Hi Ferdie :)

thanks for the welcoming words Smiley

Yes I know that the 9A1 engine is not a typical dry sump engine..but here some more thoughts of me:

1) yes maybe the 9A1 engine could be converted - maybe Porsche intended this from the beginning - but never really told us - but the engine main parts would be not compatible with the normal ones, but probably still cheaper the mezger one

2) OK - 9A1 seems maybe lighter

3) contra 9A1: rules have not changed yet..

4) contra 9A1: yes - maybe semi slicks are now allowed...but certainly no slicks...!!- this can be done however with any Mezger engine - that is by the way a good fuel economy car..I know C2S MKII 997 that use about the same fuel as my 997 GT3..with similar driving styles...the so often claimed lower fuel consumption with DFI in the 997 has not really shown a real diffence so far

5) contra 9A1: no experience in motorsport...Porsche would take a big gamble with changing the engine from one year to the other - yes - the have experience with the spyder - but that is not at all a 9A1 engine..fact is is has no experience ..and a non working 9A1 motorsport engine would create huge image and financial loss in the end. What if the engine doesnt last? 458 competition teams will be happy and everybody would turn away from Porsche..lthrowing Porsche Motorsport Division close to bankrupcy.

I know this is not an easy case for them..Im sure their management board is discussing this issue controversially - or has already done it.

Just one question to you guys: Does the normal Ferrari 458 have the same engine than the Risi Competizioni engine? I mean is it fundamentally the same? or did it have to changed a lot for racing? Can a normal 458 be driven with full slick tires - will it last or wil the engine be killed? I know the F430 engine would certainly not have liked slick tires..

PS: Usually Im active in another forum (pff.de)..there is alsa a 991 thread there..but the guys there are all believing that the 991 S will do 7;30 on the ring..Smileyand that will almost kill the 918 (which Porsche says will do this time). The 7:40 mentioned here seems more realistic..probably in the end it will be a 7:42/43..so that there is still a considerable gap to the 918..and then we still have a GT3 and GT2 coming up. PS: the current 997 GT2 is already very close to the 918 !!..just proves how good this car is..not to forget the 997GT2RS.

Im really curios what the McLaren can do..speculation has it can be beat the GT2RS by a few seconds..bu the GT2 RS is almost already 20s faster then the 458 (7:38)..and then the Mclareb would be 30 sec. faster than the 458..I simply cannot believe this..