Since 2019, Pirelli tyres have contributed to numerous lap records at the Nürburgring Nordschleife, with vehicles ranging from electric supercars to SUVs and compact hatchbacks utilising Pirelli’s high-performance tyre range to achieve record-breaking times. Across these varied categories, Pirelli’s P Zero range has been instrumental in setting competitive lap times at this demanding circuit.
Record achievements across the P Zero range
Pirelli’s P Zero tyres have facilitated record-breaking laps in multiple vehicle classes, with each key tyre in the range securing at least one Nürburgring record over the past five years. Recent achievements include:
2024: P Zero Trofeo R tyres on the Audi RS 3 and P Zero tyres on the Audi RS Q8 performance.
2023: P Zero Trofeo RS on the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT.
2022: P Zero Corsa on the Porsche Taycan Turbo S.
2021: P Zero Corsa on the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT and P Zero Trofeo R on the Audi RS 3.
2019: P Zero tyres on the Audi RS Q8.
In 2024, the Audi RS 3 equipped with P Zero Trofeo R semi-slick tyres recorded a time of 7m33.123s, lowering the Nordschleife lap benchmark for compact cars by over five seconds. Likewise, the Audi RS Q8 performance set a new record for production SUVs, achieving a lap time of 7m36.698s and surpassing the previous best by more than two seconds. Both models had previously established records in their respective categories in 2021 and 2019, also using P Zero Trofeo R and P Zero tyres.
The Nürburgring as proving ground
Pirelli’s use of the Nürburgring Nordschleife as a testing ground underscores the circuit’s role in tyre development, especially for high-performance applications. The track’s challenging layout allows Pirelli to rigorously evaluate tyre performance, particularly in collaboration with German automotive manufacturers. One prominent example is the P Zero Trofeo RS, developed in partnership with Porsche for the Taycan Turbo GT. This variant, tailored to the specific needs of the electric supercar, integrates Pirelli Elect technology, which optimises tyre performance characteristics for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Equipped with these tyres, the Taycan Turbo GT achieved a lap time of 7m07.55s, setting a record for the fastest production electric vehicle at the Nordschleife, eclipsing the Taycan Turbo S record set previously on Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres.
The P Zero Corsa tyre, designed for performance-focussed vehicles, has also seen widespread application in record attempts. This tyre enabled the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT to secure a previous SUV record and, more recently, powered the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N electric crossover to a time of 7m45.59s earlier in 2024.
