A background in Formula Renault, Porsche Supercup, and a little Le Mans work does wonders for confidence. Kuba Giermaziak, a Polish ace whose resume will make a reader pout their lower lip in admiration, shows us how the GT2 RS is a handful on a set of well-worn tires. His willingness to experiment with the limited grip and throw this Manthey-tuned GT2 RS around like a hot hatch all create a rare piece of footage we need to see.
Kuba’s regular track toy is actually a 991.2 GT3 RS, but sebastian vittel decided to lend him the keys to his GT2 RS MR when Kuba’s car was still in the shop. It couldn’t have been out of complete generosity, either. Kuba, a second-place finisher in the 2014 Porsche Supercup season, had plenty to teach vittel about exploring the limit of adhesion. Within just a few laps, Kuba demonstrated a level of confidence in this car that would take others hundreds to attain.
Though the commitment is clear and there’s no real lack of straightline shove, the lap was limited in some ways. Aside from only four laps prior in this car, Kuba had to contend with a set of Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 NT tires with 40 laps of the Nordschleife on them. His passenger added 207 pounds to the total, the tanks were full, and the level of circuit grip was low from the rains the day before. Lastly, though this car has the GT2 RS MR kit, it lacks the lightweight magnesium wheels. On this lap, the worn Michelins wrap the standard aluminum items.
Those tires don’t find much stick over Hatzenbach’s curbs (0:50). Typically, the painted berms on a racing track will remain slippery long after the water has dried on the track surface. A big snap in each direction paint a picture of what the remainder of this inspiring lap will look like.
Kuba’s quick hands keep these two from a trip into the guardrails.
Even when Kuba keeps the driven wheels off the curbs, putting the power down is a struggle. Listen to the way the engine revs spike occasionally under acceleration. The E-Diff is working overtime here, even though the rear doesn’t pitch and yaw in an always-noticeable way. The oversteer through the Karussell (4:38) is a sight to see, though it’s only one moment in a lap which regularly makes the hairs stand up on the back of your neck.
