Electric atmosphere at Australia’s most famous track as Supervan resets pace.

THE world’s most powerful electric racing car has trumped a V8-powered, derestricted GT3 racer to claim as the fastest closed wheel car around Mount Panorama Bathurst.

With endurance racing legend Romain Dumas at the wheel, the 1491kW Ford Supervan 4.2 - a vehicle that loosely takes styling cues from the Transit van - clocked a time of one minute and 56.28 seconds, a new benchmark for a tin-top vehicle.

It took Dumas two shots at the record yesterday with the Frenchman’s first tilt falling one tenth short.

Ford requested an additional slot of track time for one last, no-holds barred tilt … and the resulting flier was the one, bettering the previous fastest time by two tenths.

That benchmark was but a week old. It was set by AMG during the Bathurst 12 Hour weekend of February 17-18 in a derestricted GT3 racing car.

Piloted by three-time Bathurst 12 Hour winner, Jules Gounon, the AMG boasted active aerodynamics (including an F1-style drag reduction system), sticky ‘super soft’ tyres and a derestricted powertrain to help it beat the previous marker and claim top honours for a GT car around the famous 6.2km circuit.

Both AMG and Ford's laps fall short of Bathurst’s overall fastest lap, set by a McLaren F1 car in 2011. Then, Jenson Button recorded a 1:48.88.

The ‘fastest lap’ distinction is important. These are not lap records - those are only ever established in competition.

Ford and Dumas ran demonstration runs in the Supervan at the 12-Hour as well.

Supervan’s previous feats include the one in today’s video, a hot run up America’s Pike’s Peak.

The vehicle’s sojourn in Australia isn’t over yet. It is sticking around for appearances at appearances at the Adelaide Motorsport Festival on March 16-17 and Rolex Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix on March 24.