Porsche has a couple of new feathers in its cap, thanks to a pair of lap records around the Buddh International Circuit. The cars that set the records were the Taycan Turbo S and the 911 GT3 RS.
They were both driven by Narain Karthikeyan, who is a bit of an expert at the track, as it was his own record that he broke on the day. As India’s first F1 driver, he’s no slouch around the rest of the world’s tracks either.
To start, Karthikeyan set the electric lap record in the Porsche Taycan Turbo S. Now faster to its top speed, the car managed an impressive time of 2:10.313 around the 3.1-mile (5.1 km) circuit that hosted the Indian Grand Prix between 2011 and 2013.
Read: Porsche 911 GT3 RS Demolishes Road America’s Production Lap Record
“I can’t believe how fast this thing accelerates. The steering is fantastic too. It’s so precise and has great feedback, which lets me accurately place the car on the track,” said Karthikeyan. “EVs are so much more enjoyable to drive now and the fun factor in cars like this Taycan Turbo S is right up there. I think there’s a bright future for performance EV.”
However, the driver’s fastest lap was set in the Porsche 911 GT3 RS. It became the first ever production vehicle to set a sub-two-minute time at the track with its 1:59.854 lap. In so doing, it beat the previous lap record, which was set by Karthikeyan in 2019 in a 911 GT2 RS.
He claimed that the 4.0-liter naturally aspirated engine’s power (518 hp/386 kW/525 PS), and its strong focus on aerodynamics, are what allowed him to pick up a lot of pace. Capable of reaching 155 mph (250 km/h) on the straights, its record-setting lap time is hardly a surprise.
“In the back section of the circuit, the GT3 RS comes into its own and it must be, I guess, 20-25 kph faster than the GT2 RS in the long D and the fast corners,” said Karthikeyan. “That’s why you gain a lot of time. It’s a track weapon, fantastic to drive. I’m a big Porsche fan, they’ve done a great job with this car.”
