CaymanSinAR

That's the thing with Lightning Lap; many different drivers. At least in the past. I get it though for logistical purposes. They just don't have the time to do same driver same day.

They don't even always have time to do a perfect lap. Watch one from a year or two ago with the GT3. The driver completely blows one of the corners and you see him back off and shake his head and shrugs with one hand on the wheel. So big time lost right there but it was still posted as the official lap.

It's still great fun to watch all the laps on YouTube. Great to hear all the different cars as well.

usrodeo4

Really? I looked at one a couple days ago in my local Porsche showroom and it was on cup2's. I thought the S cars always came with Cup 2's. That surprises me. Is that new with the 992?

R35driver

lots of variables. I find it hard to believe a 2019 3RS is beating a current 992 Turbo S as well. especially when the 991 turbo supposedly lapped the same time at angelsey as the .1 RS that had better tires.

oh well. I could care less. I like manual + NA cars. And the only one beating the GT3 on that list is the Viper ACR which rides like garbage on the street. Everything else is either automatic or forced induction (majority being both).

GrantG

I've never seen a Turbo/S on Cups (as delivered) - didn't even know it was an option. Anyway, the C&D Article clearly shows the tires on all of the cars on the Lightning Lap article :

usrodeo4

I agree with your sentiment. I would gladly give up 2 seconds on a lap timer to have had my GT2 with an MT, but I would like to keep the TT's. Talk about the ultimate driver's car!

richk

My 992TTS came with the pirellis.

usrodeo4

Thanks, I did not know the TS had switched to the PZ4...I don't know anything about them other then they are PS4 competitors. As to the Turbo S not being delivered with the Cup2, I think there is the summer performance tire option. I don't think I've ever seen one in Florida without the Cup2 tires delivered. But I am going off anecdotal evidence only. Regardless, the 2021 TS on Cup2's vs the 2018 GT2 RS time is certainly going to be closer than 5 second gap for sure....but having said that, both cars on 2021 Cup2's will probably result in faster lap times for the GT2 too...so? My money would be on the 700 HP car that is lighter.

ChrisFL

Lightning Lap is always a ? for me. VIR rewards high torque and hp. Also if they aren't running on the same day back to back and not knowing the set-up, who cares? I agree with many people that chasing lap times have almost ruined the fun with sports cars. You turbo/supercharge anything and put Cup 2 Rs. It may pull some fast laps.

Yargk

I am actually really impressed by Porsche's performance in these tests.

Porsches are never going to be the cheapest for the lap time, but they are the fastest for their power to weight ratios.
In other words, they make the most of their power.

I think for the GT4 (2021), GT3 RS 2019, 911 turbo 2021, and GT2 RS 2018, the only cars faster than each of these, have much more power.

The only cars faster than a 2019 GT3 RS have more than 200 hp more than the GT3 RS!

The 2021 GT4 is only a second behind the corvette, but it has like 80 fewer hp, for example.

Side note: The 2021 Turbo with Cup 2 tires would probably be 2 seconds faster than the 2019 GT3 RS, it's a monster and bargain GT2 RS (just in terms of lap time), imho.

GrantG

Agree. I think the major strengths of NA Porsche GT cars at the track are three-fold:

1. They are very entertaining to drive at the track (more entertaining and engaging than many cars that lap faster).
2. You can lap them all day long and they seem to enjoy it (some other cars feel like you're destroying them) and they are very reliable there.
3. Can have your choice of Manual or PDK (I really love Manual at the track btw, though some feel it's only appropriate on the road)

Yargk

Also in agreement.
1. In Porsches, despite all the nannies, it feels like you are driving the car, instead of directing the car where to drive itself.
2. Yes, the track causes lots of cars to self-destruct or overheat. There are exceptions, but most other cars require more prep than a Porsche. For the people who say that many performance cars work on track, the comparison often isn't apples to apples. That is, while you can do a single intermediate group track day in a lot of cars, you can't do 30 advanced group track days per year in many cars that don't have Porsche written on the back.
3. It's a lot of fun to pedal a manual on track, especially in the GT4 and the GT3.

R35driver

The lightening lap is not a real world scenario. nobody goes to a track day to do one hot lap and then pack it up and leave.

Sure a GTR, Z06, tesla could put down a good number for one lap. but what happens after an hour ? Wasn't there some big pushback by owners of the c7 z06 because it didn't have adequate cooling from factory ?

like someone else here said before " you will tap out before your gt3 does "

FLACHT6_pilot

I was talking about the 991.2 GT3 RS @2.41.6 on Cup Rs vs the 992 Turbo S @2.42.5 on street tires....

If you put those Cup Rs on the 992 Turbos S it would certainly be quicker than the RS.

ipse dixit

I think the major advantage Porsche has on track is that the 911 GT cars are all over-tired.

GrantG

And big brakes inside those tires