Electric lap record

Only days after its official introduction to the Australian press, the Audi RS e-tron GT has made an appearance at Mount Panorama as part of this year’s Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour weekend. 

In the very capable hands of Audi Sport works driver, Chris Mies, the RS e-tron GT set a lap record for electric production vehicles posting a 2:28.15 around the hallowed track.

Wearing a distinctive e-tron livery designed especially for the event, the completely unmodified RS e-tron GT flashed around the famous 6.2-kilometre track running on road tyres and in completely road legal specification.

It was a telling demonstration of the car’s lightening acceleration and agility, a beaming Mies admitting that he was surprised at the electric GT’s speed out of corners.

“The acceleration is quicker than my GT3 car,” he said after the demonstration.

No small praise from the man who has won the Bathurst 12 Hour for Audi twice in the past and currently holds the current lap record of 1:59.29 – set driving an Audi R8 LMS in 2018.

The lap was in stark contrast to the GT3 cars circulating earlier, the RS e-tron GT almost totally silent as it raced around the track. It’s massive 475kW of power on boost and the stump-pulling 830Nm torque evident to the record Saturday crowd as it slingshotted the electric grand tourer out of corners. 

The demonstration showed just what the electrified GT can do when released from the restraints of public roads and speed limits. But given that it was in standard road trim and was speed limited to 250km/h – it’s anyone’s guess how much quicker it could have gone.

“We now have the best of both worlds,” said Chris Reinke, Head of Audi Sport customer racing.

“We are very proud that we now hold two records at Mount Panorama – the EV production car record and the outright record with the R8 LMS GT3.

All eyes will now turn to today’s race when the Audi teams will look to build on another record and attempt to add another Bathurst 12 hour victory to the record three already proudly displayed at the Audi Sport headquarters in Neuburg.