The pursuit of one perfect lap. A driver and machine in total harmony. Everything clicks, no mistakes, maximum attack and the record will fall. We speak of course, about World Time Attack Challenge (WTAC).
This year’s event was billed as a the biggest yet, with drivers coming from all over the world to take part. A word of warning before we go any further though, this story will be riddled with clichés, such is the magnitude of glory, and level of cool that WTAC offers.
Sydney did its part by delivering almost perfect weather, apart from strong winds which sent gazebos sprawling for an hour or two on the Friday. The temps were high, but the hottest action was on the track.
The action was non-stop and we mean, non-stop. The schedule was packed, with barely any down time. If it wasn’t drivers chasing the perfect lap, it was action from the Full Send demo crew showing off some amazing high speed drift action.
When that wasn’t happening, the Hot Wheels stunt team were doing their thing down the main straight. In addition to drivers from across the globe (including the USA, Japan, Finland and New Zealand), there were some iconic steerers thrown into the mix.
Mad Mike showed up in his WTAC Mazda3, while YouTube sensation and Nürburgring driving God Misha Charoudin was on hand to sign stuff and meet fans in between setting times in the purpose-built Hyundai IONIQ 5 N.
There was also a certain Porsche and its driver hell bent on beating last year’s track record. He did, not once, but three times over the weekend – but more on that in a moment. First an explanation, about what Time Attack actually is.
The best way to understand the event is if you think of it as car and driver, versus the clock. It’s probably closest to say qualifying in normal motorsport events, where you hunt down the fastest time against similar competitors, who are all trying to do the same thing.
You might only get two or three throws of the dice per session though, especially if you cook the tyres between every shot at glory. From there, on the final day, the top teams then go into a shootout to decide the overall, and class winners.
Along the way, teams push the limits of the rules in each class, creating some truly amazing, ultra-quick machines that produce a tonne of corner downforce and ridiculous amounts of power. This leads to some seriously quick times.
At Sydney Motorsport Park where WTAC takes place each year, Barton Mawer’s Porsche RP968 managed a lap in 1:17.4440. If you’re not sure if that’s quick, it’s nearly 6.0-seconds faster than an F3 car, and more than 12 seconds ahead of a V8 Supercar.
That’s the difference between driving your mum’s diesel golf and a Lamborghini. The best thing is that from the outside a lot of the cars (especially in Clubsprint) actually look relatable to something you and I could buy, only with added aero and really sticky tyres.
This writer was at his first World Time Attack Challenge, and damn was it exciting. Over a couple of days, the spectacle rolled out, and lap times came down, with the Pro-Am class (one step down from the Pro class that Porsche sat in) particularly close.
Sami Sivonen in the Team R8 1:1 Audi R8 from Finland pipped second placed Feras Qartoumy ins his Chevrolet Corvette on the final run by just under half a second, with a 1:24.8320. The Open category was even closer.
Team Dream Project’s S15 and driver Robert Nguyen clocking in a 1:25.5430, ahead of second placed Team GAS Evo and Nathan Morcom, who were just 0.3 of a second slower, with just 0.5 seconds separating the top three in the class.
Even the Clubsprint class was close, with Trent Grubel taking out the overall top spot in his DC Jap Automotive Subaru WRX STI. If all that action wasn’t enough, the night gave way to the sound of tortured tyres and smoke in the air for the Garrett International Drift Cup.
If track action isn’t your thing, there were an array of trade stands and show cars to check out, including the Shannon’s Stylised Show and Shine, presented by Donut Garage, showing off 200 hand selected customs and classics.
Did we love World Time Attack Challenge? Hell yes. Would we do it all again? In a heartbeat. Should you come join the fun next year? Absolutely.
