Porsche factory driver Kévin Estre recently took to the Green Hell in a Porsche 911 (992.2) GT3 MR, setting what technically appears to be, a new lap record for this particular car. In the name of charity, and accompanied by a passenger—YouTube celebrity Misha Charoudin, who himself is no stranger to exploits around the ‘Ring—a blistering quick time of 6:44.09 was recorded in spite of the supposedly more laid back nature of the event.
Almost a year prior to this, under “less than ideal conditions”, DTM champion Ayhancan Güven was able to pilot the Manthey 992.2 GT3 around the Nürburgring Nordschleife in just 6:52.981 for its first officially timed lap. Despite having to traverse plenty of damp patches amid frosty temperatures, the car managed to be faster than the Manthey 992.1 GT3 by 2.76 seconds. Güven and company would return to the ‘Ring around 6 months after that to set an improved time of 6:50.863 in better conditions with the same car.
Of course, everything was recorded on video and posted on Mischa’s channel to the delight of his 2+ million subscribers and global audience. The insanely quick driving on display by Kévin Estre often became the backdrop, and not the focus of the camera footage, with candid conversations between the two taking center stage while the GT3 MR was finessed through some of the most iconic sections of the track. “It has pretty bad grip today!“, Kevin humorously remarked as the car plowed through a corner. The whole production was dubbed a “taxi lap” after all, so no harm done. Only smiles.
Hawk-eyed track enthusiasts also observed and commented on the steady oil and coolant temperatures becoming its own talking point, alluding to capability of the car in performing well beyond a calculated one-lap-all-or-nothing sprint. The fact that Porsche cars can put down lap after lap under the harshest conditions has always been a source of pride for both the automaker and Porsche-philes alike, who often if not always, use this as the main talking point in justifying their product development and purchasing decisions, respectively.
For more about Manthey, feel free to check out other articles I’ve written.
Manthey: An Icon in the World of Motorsports
Manthey & More: Improving Your Porsche the Right Way
As part of the Porsche Tequipment catalogue, all Manthey parts can be ordered via a Porsche Center and cars will also retain their factory warranty if installation is performed at the dealer.
Enjoy the video!
