Power Struggle

Words: Matt Master
Photos: Porsche AG
 
Porsche is not a company, historically speaking, that has needlessly chased headline numbers. It has never sought maximum power over superior handling or reliability, nor pursued incrementally higher top speeds than its rivals at the expense of a better overall package. But it seems Porsche can’t resist the bait when it comes to the Nürburgring’s Nordschleife.
 
In favourable autumnal conditions – dry for the tyres and cool for the turbos – its restive GT department retook the lap record at the Ring. The man at the helm was again the inimitable Lars Kern, Porsche development driver and notable Ring royalty. The car in question was an upgraded MR version of the 690bhp GT2 RS that smashed the record in 2017, with various modifications undertaken both by Porsche and renowned Nordschleife experts Manthey-Racing.