Final preparations for Volkswagen Motorsport’s attempt to set a new lap record for EVs at the Nürburgring began when Romain Dumas tested two alternative chassis on the 21km (13-mile) Nordschleife circuit.
Sven Smeets, director of Volkswagen Motorsport, said, “The Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit presented difficult challenges, as expected. Based on simulation conducted in advance, in this test we worked on ensuring the ID.R is adapted to the unique race track, and in particular, the chassis. The energy management systems are already functioning very well. As a result we were able to work through the planned focal points of the test program as scheduled, while also comparing various racing tires from our partner Bridgestone.”
Dumas added, “It was a great moment to drive the ID.R on my favorite track for the first time. The cornering speeds in the ID.R are much higher than I am used to in GT cars, but I feel good in the cockpit and that is really important here. The Nürburgring Nordschleife has larger and more bumps than the race track where we tested previously. We concentrated on adapting the shock absorbers and the ride height to suit the unique characteristics of this track.”
With the data from the first test on the Nürburgring Nordschleife, Volkswagen Motorsport engineers will now work on continuing to fine-tune the ID.R before the electric race car takes to the track again. The record attempt will take place in summer 2019.