Tom Pidcock has posted onboard footage of himself driving a Porsche 911 GT3 RS around the Nurburgring in Germany setting an impressive time on the famous track less than two months before the Tour de France
Sharing the video on Facebook with the caption “a week for a mental refresh before a big summer,” the double Olympic mountain bike champion was clearly pushing very hard on the section of the German circuit used by enthusiast drivers, a loop that excludes part of the main straight from the full Nordschleife layout used by manufacturers for official lap records.
The 992-generation GT3 RS, with its enormous rear wing, is the most track-focused 911 Porsche currently builds, with active aero, a 9000rpm rev limit, and 518 horsepower from its naturally aspirated flat-six engine. In the hands of Porsche’s professional development drivers, the same car has lapped the full Nordschleife in 6:44.
The footage shows Pidcock driving at high speed in fifth gear, with the GT3 RS in track mode and with DRS active, F1-derived technology designed to help him go as fast as humanly possible.
A spokesperson for Pinarello-Q36.5 told Cycling Weekly that Pidcock likes fast cars and that the trip formed part of a planned recovery period within his training programme.
“Tom has a long-standing passion for cars and this was simply one of the ways he chose to unwind during a planned rest period. The activity took place in a structured and controlled environment, was carried out responsibly, and happened during a scheduled recovery period within his programme,” the spokesperson said.
Pidcock will lead Pinarello Q36.5 at the Tour de France in July, the team’s first appearance at the race as automatic invitees following their promotion among the top-ranked WorldTour pro teams. His Spring season has so far included second place at Milan-San Remo behind Tadej Pogacar, victory at Milano-Torino, and a stage win at the Tour of the Alps in his comeback from a heavy crash at the Volta de Catalunya. The Tour de France begins in Barcelona on 4 July.
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