Fastest Porsche Nürburgring Nordschleife Times
Some say the Nürburgring Nordschleife experience is better than sex. Every lap is so long that when the driver has covered just half of it, there’s still minutes of excitement, fear and pleasure ahead before the lap ends. It is the longest race track in the world. It is fast. And the track is in the mountains, so, the driver experiences 300 m/1000 ft of elevation changes.
A lap time on the race track depends of a lot of things, but most important are the driver, the car, the tyres, tyre pressures, the traffic and ambient conditions. The best is dry weather with temperature around 15 °C/60 °F.
The lap times on this page should not be compared to each other one-on-one – the conditions are not the same, the drivers are not the same, it is not known how each car was equipped/modified/prepared. Finally, the tyres get better every day – if an older car would be equipped with the latest technology tyres, the car would break its former lap record.
Although the page here contains mostly best lap times of street legal Porsches, the quickest Porsche race car laps should be listed, too. A day before the 1983 Nürburgring 1000 km race, Stefan Bellof drove at record speed in the qualification covering the 20.832 km Nordschleife (Northern Loop) in only 6:11,13. This translated to 125 mph/202 km/h average speed and the record standed for 35 years. In 2018, Timo Bernhard managed to beat it with the specially prepared (not racing legal anymore) Porsche 919 Evo. His record of 5 minutes and 19 seconds is a totally unreal lap time, but Stefan Bellof’s time is not worse considering when it was made and with a car that had two times less power, a car that had to comply with the FIA regulations, had the tyre technology of the eighties, had no traction control, no 4WD, a manual transmission.
Record runs are now measured on the full Nordschleife that is 20.832 km long. Earlier, in many occasions, the time was started after the T13 grand stand and stopped before T13 giving the track length of 20.600 km. During the tourist days the main straight is used for getting to the track and then the time can be measured with the stop watch from Bridge to Gantry. This is so-called BTG time. The length of the BTG track is around 19.1 km.
Porsche Nürburgring Lap Times
1. Porsche 919 Evo
Lap Time: 5:19.546 / Car: Porsche 919 Evo / Type: Race Car / Tires: Michelin slicks / Driver: Timo Bernhard / Date: June 29th, 2018
Running a 5:19.55 around the famous Nordschleife, the Porsche 919 Evo driven by Timo Bernhard just obliterated the all-time record. That’s 51.58 seconds faster than Bellof’s time (see below), which is almost hard to believe. Onboard footage from Bernhard’s lap On the record run, Timo Bernhard covered the 20.6 km distance with 234 km/h (145 mph) average speed. Watch the full video.
2. Porsche 956
Lap Time: 6:11.13 / Car: Porsche 956 / Type: Race Car / Tires: Racing slicks / Driver: Stefan Bellof / Date: May 28th, 1983
On May 28th 1983, a 25 year old German Racing driver named Stefan Bellof drove a Porsche 956 around the Nürburgring Nordschliefe in 6:11.13, a record that stood for a long time. It happened at the 1983 Nürburgring 1000 km world championship race when the #2 car was shared by Stefan Bellof and Derek Bell. Bellof’s best lap in the race was 6:22 until his 956 (chassis number 956-007) went airborne at Pflantzgarten II, taking the leader out of the race. Watch the video.
3. Porsche 911 GT2 RS MR
Lap Time: 6:40.33 / Car: Porsche 911 GT2 RS / Type: Modified Production / Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 / Driver: Lars Kern / Date: October 25th, 2018
It is questionable if it is OK to list a tuned car here, but as Manthey Racing is a 51% subsidiary of Porsche AG and Porsche issued a press release about this lap time, we must list it here. Porsche set the record on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife in cooperation with Manthey-Racing on Thursday, 25 October 2018. The Porsche GT2 RS MR with 700 hp completed a lap of the 20.6-kilometre long circuit in 6:40.3 minutes. Lars Kern was at the wheel of the sports car, which had been especially set up for the ‘Nordschleife’ by Porsche engineers and Manthey-Racing experts. Watch the onboard video.
4. Porsche 911 991 GT2 RS Weissach
Lap Time: 6:47.3 / Car: Porsche 911 991 GT2 RS Weissach / Type: Production / Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 / Driver: Lars Kern / Date: September 20, 2017
Porsche set a new record for road-approved sports cars on the 20.6-kilometre Nürburgring Nordschleife in the 911 GT2 RS on September 20 2017. The record time of 6 minutes and 47.3 seconds was achieved in the presence of a notary and surpassed even Porsche’s own expectations. Frank-Steffen Walliser, Vice President Motorsport and GT Cars, said: “At the start of the development process, we set ourselves a lap time target for the GT2 RS of less than 7 minutes and 5 seconds. The credit for beating this target by 17.7 seconds goes to our development engineers, mechanics and drivers, who demonstrated an exceptionally strong team performance. This result makes it official: The GT2 RS is not only the most powerful, but also the fastest 911 ever built”. This record was not a one-off: Lars Kern (30) from Germany and Nick Tandy (32) from the UK broke the previous record for road-approved sports cars (6 minutes, 52.01 seconds) in their first attempt and subsequently finished five laps in under 6 minutes, 50 seconds. At the average speed of 114 mph/184 km/h, the 991 GT2 RS is incomprehensibly almost half a minute quicker than the 997 GT2 RS was. Watch the video
5. Porsche 991.2 GT3 RS MR
Lap Time: 6:49.65 / Car: Porsche 991.2 GT3 RS MR / Type: Modified Production / Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 / Driver: Kévin Estre / Date: April 23, 2021
On Friday, 23 April 2021, the 383 kW (520 hp) Porsche 911 GT3 RS MR of the 991.2 generation lapped the 20.6-kilometre Nordschleife, shortened by section T13, in 6:49:656 minutes under notarised supervision. At the wheel of the road-legal sports car was Porsche works driver Kévin Estre. The Performance Kit is based on the modifications of the Porsche 911 GT2 RS MR, which is, among other things, the fastest modified sports car on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. The MR is short for Manthey Racing, these guys just love going quickly I guess Watch the video
6. Porsche 911 991.2 GT3 RS Weissach
Lap Time: 6:56.4 / Car: Porsche 911 991.2 GT3 RS Weissach / Type: Production / Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R / Driver: Kevin Estré / Date: April 16, 2018
Incredible lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife that talented Porsche factory race driver and Le Mans winner Kevin Estre did in a scarcely believable 6 minutes and 56 seconds. He did it in the new (at the time) Porsche Weissach 991.2 GT3 RS. Suspension set up for the Nordschleife by the race team and weating the Cup R tires. Watch the Video.
7. Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach
Lap Time: 6:57 / Car: Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach / Type: Production / Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 / Driver: Marc Lieb / Date: September 4, 2013
6 minutes 57 seconds. Lieb was behind the wheel for the quickest lap, posting an average speed of 111.53 mph. Two 887-hp 918s were prepped to run, both equipped with the optional weight-shaving (and crazy expensive—it costs $84K) Weissach package. The tires fitted were the 918’s standard-issue Michelins, which were developed specifically for the car. Not only did the 918’s record-toppling 6 minute, 57 second lap obliterate its own previous low of 7 minutes, 14 seconds, but the team—comprised of rally ace Walter Röhrl, company test driver Timo Kluck, and factory racer Marc Lieb—bettered it on the first try. The time is just nine seconds slower than the lap turned in by the Radical SR8LM. Watch the Video
8. Porsche 911 991 GT3 4.0 CS
Lap Time: 7:12.7 / Car: Porsche 911 991 GT3 4.0 CS / Type: Production / Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 / Driver: Lars Kern / Date: May 4, 2017
The new Porsche 911 GT3 has celebrated its first day on the Nürburgring with a lap time of 7 minutes, 12.7 seconds for the legendary Nordschleife. The road-approved 911, with specifications similar to its motorsport counterpart, beat the time set by the previous model by 12.3 seconds. Watch the Video.
9. Porsche 911 991.2 Turbo S Aerokit
Lap Time: 7:17.11 / Car: Porsche 911 991.2 Turbo S Aerokit / Type: Production / Tires: Pirelli P Zero Corsa / Driver: Christian Gebhardt / Date: August 24, 2017
Sport auto test driver Christian Gebhardt drove a Porsche 991.2 Turbo S on the Nordschleife and did a lap time: 7.17 minutes. Regular Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires and no crazy set up. Wow. Watch the Video.
10. Porsche 911 997 GT2 RS
Lap Time: 7:18 / Car: Porsche 911 997 GT2 RS / Type: Production / Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup / Driver: Timo Kluck / Date: May, 2010
Development of the GT2 RS began in 2007, one year before the 997 GT2 was unveiled, as a skunk-works effort. It was dubbed “project 727,” a number based on the Nissan GT-R’s 7:26.7-minute lap time around the Nurburgring Nordschleife. In 2010, the GT2 RS beat the GT-R’s time by an impressive nine seconds, stopping the clock at 7:18.
11. Porsche 911 991.1 GT3 RS
Lap Time: 7:20 / Car: Porsche 911 991.1 GT3 RS/ Type: Production / Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 / Driver: Unknown Factory Driver / Date: March, 2015
The 991.1 GT3 RS did an incredible 7 minute 20 seconds Nurburgring Nordschleife time back in 2015. Out of the box, no special set up and Cup 2 tires. No bad at all.
12. Porsche 911 991 Carrera GTS Turbo 3.0
Lap Time: 7:23.77 / Car: Porsche 911 991 Carrera GTS Turbo 3.0 / Type: Production / Tires: Pirelli P Zero Corsa / Driver: Christian Gebhardt / Date: May, 2017
The guys at sport auto hustled a 991 GTS around the Nordschleife in an impressive 7 minutes and 23 seconds. Remember, this is a GTS, no a sports GT car. Very impressive numbers. Watch the Video
13. Porsche 911 991 GT3 3.8
Lap Time: 7:25 / Car: Porsche 911 991 GT3 3.8 / Type: Production / Tires: Michelin Cup or Dunlop Maxx Race / Driver: Timo Kluck / Date: ~ July, 2013
14. Porsche Panamera 971 Turbo S 4.0 (non-hybrid)
Lap Time: 7:25.04 (20.600 km), 7:29.,81 (20.832 km) / Car: Porsche Panamera 971 Turbo S 4.0 (non-hybrid) / Type: Production / Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 / Driver: Lars Kern / Date: August, 2020
A record-breaker, even before its world premiere: the new Panamera has achieved a record in the ‘executive cars’ category on the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife, completing 20 kilometres in 7:29.81 minutes in the slightly camouflaged series production car. Watch the Video.
15. Porsche 911 997 GT3 RS 4.0
Lap Time: 7:27 / Car: Porsche 911 997 GT3 RS 4.0 / Type: Production / Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup / Driver: Unknown factory driver / Date: April, 2011
16. Porsche Carrera GT
Lap Time: 7:28.71 / Car: Porsche Carrera GT / Type: Production / Tires: Unknown / Driver: Marc Basseng / Date: 2008
This is a silver Carrera GT that Horst von Saurma used in 2004 to set the lap record for street legal cars at the time – 7:32.44. The Carrera GT Basseng drove in 2008, was black.
17. Porsche 911 997 GT2
Lap Time: 7:32 / Car: Porsche 911 997 GT2 / Type: Production / Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup / Driver: Walter Röhrl / Date: 2007
18. Porsche 911 997 GT3 RS 3.8
Lap Time: 7:33 / Car: Porsche 911 997 GT3 RS 3.8 / Type: Production / Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup / Driver: Horst von Saurma / Date: 2010
19. Porsche 911 991 Carrera S Turbo 3.0
Lap Time: 7:33.67 / Car: Porsche 911 991 Carrera S Turbo 3.0 / Type: Production / Tires: Pirelli P Zero / Driver: Christian Gebhardt / Date: May 2016
20. Porsche 911 991.1 Turbo S
Lap Time: 7:34 / Car: Porsche 911 991.1 Turbo S / Type: Production / Tires: Dunlop Sport Maxx Race / Driver: Horst von Saurma / Date: 2013
21. Porsche 911 997 Turbo S
Lap Time: 7:37.90 / Car: Porsche 911 997 Turbo S / Type: Production / Tires: Unknown / Driver: Unknown Factory Driver / Date: ~ May 2010
22. Porsche Panamera 971 Turbo 4.0
Lap Time: 7:38.46 (20.600 km) / Car: Porsche Panamera 971 Turbo 4.0 / Type: Production / Tires: Unknown / Driver: Lars Kern / Date: ~ June 2016
23. Porsche 911 997 Turbo 3.8
Lap Time: 7:39 / Car: Porsche 911 997 Turbo 3.8 / Type: Production / Tires: Unknown / Driver: Unknown Factory Driver / Date: 2009
23. Porsche 911 997 GT3 3.8
Lap Time: 7:40 / Car: Porsche 911 997 GT3 3.8 / Type: Production / Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup / Driver: Horst von Saurma / Date: 2009
24. Porsche Taycan
Lap Time: 7:42.34 / Car: Porsche Taycan / Type: Production / Tires: Unknown / Driver: Lars Kern / Date: August 2019
This pre-production fully electric Taycan covered the 12.8 mile/20.6 km Nürburgring Nordschleife with average speed of 100 mph/160 km/h and had a top speed of 161 mph/259 km/h. Watch the Video
25. Porsche Cayman 981 GT4
Lap Time: 7:42.39 / Car: Porsche Cayman 981 GT4 / Type: Production / Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 / Driver: Christian Gebhardt / Date: April 2015
Driving dynamics engineer Jan Frank, who accompanied the Supertest from Porsche, among others, reduced the vehicle height on the front axle by 1.1 millimeters. “It’s a world,” explains the head of GT chassis development. 1.1 millimeters, which make it clear what a precision weapon the GT4 is. In addition to the chassis change, there was also a fresh set of Michelin Cup 2 tires, and lo and behold – the tendency to understeer under load was reduced to a very good level for the Nordschleife. Similar to Hockenheim, the Porsche Cayman GT4 can also convince on the Nordschleife with its stable and easily controllable driving behavior. While the tighter PASM damper set-up in Hockenheim ensures faster lap times, only the normal position is recommended for the ride over the undulating Nordschleife. Watch the Video.
26. Porsche 718 982 Cayman S
Lap Time: 7:46.70 / Car: Porsche 718 982 Cayman S / Type: Production / Tires: Pirelli P Zero / Driver: Christian Gebhardt / Date: September 2016
27. Porsche 911 996 GT3 RS
Lap Time: 7:47 / Car: Porsche 718 982 Cayman S / Type: Production / Tires: Pirelli P Zero Corsa / Driver: Horst von Saurma / Date: March 2004
28. Porsche 911 997 GT3 3.6
Lap Time: 7:48 / Car: Porsche 911 997 GT3 3.6 / Type: Production / Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup / Driver: Horst von Saurma / Date: 2006
29. Porsche 911 997 GT3 RS 3.6
Lap Time: 7:48 / Car: Porsche 911 997 GT3 3.6 / Type: Production / Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup / Driver: Horst von Saurma / Date: 2007
30. Porsche 911 997 Turbo 3.6
Lap Time: 7:49 / Car: Porsche 911 997 Turbo 3.6 / Type: Production / Tires: Unknown Tires / Driver: Unknown Factory Driver / Date: 2009
31. Porsche 911 997.2 Carrera S
Lap Time: 7:50 / Car: Porsche 911 997.2 Carrera S / Type: Production / Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup / Driver: Horst von Saurma / Date: April, 2008
32. Porsche Panamera 970.1 Turbo S
Lap Time: 7:52 / Car: Porsche Panamera 970.1 Turbo S / Type: Production / Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport / Driver: Horst von Saurma / Date: 2012
33. Porsche 911 996.2 GT3
Lap Time: 7:54 / Car: Porsche 911 996.2 GT3 / Type: Production / Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport / Driver: Horst von Saurma / Date: June, 2003
Porsche Nürburgring Laps Table
