Michelin recently uploaded a new video that pitted a Yamaha YZF-R1 motorcycle against the Porsche 918 Spyder Hybrid. In addition, the luxury carmaker has already confirmed that the latter's successor, the 919 Hybrid, will compete in this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans.
As reported by Gas2, the video posted on YouTube by Michelin lasts for about two minutes. However, the race between the two is a bit lackluster especially since Michelin did not show who the winner was. Of course, there are a few exciting moments in the clip when the Spyder and R1 took turns overtaking each other by utilizing the various features of the track but it would have been better to see who can outrun who since both the superbike and supercar are capable of reaching speeds of up to 200 miles per hour.
But, if you're looking to see the performance of Porsche's hybrid cars, then you should probably check out the upcoming 24 Hours of Le Mans event happening in June this year. For this endurance race, Porsche has confirmed that it will participate using its 919 Hybrid.
As noted by Porsche in a press release, the 919 Hybrid uses the same chassis as its predecessor and is equipped with a V4 two-liter turbocharged engine and a brake energy recovery system on its front side. For its rear side, Porsche packed in an exhaust energy recuperation system, according to Auto Blog.
Although the company decided to use the same chassis, Porsche noted that the 919 will still have the edge at this year's endurance race primarily because its hybrid system now allows the car's engine to consume less fuel. This means that the vehicle will be able to cover more distances in between stops.
In addition, the car features three aerodynamic packages which the team can easily switch from depending on the type of track that the car is running on. As noted by the company, even with this feature, the 919 Hybrid fully complies with the regulations of the World Endurance Championship (WEC).
"For the first time Porsche fully exploits the WEC regulations by deploying three different aerodynamic packages to make the car the best suit to the respective race tracks," the company said in a statement. "Three aerodynamic specifications are the maximum allowed."
