Nick Heidfeld test drives the stunning Pininfarina Battista.
Nick Heidfeld is a racing driver who has raced in various forms of motorsports and his latest stint was behind the wheel of a Formula-E car. So who better than him to test the limits and capabilities of the latest Hyper-GT car from Pininfarina the Battista.
The Automobili Pininfarina Battista is the Italian all-electric 1,900 PS Hyper-GT car. The Battista is the most powerful road-legal car ever designed and built-in Italy. No more than 150 Battistas will be individually hand-crafted at the Pininfarina SpA atelier in Turin, Italy. The world has not seen such a car yet, and this car is set to revolutionise the way we electric cars.
Nick has already raced with team Indian car manufacturer giant Mahindra in Formula-E which also happen to own Pininfarina. For a principle which has invested in revolutionary technology having proper inputs and feedback from a racing driver is invaluable.
Nick Heidfeld said: “It has been really special to experience the Battista on the track for the first time. With the prototype at an advanced stage of development, we are testing Battista with around 80 per cent of its potential power, the performance and acceleration are already beyond anything I could imagine.”
“What really surprised me was how natural the Battista feels on the track. We are creating a hyper GT to be enjoyed at all speeds, yet here in Nardò, the cornering control and speed we achieved were exceptional. Minimal traction control and torque vectoring are active at this stage of prototype development, yet there is so much grip to exploit.”
“It was my first time driving on the Nardò handling circuit, so I spent some time looking at films of onboard laps online to familiarise myself with the layout. I quickly realised they would be of little use because the acceleration of Battista is on another level to even the world’s fastest road cars.”
“To meet our aim of delivering a hyper GT, a car that can be enjoyed anywhere and in all conditions, we are developing Battista with two tyre combinations. The Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R is our preferred performance tyre and combined with lightweight ‘Impulso’ wheels it provides an outstanding combination of maximum grip and feels a perfect fit for a race circuit.”
“I have to say, that very honestly, driving the Battista prototype far exceeded my expectations. It’s like nothing I have experienced ever before. I can’t wait to try the Battista away from the track, chasing corners on mountain roads.”
Text and images courtesy of Shivaum Punjabi.
