Porsche smashes all-time Nurburgring record

Porsche smashes Nurburgring record with modified Le Mans racer
OUTRIGHT NURBURGRING RECORD SMASHED - Porsche 919 Evo - 5min 24.375sec, driver: Timo Bernhard
A time of 5min 24.375sec makes Porsche's lap the fastest in Nordschleife history, shattering Stefan Bellof's 1983 lap record of 6min 11.13secs

Porsche has smashed the outright Nürburgring Nordschleife lap record with a heavily modified Porsche 919 Evo Le Mans racer. Porsche driver Timo Bernhard behind the wheel completed the notorious circuit in 5min 24.375secs  – shattering Stefan Bellof's 1983 lap record of 6min 11.13sec.

The record was achieved in a 919 Evo - based on Porsche’s successful Le Mans 24 Hours racer, which won the 24-hour event last year before the firm withdrew from endurance racing. Porsche has hinted that it will make another attempt to break its own record.

Freed of the need to meet the class regulations, Porsche dramatically reworked the 919 for a ‘Tribute Tour’, radically reworking the machine’s aerodynamics to produce 53% more downforce, while reducing its weight by 39kg to 849kg. Porsche has also reworked the hybrid powertrain so the two-litre V4 engine produces 710bhp, with an extra 433bhp coming from an electric motor. 

The fastest ever Nürburgring Nordschleife lap times

As part of the Tribute Tour, Neel Jani used the 919 Hybrid to lap the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium in a record 1min 41.770secs, eclipsing the record of 1min 42.553secs set by Lewis Hamilton in his Mercedes during qualifying for the 2017 Belgian Grand Prix.

The machine also ran at the Nordschleife for a photoshoot with the Porsche 956C ahead of the Nürburgring 24 Hours recently. Ahead of the announcement of the reord, the car was spotted on the 'Ring, lapping at speed with Timo Bernhard driving – with the circuit exclusively hired out by Porsche.

How to break a Nürburgring lap record

Porsche previously hinted that it will return to the 12.93-mile circuit for the record run after speculation swirled about the record attempt. In a tweet showing photos of 919 Evo at the circuit, Porsche said: "Well, Timo Bernhard loves that track... Perhaps he comes again."

The previous lap record is 6min 11.13secs, set by Stefan Bellof during qualifying for the Nürburgring 1000km in 1983. That was using a 956 powered by a 2.65-litre flat six engine producing more than 620 horsepower.

British fans will have two chances to see the 919 Evo in action: it will run at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on July 12-15, and the Festival of Porsche at Brands Hatch on September 2.

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The fastest ever Nürburgring Nordschleife lap times

How to break a Nürburgring lap record

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