Dario Franchetti surpasses GT3 lap times in T.50s Bahrain sign-off run

8 Mar

Former IndyCar champion Dario Franchetti has beaten the Gordon Murray Automotive (GMA) GT3 as part of the final Production Approval Test for the T.50s Niki Lauda supercar.

Franchetti went seven seconds faster than the GT3 benchmark at the Bahrain International Circuit, as the track-only T.50s was officially signed off. The Scotsman gave the T.50s a glowing review, calling it “the most engaging car I’ve driven”. All 25 customer T.50s supercars are scheduled for completion this summer, with orders coming in from North America, Europe and the rest of the world.

Beating lap times in Bahrain

The Bahrain International Circuit — used recently for final Formula 1 testing — was chosen by GMA for the final T.50s prototype test because of the stresses that the warm conditions were able to put on the car. Repeated hard braking, tyre wear and grip levels were all assessed by engineers, as well as aerodynamics and high-speed stability.

During the test, Franchetti exceeded 184mph on the way to a final day lap time of 1:53.03, over seven seconds quicker than the GT3 benchmark set in 2001. The three-time Indy500 winner’s Bahrain exploits were the culmination of years of development and refinement of the T.50s, ensuring GMA’s ‘driving perfection’ ethos was achieved.

What is the T.50s Niki Lauda?

The T.50s was named by Gordon Murray after his close friend Niki Lauda, with the Professor saying “he would have appreciated dthe purity, focus and engineering integrity that fine the car we named in his honour.” It weighs less than 900kg and is powered by a 3.9‑litre Cosworth GMA V12 putting out 761bhp at 11,500rpm and can rev to a whopping 12,100rpm.

A bespoke Xtrac six‑speed paddle‑shift gearbox, central driving position, and potential 1,200kg of downforce make it an tracking driving dream, with almost every major component, from its carbon fibre monocoque to suspension tuning, unique to the T.50s. Each is hand-built in the UK in partnership with motorsport engineering specialists Multimatic.

The T.50s Niki Lauda honours motorsport racing heritage, with each of the 25 T.50s Niki Lauda models carrying a unique commemorative name linked to one of Gordon Murray’s first 25 Grand Prix victories.