Porsche shatters Nurburgring record with 919 Evo

THE WORLD of motorsport has a new ultimate laptime – 5:19.545

That’s the time put down by Timo Bernhard in the 919 Evo at the Nurburgring Nordschleife, utterly obliterating the 35-year-old record held by Stefan Bellof.

Long thought unbeatable, the previous record of 6:11.13 was was set by Bellof in a Porsche 956C during qualifying for the 1983 Nurburgring 1000km.

Bernhard averaged a staggering 234.7km/h during his record run, on the 20.8-kilometre Nordschleife circuit.

The new record was set in a 919 Evo, which is the ultimate iteration of Porsche’s FIA WEC championship winning LMP1 car.

Porsche reportedly broke Bellof’s time earlier in the day with a 5:24.375 run from Bernhard, before setting the ultimate lap in a subsequent run.

Neel Jani used the 919 EVO to break the Spa-Francorchamps lap record earlier this year, with his 1:41.770 eclipsing the 1:42.553 set by Lewis Hamilton in his Mercedes-AMG F1 car at the 2017 Belgian Grand Prix.

As previously reported by Wheels, the 919 Evo’s job is not yet done, with more lap records in Porsche’s sights.

It is believed the 919 Evo will also attempt similar feats at Laguna Seca and Brands Hatch.

Mark Webber is set to drive the 919 Evo at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July.