Czinger 21C sets amazing Laguna Seca lap record

You're gonna wanna see this. Over to you, Koenigsegg...

By Matt Bird / Monday, 15 December 2025 / Loading comments

Yes, yes, it’s the Koenigsegg-Czinger battle royale at Laguna Seca again. Most of us will never even see one of these cars, the 21C or Sadair’s Spear, in our lifetimes, let alone be in one. But there’s pride at stake here, clearly, and there’s nothing like a hypercar tête-à-tête to brighten up a dreary December Monday. They don’t seem to have those in California. So get yourself comfy for an outrageous onboard lap.

This duel has been going on for a few years now, for nothing more than bragging rights. But there remains something pretty compelling about watching two of the world’s fastest cars being driven as hard as possible on North America’s most famous racetrack. Most recently, Koenigsegg had claimed the upper hand with its new Sadair’s Spear, which recorded a Racelogic-verified 1:24.16 a few weeks back. Which is flipping fast: a McLaren Senna could only achieve a 1:27.62, for context. It also meant a few precious tenths over the Czinger.

But apparently this only “energised” the Czinger team, according to founder Lukas Czinger, so back to the track they went. With ideal weather (see the video; the pics are from a previous attempt), the 21C has put clear air between itself and the Sadair’s Spear with a stunning 1:22.30 lap. Both cars have used the Michelin Cup 2R tyres, so it’s a level playing field there, and Racelogic has verified both times.

The lap makes for a stunning watch, as these multi-million-dollar hypercars so often do. The speed is unrelenting onboard the Czinger; apparently making maximum use of the 21C’s electric help contributed significantly to the lap time improvements, and the way it romps to 160mph before braking for the first hairpin really is spectacular. It’s eerily composed as well, totally unaffected by huge stops and the track’s unique topography. The car looks to be barely breaking sweat, as driver Joel Miller gives it everything he has.

In a Road & Track interview, Czinger said: "This record demonstrates that the next generation design and manufacturing technology behind the 21C leads to significant performance gains. This team is relentless in their pursuit of excellence, and I am proud of the tremendous result they achieved." We look forward to seeing what Koenigsegg - or anybody else, for that matter - comes up with in 2026…