Volkswagen Begins Testing for Nordschleife Record Attempt

Photo: Volkswagen

Testing has begun for Volkswagen’s record attempt on the Nürburgring Nordschleife, with its ID. R having completed a successful outing in Spain.

Romain Dumas, who took the all-electric prototype to a new overall record time in last year’s Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, completed laps in a modified version of the car at Circuit de Almeria this week.

The Frenchman will seek to break the current lap record for electric vehicles at the Nordschleife this summer, a record that is currently held by Peter Dumbreck in a NIO EP9.

“After the shakedown in Oschersleben, the first test runs in Spain have also gone as planned,” said Volkswagen Motorsport director Sven Smeets.

“After its record outing on Pikes Peak, it’s really exciting now to witness the ID. R on a real racetrack.

“The optimization of an electric sports car for the Nürburgring is a great new challenge for the whole team. We’re all really looking forward to demonstrating the strength of electric mobility once more, this time on the legendary Nordschleife.”

Dumas, a four-time Nürburgring 24 winner, said the characteristics of the all-electric car will enable him to push “much closer” to the limit around the legendary German circuit compared to Pikes Peak.

“I can brake harder and more aggressively,” he said. “By adapting the software, the performance of the electric motors will be tuned for our new record attempt.”

Additional testing at Almeria is planned in two weeks’ time.

Volkswagen Makes Switch to Bridgestone

The German manufacturer has made the switch to Bridgestone tires for its Nordschleife attempt, after utilizing Michelin rubber at Pikes Peak.

Bridgestone and Volkswagen already enjoy a partnership in the manufacture and development of original equipment for production vehicles.

“Working together with Bridgestone has gone really smoothly from the get-go,” said Smeets.

“We have tested various versions of the Potenza Sport tires in order to find the optimal one for the record attempt on the Nordschleife.”

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John