WOLFSBURG (Germany): Volkswagen's ID.R has managed to lap the Nürburgring-Nordschleife in six minutes and 5.336 seconds – faster than any electric vehicle before it.
Taking control of the all-electric racecar powered by two electric motors, Frenchman Romain Dumas managed to crack the previous record set by Briton Peter Dumbreck in the NIO EP9 two years ago by 40.564 seconds.
To prepare for the Nürburgring Nordschleife challenge, in just five months Volkswagen Motorsport gave the ID.R a complete makeover compared to the record outings on Pikes Peak and in Goodwood.
“For this evolved version of the ID.R, the aerodynamic configuration was more strongly adapted to the highest possible speed, rather than maximum downforce,” explained Volkswagen Motorsport technical director François-Xavier Demaison.
“With extensive test laps in the simulator and on the race track, we adapted the ID.R to the unique conditions of the Nordschleife, focussing mainly on chassis tuning, energy management and optimal choice of tyres for the record attempt.”
With an average speed of 206.96kph, the ID.R silently navigated through the circuit with its 680PS of emission-free power.
“The Nordschleife of the Nürburgring is not only the world’s most demanding race track but is also the ultimate test for production vehicles,” said Volkswagen Group chairman of the board of management Herbert Diess.
“The ID.R has mastered this challenge with great distinction and has completed the fastest emission-free lap of all time. As further proof of its impressive performance capabilities, Volkswagen’s e-mobility can now proudly call itself ‘Nürburgring-approved’. I congratulate the team from Volkswagen Motorsport and driver Romain Dumas on the third record for the ID.R”
Within just twelve months, Volkswagen Motorsport has already set three track records with the ID.R.
On June 24, 2018, Dumas achieved the absolute track record of seven minutes and 57.148 seconds at the renowned Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (USA).
Three weeks later, he achieved a new best time for electric cars of 43.86 seconds at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in southern England.
The new record on the legendary Nordschleife has now been added to this successful run.
For Dumas, a four-time winner of the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring, the record lap with the ID.R is another highlight on his favourite track.
"To be a record-holder on the Nordschleife makes me unbelievably proud,” said Dumas. “For me, this is the best and most difficult race track in the world. I want to thank the team at Volkswagen Motorsport, who have once again done a fantastic job. The ID.R was perfectly prepared for the Nordschleife and it was so much fun to experience the blistering acceleration and rapid cornering speeds.”
“This impressive success story is the result of meticulous preparation by our engineers, the flawless work by the whole team during testing and of course a perfect driving performance by Romain Dumas,” says Volkswagen Motorsport Director Sven Smeets.
