Wheels Australia - June 2018

THIN AIR DOESN’T AFFECT THE

I.D. R’S PERFORMANCE, BUT

THIS DOESN’T HOLD TRUE FOR

ITS DRIVER. “I ALWAYS TAKE

OXYGEN IN THE HELMET,” SAYS

ROMAIN DUMAS. “ALWAYS.”

THE I.D. R IS A HIGH-DOWNFORCE CAR, LIKE A LE

MANS PROTOTYPE AND DRIVER DUMAS HAS PLENTY

OF EXPERIENCE WITH PORSCHE’S 919 HYBRID

LMP1 CAR. “YOU HAVE TO WORK A LOT WITH THE

BATTERIES, THE REGENERATION, AND SO ON,” HE

SAYS. “BUT THIS IS EVEN MORE EXTREME.”

OUTSIZE AERO AIDS OF THE

I.D. R GENERATE USEFUL

DOWNFORCE AT HIGH ALTITUDE.

PORSCHE HELPED WITH THE

CAR’S DESIGN, INCLUDING WIND

TUNNEL TEST TIME.

@wheelsaustralia 17

BELOW: WHAT IT LACKS

IN VISUAL GRACE THE VW

ENTRY MAKES UP FOR

WITH DOWNFORCE AND

BULK ELECTRIC GRUNT

VW MOTORSPORT

WILL TAKE TWO

I.D. RS TO PIKES

PEAK, JUST-IN-

CASE.

Nissan has confirmed it will leave the
Supercars Championship at the end of
this season. The Kelly-owned Nissan
Motorsport became the first new
manufacturer to join the series alongside
Ford and Holden when it made its debut

in 2013, and currently fields four Altima

Supercars with drivers Rick Kelly, Andre

Heimgartner, Michael Caruso and Simona

de Silvestro. Kelly delivered the perfect

rebuttal to the news by piloting his Nissan

to victory at Winton just four days later.

Race to the exit