Photo credit: Porsche
Porsche will introduce an optimized 911 GT3 R for the 2026 season, following a period in which the current model accumulated more than 500 race starts, multiple international titles, and 106 customer deliveries. In 2024–2025 alone, customer teams won the Intercontinental GT Challenge manufacturers’ title, swept the IMSA GTD Pro classifications, claimed six wins in eight Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie rounds, and secured the FIA World Endurance Championship Endurance Trophy for LMGT3 teams and drivers, including class victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The 2025 DTM season also saw a race win at the Norisring by 2023 champion Thomas Preining. Development of the evolved car began in August 2024, with track work at Weissach and circuits including Sebring, Paul Ricard, Spa-Francorchamps, and the Nürburgring Nordschleife. A first competitive outing at the Michelin 12H Spa-Francorchamps in April yielded second overall for Herberth Motorsport with Laurin Heinrich, Ralf Bohn, and Alfred Renauer.
The update targets suspension and aerodynamics to deliver more balanced handling and easier drivability, especially for non-professional drivers in variable conditions. New vented louvres on the upper surfaces of the front wheel arches work with revised double-wishbone kinematics that add anti-dive, helping maintain aerodynamic balance and reduce pitch sensitivity under braking. At the rear, a swan-neck wing fitted with a 0.16-inch (4 mm) Gurney flap increases downforce and broadens setup range. A fully enclosed underbody with reinforced rear sections, revised multi-link rear suspension geometry that adds anti-squat, and an adapted fifth-generation Bosch racing ABS contribute to more stable braking and improved load distribution between axles.
Photo credit: Porsche
Ancillary systems receive durability and serviceability upgrades informed by customer feedback. The electrohydraulic power steering gains additional fluid cooling for consistent effort on demanding tracks, ceramic wheel bearings improve robustness, and modified centering pins simplify driveshaft installation. Driveshafts now receive independent cooling air via NACA ducts in the side skirts, reducing thermal load on low-ride-height, high-speed circuits such as Monza and Le Castellet. Rear brake cooling can be adjusted more precisely for venues like Daytona. Inside the cockpit, a revised air vent improves airflow during long stints, and a Remote Logger Unit writes directly to a removable USB stick, allowing rapid data swaps during pit stops.
Several previously optional kits are now standard. The sensor, endurance, pit lane link, and camera packages add four laser ride-height sensors, two master-cylinder potentiometers, a track-temperature sensor, a rear-view camera, mounts for a drink system, a refueling detection sensor, and an auxiliary refueling LED. Series-specific options remain available, including special driveshafts for FIA LMGT3 and IMSA, an NLS-specific pre-silencer, and wing supports with an alternative adjustment range.
The naturally aspirated flat-six retains its displacement at 256.3 cu in (4.2 L) and continues to produce up to 557 hp (416 kW), subject to Balance of Performance. The drivetrain is largely unchanged from the current Type 992-based 911 GT3 R, and Porsche Motorsport will offer upgrade kits so existing customer cars can be updated to the new specification.