Three time British Rally Champion Mark Higgins has beaten his own four-wheeled lap record around the Isle of Man TT circuit.
Stepping behind the wheel of the all-new Subaru WRX STI, Higgins put in a lap of 19 minutes and 26 seconds at an average speed of 116.470mph. The previous record, set by Higgins in a previous generation WRX STI, stood at 115.36 mph and was set in 2010.
“It was quite a lap we did today and I am really happy to have another record in the bank,” said Higgins. “The chassis of the new car is so much better it really allowed me to pick up time in each sector in the more technical parts of the course. There is nothing like the TT course in all racing. Not just because of its length but the elevation changes, constant surface variations as you shift from town to country roads and the fact we run from 30mph and then up to 160mph plus for much of the race.”
Higgins was driving a standard Subaru production car, in US specification, with the only modifications being an FIA-spec roll cage, racing seat and harness, fire suppression system, modified springs and dampers and Dunlop Direzza tyres.
The four-wheeled record was not the only record to fall on Wednesday’s day of racing, as earlier in the day 21-time TT winner John McGuinness set a new lap record in the electric bike category, lapping at 117.366mph. The two mighty laps added to the stunning lap by Bruce Anstey in the week’s opening Superbike race, breaking the outright lap record and becoming the first man over 132mph around the TT course, lapping at a sensational 132.298mph.
