Romain Dumas and the Volkswagen Motorsport team are at the Nurburgring this week attempting to break the lap record for battery electric vehicles with the VW ID.R.

The team woke up to a slightly soggy Nordschleife today, but Dumas and the ID.R were sent out anyways for some install laps. Dumas then came back in for some setup changes before the team sent the Frenchman back out for further lapping in dryer and warmer conditions.

"The track is quite rough, with a lot out bumps and jumps," Dumas said after his initial familiarization laps. "We have to adjust the setup a little bit, but I really enjoy to drive the ID. R here on the Nordschleife."

The ID. R is passing Wippermann for another lap on the Nordschleife. Romain Dumas is a busy man today. #IDR #JustElectric #Nordschleife #challengeacceptID #F1 @nuerburgring @volkswagen @VW pic.twitter.com/hXduH5IpG3
— VolkswagenMotorsport (@volkswagenms)
25, 2019[/URL]


Chinese electric automaker Nio currently holds the electric lap record at the Nurburgring, with its EP9 hypercar setting a time of 6:45.90 on slick tires back in 2017. The ID.R isn't as powerful as the 1,300+ hp EP9, however the VW has much more downforce, specially developed Michelin slick tires and a newly-developed F1-style DRS system, so it should be able to beat the EP9's time with ease.


Volkswagen Motorsport partnered with RaceRoom Experience to put the VW ID.R into the PC-based racing simulator this week. The automaker also organized an online time attack challenge with the ID.R within the game, challenging players to set the fastest time possible around Nordschleife in the battery electric time attack racer.

As of this writing, the leader of the challenge is user Patrick Pache, who turned in an absurdly quick lap of 5:58.618s. This should give us a rough idea of what the ID.R is capable of doing in the real-world, although Dumas may be slightly hindered by his will to live - a contention RaceRoom players don't have to deal with.

Stay tuned for updates as VW and Dumas and continue to turn in laps at the Nurburgring in the VW ID.R.