Porsche: New record on the Nordschleife
WAHNSINNSRUNDE Timo Bernhard set a new record lap on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife in the Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo. The previous record held by Stefan Bellof had stood for 35 years. The stopwatch showed five minutes and 19.55 seconds when 37-year-old Porsche works driver Timo Bernhard in the Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo crossed the measuring line on Friday morning. This means that the two-time [...]
The stopwatch showed five minutes and 19.55 seconds when 37-year-old Porsche works driver Timo Bernhard in the Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo crossed the measuring line on Friday morning.
The two-time Le Mans winner and reigning World Endurance Champion thus broke a record on the 20.8-kilometer Nordschleife of the Nürburgring (the track version without GP circuit) that had stood for 35 years.
Old record comes from training for the 1000 km race in 1983
On May 28, 1983, Stefan Bellof had circled the Nordschleife in a Porsche 956 C in 6:11.13 minutes and a record average of more than 202 km/h in practice for the 1000-km Nürburgring race. It was the last big race on the old Nürburgring.
Bellof's performance at the time remains a sensation despite the new record lap. On the one hand, the German, who died in an accident two years later, had to overtake several slower competitors, while Bernhard had free rein with the technically advanced sports car with optimum tires. On the other hand, the track was in much worse condition at the time and far less safe than it is today.
Neel Jani showed the way in Belgium
The 919 Hybrid Evo is a further development of the LMP1 prototype with which Porsche won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2015, 2016 and 2017 as well as the World Endurance Championship three times in succession in the drivers' and manufacturers' championships.
In the spring, Neel Jani already set the record at the Spa-Francorchamps GP circuit. The Porsche works driver from Biel was faster on his record lap with the 919 Hybrid Evo than Lewis Hamilton with the Mercedes in qualifying for the 2017 Belgian GP.
