Porsche obliterates Nordschleife record with 919 Evo
Porsche has unofficially smashed the late Stefan Bellof's outright lap record for the Nurburgring-Nordschleife with its 919 Hybrid Evo.

Two-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner Timo Bernhard knocked nearly a minute off Bellof's pole position time of 6m11.13s for the 1983 Nurburgring 1000km around the 12.94-mile Nordschleife.
Bernhard, who is a lifelong Bellof fan, bettered that mark with a succession of laps in the uprated version of Porsche's 2017 LMP1 challenger this morning, ending up on a 5m19.546s.
Watch the onboard lap...
That followed laps by Bernhard of 5m31.899s and 5m24.375s aboard a machine that has already lapped quicker at Spa-Francorchamps than Lewis Hamilton's pole time for the 2017 Belgian Grand Prix.
The 919 Evo has more power, both from its conventional V4 turbo engine and its energy retrieval systems, giving it a peak output of 1160bhp.
It also has 50 percent more downforce and active aerodynamics, including Formula 1-style Drag Reduction System incorporated into its rear wing.
Bellof's pole time around the 'Ring in a Rothmans Porsche 956 Group C car and his subsequent all-time race record of 6m16.85s were never beaten in competition conditions.
The classic 12.94-mile Nordschleife lap was created for 1983 after the demolition of the old pits and start-finish loop in readiness for the construction of the current Nurburgring Grand Prix circuit.
The Nordschleife on its own was used for racing for only a couple of major international events in 1983, the Group C fixture in May and the round of the European F2 Championship the previous month.

Previous article
Aston Martin likely to slim down WEC line-up for Fuji
Next article
Ginetta LMP1 a "solid building block" for Manor

About this article
Series | WEC |
Drivers | Timo Bernhard |
Teams | Porsche Team |
Author | Gary Watkins |
Porsche obliterates Nordschleife record with 919 Evo
Trending
Daniel Serra at Ferrari Finali Mondiali
James Calado at Finali Mondiali
AF Corse 488 GTE Livery
Ferrari enters LMH from 2023
Peugeot in sportscars
How 'Brilliant' Bob Wollek lived up to his nickname
Sportscar racing lost one of it's greatest talents 20 years ago today when Bob Wollek was knocked from his bicycle prior to the Sebring 12 Hours. The enigmatic Frenchman never won the Le Mans 24 Hours, but many still remember today why 'Brilliant Bob' became a legend
How Ferrari's Hypercar project could bolster Leclerc's legacy
Ferrari's planned return to the top category at the Le Mans 24 Hours has further heightened anticipation for the 2023 race. Few concrete details are currently known, but already it has a high-profile superstar angling for involvement, which would make a refreshing change
Why Ferrari is ending its 50-year top-flight sportscar racing exile
Making a return to top-flight sportscar racing after 50 years away, Ferrari will enter the Le Mans Hypercar ranks in 2023. The Italian marque denies the link with Formula 1's new cost cap that frees up resources, but it's certainly no coincidence...
The GTE dilemma that IMSA has created for the WEC
The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s decision to scrap its GT Le Mans class for 2022 raises the question of whether the FIA World Endurance Championship should phase out GTE cars. But it's a much harder decision than it appears on the surface.
The ground-up refresh behind Toyota's new Le Mans challenger
Toyota's new GR010 contender for the World Endurance Championship's Hypercar era has little in common with the LMP1 TS050 that preceded it. But within the confines of the scaled back new rules, its latest challenger will be no less formidable a prospect
The tiny increments that decided the final LMP1-era WEC
The system of success handicaps devised by the FIA World Endurance Championship to level the LMP1 playing field in the category's swansong season ended up having a counterproductive effect, as COVID cancellations also played in the champions' favour.
Why Audi’s shock return promises a new age for sportscars
OPINION: The news that Audi will return to Le Mans means we'll at last get to see the fight promised in 2012 against Peugeot and Toyota. It also gives LMDh a tangible form, which could open the floodgates for more like-minded marques to follow suit…
The eternal debate revived after the 2019/20 WEC season
It may have been missed amid the clamour over Lewis Hamilton's seventh F1 title, but Britain had another world champion crowned last weekend. Mike Conway's WEC crown raises an old conundrum - does title glory make up for the pain of Le Mans defeat?