The Praga Bohema has officially set a new lap record for road-legal cars at the iconic Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. A blistering time of 2 minutes and 21.42 seconds was achieved by test driver Aleš Jirásek, significantly beating the previous record.
A New Benchmark at Spa
The Czech manufacturer Praga announced that its Bohema hypercar has set a new lap record for road-legal vehicles at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium. The recorded time of 2:21.42 bested the previous record holder, the Pagani Huayra BC Roadster, by a substantial 1.6 seconds. The Pagani had set its benchmark of 2:23.08 back in 2019.
The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, a historic venue dating back to 1921, is known for its challenging 7.004-kilometer layout, featuring 19 demanding corners. It is also the longest track currently on the Formula 1 calendar, making any record set there particularly noteworthy.
Record Achieved Under Unconventional Circumstances
What makes this new record even more astonishing is that the Praga Bohema was not on a dedicated record-breaking run. According to Praga, the car was present at the track primarily to offer track experiences to spectators and participants.
The lap was completed without specific preparations for a record attempt. The vehicle’s settings were not optimized for peak track performance, and crucially, the Bohema was running on standard road tires. Furthermore, the track was not clear; other vehicles were also present during the session, meaning the Bohema wasn’t able to run in ideal, uninterrupted conditions.
This suggests that the Bohema has significant untapped potential, and a future run with dedicated track preparation and specialized tires could yield an even faster time.
Under the Hood: The Bohema’s Engineering Prowess
The Praga Bohema is a striking machine, featuring a full carbon fiber body that contributes to its remarkably low dry weight of under 1,000 kilograms. This featherlight construction is key to its agile performance.
Powering the Bohema is a potent 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine. This powerhouse is an enhanced version of the unit found in the Nissan GT-R. In the Bohema, this engine delivers an impressive 690 horsepower and 780 Nm of torque. Power is managed through a 6-speed sequential gearbox, enabling the hypercar to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph (approximately 100 km/h) in around 3 seconds.
The combination of lightweight construction, powerful V6 engine, and advanced transmission makes the Praga Bohema a formidable contender in the hypercar arena, as evidenced by its record-breaking performance at Spa.
