Another new car joins the Assetto Corsa Competizione roster. The new Porsche 992 GT3 R in ACC is a challenging competitor but has plenty of speed in the right hands, here’s your guide to driving it.
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The 2023 GT World Challenge Pack is now in Assetto Corsa Competizione, giving GT3 fans a taste of the new cars. The trio included in the pack will soon be competing against amongst other models in online competitions around the world. But how exactly will the best of the best get the most out of them?
The Porsche 992 911 GT3 R is a particularly challenging beast to tame in ACC. But with plenty of practice, some time to adapt and a couple of tips from yours truly, you too should get up to speed. That being said, this most certainly isn’t a car for the faint hearted. Here’s everything you need to know about driving the new Porsche in Assetto Corsa Competizione.
Porsche 992 GT3 R: All you Need to Know
Much like the Ferrari 296 GT3, for which we published a guide yesterday, the Porsche 992 GT3 R joins ACC as a new-for 2023 model. The car joins the GT3 ranks this year competing in various championships around the world including IMSA and GTWC.
Much like the 991.2 generation of 911 before it, the 992 sets itself apart from the rest of the GT3 field thanks to its rear-engine layout. Just above the rear axle sits a 4-litre naturally aspirated flat-six putting out around 650 horsepower.
With such a unique approach to car design, the Porsche drives very differently to other vehicles in Assetto Corsa Competizione. The rear engine layout certainly makes for challenging handling characteristics that require time to adapt to.
Handling the Porsche in ACC
With a heavy six-cylinder engine hanging out over the rear axle, the Porsche 992 GT3 R’s weight distribution is unlike that of other GT3 machines. This means that drivers must adapt their driving to avoid to infamous Porsche pendulum effect. This is when the heavy rear end struggles to lose momentum and swings round causing a spin.
To avoid such a situation, it’s important to understand the essentials of weight transfer. You can’t hit the brakes and swing the steering wheel all of a sudden. Instead, corner entry is where one must focus the most when driving a Porsche, especially the 992 generation.
When approaching a corner, make sure to complete all the braking in a straight line. Fully lift from the brakes and apply throttle to stabilise the car as you turn in to the corner. In fact, unlike the new Ferrari, you can’t coast into corners in the 992 as this will cause the rear end to swing around.
Getting on the power has to be a gradual process. If you slam on the throttle in one go, the front wheels will get light causing understeer. This is because of the lack of weight under the bonnet pushing the front axle into the ground.
If corners such as the many tightening radius turns at Valencia require you to slow down while braking, it’s important to think about stability. In the same spirit as a rally car, the Porsche responds well to an intricate balance of brake and throttle whilst turning. This allows you to get the rotation you want without chucking the rear end into the gravel. However, this is a tricky process and requires a lot of practice to get right.
Why Choose the 911?
With it being such a difficult car to drive, you may be wondering why you should pick it for your upcoming race. The answer is that, in the right hands, the Porsche 992 911 GT3 R in ACC is an absolute rocket. The extra weight hovering over the rear axle means it gets excellent traction in almost all conditions.
This means that in race craft situations, it allows drivers to get a better run than their rivals. Whilst it may not have the top speed of other cars, the Porsche is able to squat down and launch of turns like nothing else.
Not only does it perform well in the dry, it also makes for a fantastic machine in the wet. Assetto Corsa Competizione‘s ever changing weather conditions mean that a Porsche will typically do well in longer endurance races. Especially those that feature rain in one form or another.
As you can tell, the Porsche 992 911 GT3 R is a handful and can only really be fast in the hands of an experienced racer. The top tip one can give concerning this car is that it may be best avoided for those starting out in the sim. Get used to driving the easier GT3 cars like the Aston Martin or new Lamborghini. Once you know the quirks of the game, you can truly understand what makes the Porsche tick.
Are you a fan of the Porsche 992 911 GT3 R in ACC? Tell us on Twitter at @OverTake_gg or in the comments down below!
