Neom McLaren Formula E driver Jake Hughes has set a new world record for the fastest speed indoors. The British 29-year-old hit 135.9mph (218.71kph) on just 346 meters of track—the thought of which has us reaching for the brake pedal.
Hughes was driving Formula E’s new Genbeta car. It has a swathe of innovations, including enhanced battery power output (up from 350kW to 400kW) and softer iON Race tires. They have a special compound enabling them to warm up faster and get more grippy.
SABIC has 3D-printed new front wing endplates, wheel fins, and a wind deflector for the modified Gen3 car. They all serve to optimize aerodynamics and straight-line speed. Finally, an AI-powered analytics platform provided data experts with real-time telemetry so the competing drivers, including Hughes, could refine their attempts.
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Indeed Mahindra Racing’s Lucas di Grassi came agonisingly close to Hughes’ record-setting speed, recording 135.6mph (218.18km/h).
“Driving the Genbeta car and setting the Guinness World Record title for the fastest speed achieved by a vehicle indoors was a really special experience,” Hughes said. “I feel very honored to have been asked and to be involved in such an exciting project.
“It wasn’t something I ever imagined I’d have the opportunity to even attempt, so now to hold the record is pretty incredible, especially in a Formula E car. I didn’t realize how much I wanted this record until I saw Lucas [di Grassi] trying to break the record after me. When I was announced I was the record holder I felt a massive sense of pride.”
This generation’s Formula E car is of course the most advanced in the 10 years the series has been running. It’s the lightest, most powerful and, clearly, fastest FE car ever built. Its top speed is more than 322kph without the Genbeta modifications.
Alessandra Ciliberti, Formula E technical manager at the FIA, said: “The Genbeta is the first time that four-wheel drive has been activated in a single-seater race car for both acceleration and braking regeneration. This was achieved by turning on the front powertrain kit to achieve greater traction during acceleration. The Genbeta showcases what will be possible for Formula E racing in the near future.”
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
