Formula E's Hughes sets indoor world speed record

LONDON : British Formula E driver Jake Hughes has smashed a world indoor speed record by hitting 218.71kph (135.9mph) inside London's ExCeL Centre in a modified version of the electric championship's Gen3 racecar.

The event, a duel with Brazil's 2016-17 Formula E champion Lucas di Grassi with the pair taking turns in the same car, took place behind closed doors on Tuesday night on a 346 metre straight.

The record, witnessed by Reuters, was announced officially on Friday.

The 2.09km track, which has indoor and outdoor sections with cars racing through the building in the Docklands area, hosts the title-deciding final two rounds of the season on Saturday and Sunday.

The previous record for fastest speed achieved by a vehicle indoors was 165.20 kph (102.65mph) set by U.S. driver Leh Keen in a Porsche Taycan Turbo S sportscar at the New Orleans Convention Centre in 2021.

According to Guinness World Records, who had a smartly-dressed adjudicator on hand to oversee proceedings, the car must start and finish at a standstill with the attempt taking place entirely indoors.

NEOM McLaren driver Hughes, who had three practice runs before his record attempt, warmed up with a run of 214.80kph before further runs of 215.05 and 217.65 through the speed trap.

Mahindra rival Di Grassi then took over the same car, with changed tyres, and did practice runs of 216.87kph, 217.92 and 218.18. His record attempt was then clocked at 217.65kph.

Hughes said his runs, with the car screeching around an opening corner before powering down the straight and then braking hard, had felt very fast.

"I didn’t know if 218 was good or bad," the elated Briton told Reuters after watching Di Grassi ultimately fall short of his mark.

"Seeing all the numbers flash up