Porsche's 919 Evo crushes Bellof's Nordschleife record!

Porsche's 919 Hybrid Evo was up and running early this morning at the Nurburgring's Nordschleife where it successfully beat Stefan Bellof's 35-year-old track record of the daunting circuit.

Two-time Le Mans winner Timo Bernhard was behind the wheel of the specially modified LMP1 racer and shaved nearly a full minute off the 6m11.13s time achieved by Bellof at the Nurburgring 1000 km in 1983.

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Bernhard ground around the 20.82 km track to lay down a final marker of 5m19.546s.

Porsche's dedicated 919 Evo was tweaked earlier this year, the manufacturer's engineers extracting more power from its V4 turbo engine and its hybrid systems and increasing the car's downforce by as much as 50 percent, thanks partly to an F1- inspired DRS rear wing.

For many however, the massive technological gap which exists between a Porsche 956 Group C car and Porsche's modern monster hybrid machine means the record was always going to be beaten.

For Bellof fans however, the old lap record still stands…

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.