914/6 vs Boxster at Loton Park - in car comparisons

[rhd racer]

Ok, so it's cold and wet and my appetite to go out in the garage is limited, so I have sorted out my videos from the weekend competing. In doing so, i found some in-car from my 2013 season in the 914/6, and have never posted any of it before.

So, here are two runs separated by 5 years! Same driver, same power, similar conditions, but the Boxster carries a 200kg weigh penalty.

The 914/6 run was I think the 3rd fastest time ever recorded in the class - Ian McMath did a 58.91 many years ago, Ian Wadsworth did a long 59, and this run was my PB by a long way at 60.63s. Fast forward 5 years, and the Boxster achieved 61.12s, close but no cigar.

The differences are quite interesting. The 914 gets off the line much quicker by being lighter and lower geared - this is a penalty later on the straight where 4th gear would help, but for such a short period it was better to hold it on the limiter. It was also a scrappy run, and I gave away a bit of time at triangle, dropping a wheel off onto the dirt on exit. You can also see how the car takes off over brows, and hits the limiter in 2nd after the start. The Boxster doesn't come close to this. You can see though on the long straight the extra gearing allows speed to continue to build as I am not near the limiter in the later car.

I know much is said about the weight and agility of old vs new Porsches, so hopefully these videos show some good comparisons. Both are stonkingly good cars in their own way, they just go about it slightly differently.

I am sure I can put together some more comparative runs if anyone is interested.

The 914/6 run

https://youtu.be/YbnGkz3bFlI

The Boxster run

https://youtu.be/Pr8vFWytrTo

Cheers
Wayne

[LMR]

Having competed at Loton, I can assure you that you have very little time left to gain! Boxster looks easier to drive. 914 looked very agile!

[bjmullan]

Enjoyed that Wayne. Surprised at how little revs you have off the line in both cars.

[defianty]

Great stuff Wayne. Great to see the difference between the two cars.

[rhd racer]

Having competed at Loton, I can assure you that you have very little time left to gain! Boxster looks easier to drive. 914 looked very agile!

Thanks Phil, that means a lot given your experience.

Enjoyed that Wayne. Surprised at how little revs you have off the line in both cars.

There are a couple of reasons here Brendan. Neither car have the weight transfer that a 911 has at launch, where JW for example can plant it, the rear digs in and it goes. Despite an LSD in both, once you get the wheels spinning it is difficult to stop, and you just end up sitting on the line waiting! Driving off the line and gunning when rolling seems the most effective.

Both were the last run of the day, so the start line rubbers up and gets super smooth, which again works against you. Sometimes finding a clean patch to one side or the other is better towards the end of the day, to try and find some grip.

The 914/6 was running Kumho super-soft tyres, and these are much better than the tyres we have to run now, as they are now considered to be list 1C and not 1B. We also have to contend with tyre warming bans at all circuits and 50% of hillclimbs now due to noise issues. Only Prescott and Loton on my calendar still allow us to heat up the rears before the start. We all run very low pressures now to aid initial grip and speed up the warming process. At Anglesey I was running 24/26PSI F/R cold pressures, which on a road car would look like a flat!