[Saba Sports News] In early May, Red Bull driver Max Verstappen tested the Nissan Z Nismo GT500 at Fuji Speedway. On his first time behind the wheel of the model, he broke the Super GT lap record set by professional racer Atsushi Miyake despite wet-track conditions. Miyake’s previous record stood at 1:44.075, while Verstappen clocked a time of 1:42.290 in just two laps, outpacing the existing mark by nearly two seconds.
It is reported that the test drive was a commercial promotion project arranged by Red Bull Racing. Prior to this, Verstappen had never driven a GT500 car. He completed the challenge under extremely tough circumstances: rainy weather, low grip, poor visibility, and only a brief briefing on vehicle handling from Nissan engineers with no detailed setup guidance offered. His performance has been hailed as “superhuman”.
Miguel Oliveira, a Brazilian driver and former Super GT GT300 champion, criticized the footage for “deliberately creating an overpowering narrative”. He argued that commercial promotions should show greater respect for active professional drivers and the championship.
In the editor’s opinion, Verstappen’s test drive is not only a successful cross-border attempt, but yet another stunning display of the adaptability and natural talent possessed by elite F1 drivers. Even behind the wheel of a powerful mid-engine rear-wheel-drive GT500 machine — producing around 650 horsepower and weighing over 1,000 kilograms — top F1 drivers can still hold a clear edge, highlighting the extraordinary all-round driving ability they possess.