Ford GT MkIV sets unprecedented Nordschleife lap
Track only hypercar laps 40 seconds faster than GTD; Ford claims quickest combustion car ever kudos...
You just know that the Corvettes lapping the Nordschleife faster than the Mustang GTD hurt Ford a bit. No sooner had its sub-seven and fastest American OEM at the ‘ring glory been claimed than it was snatched away. How can you tell it mattered so much? Because Ford has gone nuclear in its response, sending the track-only GT MkIV around faster than any other combustion car (that isn’t a competition machine) in history. It’s the third fastest lap ever recorded, behind only the wild VW ID.R Pike Peak machine and outrageous Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo.
6:15.977 is the magic number, a frankly ridiculous number for the near-21km of the Nordschleife. For some context, that puts the 800hp GT ahead of the 1,548hp Xiaomi SU7 Ultra prototype (6:22), the AMG One (6:29) and even the 2,000hp Lotus Evija X, which recorded a 6:24.047 in 2023. While the latest breed of super-duper Porsches, AMGs and the GTD have accustomed us to laps that sneak in under seven minutes, to go so far under six and a half really is extraordinary.
Frédéric Vervisch was on driving duty for the MkIV lap. He said (probably a bit breathlessly): "The car is an absolute weapon, a true extension of your will. Every input is met with an immediate, precise response. Through the Kesselchen, over the Flugplatz, it just inspires confidence, allowing you to push harder and harder… To set these records is a dream come true, a testament to what's possible when passion meets precision." Certainly it’s not hard to see where he’s coming from: watch Flugplatz here and the run through Kesselchen here for a masterclass in high-speed stability. There have been cars that look more unsettled at two-thirds the speed.
Which, in fairness, it’s only right to expect: the GT MkIV is the brainchild of Ford Performance and Multimatic’s very best, a track car that cost millions and promised so much. But even with that knowledge, and even with a healthy amount of cynicism about ‘ring laps, it’s hard not to sit in open-mouthed astonishment at these six and a quarter minutes. Braking, cornering and accelerating appear to be in fast forward, with the stability of a slot car. Put it on the TV, if possible; this is too good for a phone. It’s the most fitting farewell, surely, for a decade of the Ecoboost Ford GT. Le Mans win, roadgoing Blue Oval legend, and now Nurburgring record breaker as well. Talk about legacy…
Surely in that case its closest rival would be something like the 919 Evo which was also track only, and not homologated, and that managed a 5:19.
Comparing it to road legal stuff like an AMG:One or ZR1X is missing the point entirely.
| Car | Time | Fuel |
|---|---|---|
| Porsche 919 Evo | 5:19.546 | Hybrid |
| VW ID.R | 6:05.336 | EV |
| Porsche 956 | 6:11.13 | Petrol |
| Ford GT Mk IV | 6:15.977 | Petrol |
But... it just goes to show what a showstopper Bellof's time was. In 1983. With 1983 tyre and aero technology. In a car with absolutely no consideration given to driver aids and not built for record-breaking.
Surely in that case its closest rival would be something like the 919 Evo which was also track only, and not homologated, and that managed a 5:19.
Comparing it to road legal stuff like an AMG:One or ZR1X is missing the point entirely.
Clearly a road car specifically designed to bend the GT rules at Le Mans in the first place, but no prototype nonetheless.
Just shows what it could have done without all the restrictors at Le Mans
Sell all the cars at auction to the highest bidders. (make it charity for extra PR points)
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