MINI Cooper sets Nurburgring lap record, on two wheels

A Chinese stunt driver has set one of the most daring (and slowest) Nurburgring lap records you’re ever likely to see, completing a full tour of the famous circuit on only two wheels in a MINI Cooper S. 

World record holder Han Yue took 45 minutes to lap the Nordschleife while balanced on the car’s left side wheels. A new lap record was set in the process, and over 200,000 people watched the attempt live on Facebook. 

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The MINI itself was modified for the feat, with a welded differential and a solid, airless construction tyre with six lugs replacing the MINI’s usual front left rubber.  

Yue was escorted around the track by a fleet of support vehicles for the full 12.9 miles of the 'Green Hell', completed at an average speed of 17.4mph. 

Yue explained that a strong vibration coming from the left rear tyre meant the lap was much slower than he would have liked, and pain in his left shoulder began to set in just a quarter of a way into the lap. The damp and cold track conditions also suggest that he could attempt a faster two-wheeled lap at some point in the future. 

Yue’s is a two time Guinness World Record holder, and currently holds the gong for tightest parallel park – sliding a MINI into a space just 8cm longer than the car itself – and also holds the title for most donuts around a car driving on two wheels in a minute, using a BMW M4 on that occasion. 

While the Nurburgring feat is eye-catching, it isn’t enough to beat two of the most remarkable two-wheeled world records. Guinness has the fastest speed driven on two wheels recorded at 115mph, while the longest distance driven on two wheels is 230 miles, achieved in a modified BMW E30. 

How fast do you think Han Yue could go around the Nurburgring if he has a second attempt? Let us know in the comments...