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In the latest issue of the newsroom series "Auf exit" we meet Porsche development driver and hot-lap specialist Lars Kern at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. Where: Nurburg, Germany Length: 20,8 km / 12 minutes Type: A breathtaking tour on the most famous race track in motorsport! Racing enthusiasts from all over the world flock to the Nordschleife of the Nürburgring. It is arguably the most demanding circuit par excellence and its famous tourist drives are a magnet for all 'racer for a day' enthusiasts. But what if this 20,8 kilometer long loop through the Eifel, according to Jackie Stewart the "Green Hell", was practically your second job?
Nürburgring Nordschleife
Lars Kern joined Porsche ten years ago as a test engineer and initially took on tasks in the final phase of the development of road racing cars. "In the beginning, my job was to carry out 0-100 or 200 km/h tests with the development vehicles to see whether we were achieving our goals," explains Kern. “And to test the driving dynamics, for example in slalom runs – things that media representatives might do later. Porsche needed someone who could drive well, but wasn't necessarily a racing driver. These are normal things that someone just has to do. That's how I started.”
Awe of the race track
At the time it was not uncommon for the media to do tests at the Nurburgring and Kern was asked to try out the cars at the legendary track to ensure they were up to the task. "When I first got there, I thought, 'Oh God, I'll never master this slope!' But I had the opportunity to do so many laps that at some point I was doing well, which Porsche then noticed. Eventually they started using me for the lap records.”
The Nordschleife was built between 1925 and 1927 within 18 months and is located below the village of Nürburg, 48 km south of Bonn. It can be reached via the B258, which leads to Meuspath. On certain days in spring and summer, visitors can take a lap in their own car for 25 euros each and try to master the sheer size of the track with its 154 turns and the incredible challenges it always has in store.
Lap times on the Nordschleife as a benchmark for the industry
By 2010, lap times on the Nordschleife had become the industry benchmark, and Kern was set to set a timed lap in the first-generation Panamera. This was the first in a long line of records he set with the 911 GT2 RS and most recently with the new Cayenne Turbo GT set up - and made headlines. It's a part of the job that requires equal effort and insight. "To be honest, there is no such thing as a perfect lap," says Kern. “You'll always have a little wobble here and there, because the track is so long that you never get every corner right. At the end you say to yourself: I could have done a lot better. Anyone with experience on the ring knows that, so with lap records you need to know when to stop. At some point you can always make up some time that you lose somewhere else.”
Performance Cayenne conquers Nürburgring-Nordschleife in record time
Kern prefers to approach the Nordschleife with feeling and instinct, which is particularly evident on his favorite section between Hoher Acht and Döttingerhöhe. “It's a long stretch with no straights,” he explains, “and there's no situation where you have time to think. You just have to bring it, go all out and get the best out of the car.” On the straights you start worrying about speed and braking, which is better not to be. “On this section, you're involved with all your senses, corner after corner, and it's all about positioning, how you go into the corner and then turn the car. It happens instinctively and that's the aspect I really like."
Unpredictable Circumstances
Like every job, this one has its downsides. The unpredictable weather that plagues the Nürburgring means Kern sometimes spends days at the track without being able to drive. "If there's even a hint of rain, we'll stop immediately," he explains. “After all, there is no way we can risk the car or my health. So sometimes we just stay here and wait, hoping the weather will be better the next day. I know the hotel rooms in the area like the back of my hand.”
But Kern's memories of the ring are mostly positive. An outstanding moment happened in late summer 2017. “My best experience on the Ring was the lap record with the GT2 RS. I had only been involved a little in the final stages of his development, so Porsche Motorsport also sent Nick Tandy along for record purposes because they were sure he would be the faster. We each had three or four tries and I was a second faster. Nick is one of the best GT drivers in the world and I couldn't believe I was faster than him. The overall time was also ten or twelve seconds better than expected, so at the end of the day everyone was thrilled. To be the one who did it – a normal guy who grew up ten kilometers from Weissach – was something special for me.”
Lap record with the GT2 RS
Given limiting factors such as traffic, engine power and talent, most visitors to the Nordschleife can expect a lap to take them between 12 and 15 minutes. However, Kern broke the seven-minute mark for the first time and pushed the new record for rear-wheel drive road vehicles to an unbelievable 6:47.30 minutes. In June 2021 he has that time with a GT2 RS with Manthey Racing package undercut by a further nine seconds.
Despite the apparent appeal of being Porsche's hot lap specialist, the role also brings with it great hopes and expectations from others. "Yeah, it's fun," says Kern. “But the pressure and ambition of the project teams often weighs on me so that I can't just curve around and enjoy the lap. The whole car world is watching us and our lap times. So the best part is when it's done and everyone is happy. And I still have all my bones together."
"On exit"
In times of lockdown and travel restrictions, the Porsche Newsroom would like to quench the readers' thirst for adventure with the content series "Auf exit". Discover the most beautiful roads in the world through the eyes of Porsche aficionados around the world.
Of course, that wasn't the end of it!
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