The Mercedes-AMG ONE has been the fastest production car on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife since October 2022 and remains unrivalled. The only rival to the ONE is itself. Mercedes-AMG brand ambassador and DTM driver Maro Engel significantly improved the lap time he set. With an officially measured and notarised time of 6:29.090 minutes for the 20.832-kilometre track, the hypercar with Formula 1™ technology beat its record for production vehicles by over five seconds. This makes the Mercedes-AMG ONE the first road car to beat the magic mark of 6:30 minutes. It is also the only series hybrid hypercar to date to have taken on the world’s most demanding racetrack and is the undisputed leader in the super-sports-car class.
“We’ve held the record for road vehicles for almost two years. But at AMG, we always want to push the boundaries of what is possible to the maximum or even push them further. That’s why we have again demonstrated what is possible with the unique AMG ONE. The entire team has been rewarded for its efforts and commitment. I’m proud of this determined team effort and this fantastic record time. Once again, we’ve impressively demonstrated the spirit and expertise of AMG.” Michael Schiebe, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-AMG GmbH and Head of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class & Mercedes-Maybach divisions.
Like Lewis Hamilton and George Russell on their Formula 1™ race weekends, Maro Engel also had to make the best possible use of the hybrid drive’s electrical energy. This is particularly challenging, especially with more than 20 kilometres of track length. Therefore, using the correct sections of the track to recuperate during braking phases and store energy in the batteries again is essential.
To do this, Maro Engel utilized the AMG ONE’s four-stage Energy Flow Control (EFC) system and, in some cases, deliberately took his foot off the accelerator a little earlier than usual, known as “lift and coast” in technical jargon. Preliminary tests in the driving simulator in Affalterbach and on the Nordschleife provided the necessary insights, which the team and driver could optimally implement for the record lap. The vehicle was tested and documented by TÜV Rheinland to ensure it was in standard condition, according to the specifications of Nürburgring 1927 GmbH & Co KG. A notary confirmed that the record drive had been carried out correctly.
The Mercedes-AMG Hypercar brings Formula 1™ hybrid-drive technology from the racetrack to the road for the first time. It features one combustion engine and four electric motors, delivering 782 kW (1,063 hp) with a top speed of 352 km/h. The car incorporates motorsport technologies such as a carbon monocoque and body, engine/transmission unit as a stressed member, and active aerodynamics with pushrod chassis. The two-seater Mercedes-AMG ONE offers even more than a Formula 1™ racing car in some cases due to its complex technology. It comes with the fully variable AMG Performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive with a hybrid-driven rear axle and electrically driven front axle with torque vectoring.
The car’s maximum camber values within the delivery tolerance were selected for the record drive, and Maro Engel chose the “Race Plus” driving program. This setting results in active, maximum possible aerodynamics, tight chassis tuning, vehicle lowering by 37 mm at the front and 30 mm at the rear axle, and full power from all motors. The driver can activate the Drag Reduction System (DRS) by pressing a steering wheel button, which retracts the front louvres on the wings and the upper aero element of the two-stage rear wing. This system reduces drag, enabling higher speeds on fast-track sections and providing more downforce in twisty sections when the aero elements extend again at lightning speed.
Maro Engel also discovered further potential in the operation of the DRS system compared to his first record drive to better realize the capabilities of the AMG hypercar. AMG ONE customers can take advantage of all these variation options. This also applies to the MICHELIN Pilot Sport Cup 2 R MO tyres, fitted as standard and specially developed for the ONE in collaboration with development partner Michelin. The standard AMG ceramic high-performance composite braking system ensures the highest possible deceleration and stability.
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