WEC: Porsche moves up to 8MJ hybrid class with 2015 919 racer

The German manufacturer has achieved the move from the 6MJ division with the all-new 2015 919 using the same concept of energy-retrieval systems — front-axle kinetic and exhaust gas recuperation - and battery storage system as its predecessor.

Porsche LMP1 technical director Alex Hitzinger told AUTOSPORT: "I was always quite confident, but we had to confirm that we could reach eight.

"You can do all the simulation that you want, but you have to confirm it on the race track."

Hitzinger revealed that the final decision was made after the third of the four tests so far with the 2015 919 at the Aragon circuit in Spain in early March.

He explained that Porsche was confident that it could recuperate 8MJ around the 8.47-mile Le Mans circuit, but he said that achieving maximum boosting on other circuits would be more difficult.

"You have to recover a lot more per kilometer at other circuits than Le Mans, so it will be tough

"But there is a break-even point and I am confident that we will be above that in terms of the performance gain."

The amount of stored energy allowed to be deployed at other tracks is worked out by the length of the circuit as a percent of Circuit de la Sarthe and multiplying it by 1.55.

Despite the increase in hybrid power, Porsche has managed to get the new car down to the 870kg weight limit unlike its predecessor.

Toyota announced today that it , while with the latest version of its R18 e-tron quattro.

Nissan is known to be planning to homologate its front-engined GT-R LM NISMO, which will miss the first two rounds of the WEC, in the 2MJ class.