Porsche’s high-downforce aero breaks cover

The Porsche 919's high-downforce configuration made its first public appearance in the Nurburgring paddock on Thursday. Of its noticeable features, the lighting units are substantially smaller, and the dive planes are at a more aggressive angle than its previously-used counterpart.

So far this season, Porsche has opted to run the low-drag Le Mans configuration to aid its development and allow the team to spend more time in the wind tunnel with its high-downforce kit, while Toyota utilized its high-downforce package at Silverstone and Spa prior to racing at La Sarthe.

"We've had one test with the new package at Barcelona, we managed roughly 2,000kms (1,200 miles), and we used that for performance testing," No. 2 driver Timo Bernhard told RACER. "We did set-up work, and work on the feeling of the car for us [drivers]. It was a very important step for us, and for the second half of the season, to be able to take the fight to the Toyotas.

"You do the first half of the season you're on low aero ahead of Le Mans, and you can't wait to put the high-downforce sprint package on for the shorter races, because you can be a bit more aggressive. There's more grip and it's nice to drive. The first real taste will be tomorrow. I can't say much now but the feeling is good, and what we saw in Barcelona was promising."