based Porsche specialists Manthey has been tasked with taking care of these Porsches for their foreseeable service life, with these experts also previously being the ones responsible for installing any necessary modifications to it. These modifications included elements such as the warning lights and related electronics, high-tech communication equipment, and fire extinguishers. The experienced Portuguese driver Bruno Correia meanwhile will remain at the wheel of the safety car during the race weekends.
Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport stated of these new safety cars: “Sustainability and electrification are of great importance to Porsche, which is reflected in our motorsport activities – including the deployment of the Taycan Turbo GT as a safety car. This is symbolic of the fact that we learn from motorsport for series applications. In Formula E, this is especially true of our electric sports cars, for example in energy management. This is another reason why the Taycan has improved in almost every discipline recently.”
Porsche’s new Taycan Turbo GT does certainly make for quite the rapid safety car, with it capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.2 seconds and reach a top speed of 305 km/h (with the Weissach package option ticked). The Stuggart stallion marque also wishes to highlight that its new four-door all-electric supercar the available Attack mode that temporary boosts of up to 120 kW of extra power is incidentally based on the technology of its 99X Electric, the current world-championship-winning Formula E car.
The current 2023/24 season is to be Porsche’s fifth season in Formula E. In addition to the works-run TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team, the American customer outfit Andretti Formula E competes with the Porsche 99X Electric.
