Isle of Man speed record set by Subaru on street- legal Pirelli tires

Jan. 1, 2020
Exactly 21-years to the day that Tony Pond set the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy Race track record for fastest lap speed, Mark Higgins reached a new level on June 6.
Exactly 21-years to the day that Tony Pond set the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy Race track record for fastest lap speed, Mark Higgins reached a new level on June 6.

“The Subaru was driven on Pirelli P Zero Trofeo tires,” reports Paul Hembery, director of motorsports.

“These are road-legal track tires that are designed for high performance driving. When Pond set the record in 1990, he drove on slicks, which will have enabled him to set a fast pace while sticking to the winding roads. However, it takes a seriously good road tire to achieve grip and control at speeds of up to 170 mph, which is what Mark achieved,” he explains.

As a former test driver for Subaru, Higgens has a long association with the automaker. The car used to break the lap record is not the rally version, but a standard production US-spec Subaru WRX STI fitted with essential safety enhancements such as a roll cage, race seats and harnesses.

“The car is as close to a production car as you can get, while remaining safe for the challenge,” says Hembery. “Yes, Tony Pond’s car was too, but at these speeds tire choice makes a huge difference and he was on slicks, which are illegal on British roads. Beating the record on road-legal Pirelli P Zero Trofeos shows how far our tire technology has come on in the last 20 years.”

For more information, visit www.us.pirelli.com.