Hennessey Venom F5’s 1,817-HP Revolution Looks Small While Setting COTA Lap Record

Using Racelogic Vbox satellite telemetry, the Hennessey Venom F5 Revolution ran a 2:10.90 lap around COTA using Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R legal tires, Shell pump ethanol, and regular Pennzoil fluids. Even on street tires and an ethanol pump, the Venom F5 hit 193 mph on the back straight and pulled up to 1.6 g of lateral through the corner.

However, despite its great power, you can tell that the Venom is a handful through those corners, as Donohue seemed to carry it through the twisties. That’s not surprising, however, given that the $2.5 million hypercar makes an astonishing 1,817 horsepower and 1,193 lb-ft of torque from its 6.6-liter twin-turbocharged V8, all of which is sent to the rear wheels only. Sending nearly 1,200 lb-ft of torque through a corner will overwhelm even the stickiest of Michelins.

Its single-clutch automatic also kicks like a mule, judging by the photos. So it’s easy to understand Donohue’s reluctance to push it hard through COTA’s tougher sections. However, if it could handle better—from all-wheel drive, reduce power, or even track tires—the Venom would set a more impressive time as it’s quite the rocket ship in a straight line.

Although, despite its cornering struggles, it doesn’t quite live up to John Hennessey’s “Decathlete of Hypercars” tag, as it only excels at two things—acceleration and braking—at least on road tires. Still, it’s an impressive feat for the Hennessey team, especially since it broke records in its home state of Texas.

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