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Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX shattered a long-believed unattainable barrier: achieving a sub-50-second lap time at Tsukuba Circuit while equipped with road tires. What’s even more remarkable is that this exceptional feat was captured on camera, allowing spectators to relive the historical moment in time-attack racing.
The talented driver, Toshiki Ando, piloted the Evo IX engineered by Escort Racing, a renowned group specializing in constructing top-tier drag and time-attack vehicles. As per
The Narita Dogfight, Escort custom-tailored the Mitsubishi to claim lap records on any circuit it set its sights on, outfitting it with an array of modifications. The car’s body extensively incorporates carbon fiber and boasts a plethora of aerodynamic enhancements, surpassing the aerodynamics of entire packs of race cars. Additionally, the transmission has been upgraded to paddle-shifting, and in 2019, it generated an impressive 750 horsepower distributed across all wheels. (Noteworthy, Evo powertrains have the potential for significantly greater output.)
The outcome is a vehicle capable of challenging lap records at Tsukuba; an undeniable gem in the realm of time-attack racing. And recently, Escort showcased the full extent of its car’s capabilities.
During a recorded fast lap, Ando achieved an incredible time of 49.897 seconds, reported as the first instance of a sub-50-second lap on street tires. To put it into perspective, the McLaren F1 completed the same track in 1:04.62, a time that was almost matched by a modified Tesla Model 3 in 2020.
While this achievement marks a significant milestone at Tsukuba, it should be noted that this is not the only sub-50 lap recorded. A Super Formula car came close to breaching the 44-second mark in 2015, and HKS previously claimed to have crossed the 50-second threshold with a specially tuned car, the time attack Toyota 86. However, this feat was accomplished using racing slicks and is not universally recognized within the time-attack community.
In any case, this record stands as a monumental moment in Tsukuba’s history, highlighting the caliber of cars Mitsubishi once produced—and potentially may produce again in the near future, judging by recent developments.
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