Porsche and AutoCar India have set two new lap records for a production car and production EVs, respectively, at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC). The records were set in a Porsche 911 GT3 RS and a Taycan Turbo S driven by India’s first F1 driver Narain Karthikeyan. The lap times were validated by the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI), the Indian motorsport body affiliated with the FIA.
Driving the GT3 RS, Narain Karthikeyan broke the previous record of 2 minutes 00.266 seconds - set by Karthikeyan himself in a 911 GT2 RS in 2019 - and registered a new lap time of 1 minutes 59.854 seconds. The new record makes the 911 GT3 RS the fastest production car around the Buddh International Circuit and the only one to lap the circuit under 2 minutes.
Registering speeds of over 250 km/h on the straights, the 911 GT3 RS’s new record cements its place among the Stuttgart-based brand’s illustrious list of accomplishments.
The 525 PS 992-generation 911 GT3 RS is powered by Porsche’s 4.0-litre naturally aspirated flat-six engine. The GT3 RS, touted as the ultimate road-going track car, also gets its speed from a strong focus on aerodynamics, specifically additional downforce to give it more grip in corners and several degrees of adjustability via simple-to-use controls on the steering.
Besides the GT3 RS, the Taycan Turbo S also set a new lap record and became the fastest production EV around the BIC. The Taycan Turbo S is powered by a twin electric motor setup that delivers power to all four wheels and generates 750 PS with 1,050 Nm of torque. The four-door sports luxury EV, also driven by Karthikeyan, attacked the BIC and registered an impressive lap time of 2 minutes 10.313 seconds.
