In the most recent episode of Mobil 1: The Grid, famed Porsche factory driver Romain Dumas gives a quick walk-around explanation of his 997 GT3 RS 4.0 that has been modified to rally car specification for the WRC’s “RGT” category. Dumas himself piloted the car at the Rallye Monte Carlo just a couple of weeks ago, where he finished second in class, behind Francois Delecour’s Porsche, 23rd position overall. It’s a pretty neat video, and certainly worth the two minutes to watch. Romain goes over all of the minute details that define his car as rally ready, everything it takes to change a GT3 into an RGT car ready to tackle the stages of Monte Carlo.
For the most part, the changes are all of the things you’d expect of a track car; strip it out, install a roll cage, install lighter bodywork (in this case, only fiberglass front and rear bumpers are allowed), and build the engine to spec (a massive restrictor takes power down to about 350). This car takes that traditional track car basis, and flips the script a little, increasing wheel travel, and adding a little more compliance to the suspension, instead of making everything as stiff as a brick. They also add back in a bit of weight by carrying a pair of spare tires for on-stage repairs.
Check out the video above, if for nothing else than the fact that Romain is one of the coolest dudes around. Stick him in any race car in the world and the chances are high that he’ll take to it like a duck to water. He’s wicked quick in anything from a Porsche 919 Hybrid to a Pikes Peak prototype to a GT3 car. He’s a mega talent, and Porsche is lucky to have him on their staff.
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