When Top Gear returned for Season 19, the wildly popular TV show jumped right into the hyper-exotic end with a very special test drive of the new Pagani Huayra supercar. When the Stig took the Huayra around the track, it set an astounding 1:13.8, a full 1.3 second faster time than the previous best of 1:15.1, which was held by the insane Ariel Atom V8.
Company founder Horatio Pagani intended for the Huayra to be the most capable automobile ever made, without compromise in track performance or street manners. The record shattering lap time around the Top Gear track is perhaps the most effective way to show the world that the new Pagani Huayra has managed to deliver as promised.
However, the fashion in which the Stig and the Pagani utterly dominated the track raised suspicion among enthusiasts. In fact, some have decided to dig deeper and learn if the Huayra in question possessed an unfair advantage.
Eventually, the secret was revealed - it appears that the Top Gear Huayra was fitted with slick tires featuring hand-cut treads.
Photos taken by Top Gear during the outing offer a closer look at the tires used for the day:
The picture above reveal the front tire used is 265/645 19. However, the official Pagani website indicates that the standard rubber used in the Huayra is rated 255/35ZR19. Apparently, the 265/645 19 spec tires can also be found on the hardcore Pagani Zonda R track car.
Beyond the dimensions, macro pictures of the Top Gear Huarya (above) show tread wear indicator dots along the edges of the tire rubber - identical to the dots on the Zonda R slicks (below).
A rather vague guideline, vehicles are eligible on the Top Gear lap table only if it is street legal. A number of vehicles that have lapped the Top Gear test track were ultimately removed from the board, most notably the Caparo T1 and the Ferrari FXX. The FXX could not be considered street legal due to its racing slicks. By extension, if the Huayra is guilty of the same, it will be removed from the top of the board as well.
In order to get to the bottom of the case, the Travis Okulski of Jalopnik reached out to Pagani representatives to learn more.
The first red flag that Jalopnik discovered was that Pagani prepared two different sets of tires for the Top Gear review. Presenter Richard Hammond actually drove the car on standard Pirelli P Zero tires. When it was time for the Stig to perform a hot lap, Pagani swapped the tires for a wilder set of P Zero Trofeo slicks.
This is what Pagani had to say:
We used Pirelli PZero Trofeo. As first equipment we offer to our customers three different types of tires, all of them omologated for street use: Pirelli PZero, Pirelli PZero Corsa and Pirelli Pzero Trofeo.
Pirelli PZero Trofeo can be treated as Michelin Pilot sport cup for example.
In comparison to the times we have done at other tracks, We can say that we are still faster than the time we scored. From our calculations we are even 1.5/2 seconds faster than what we have done.
Pirelli is our partner since 2007 when we set the Record time at the Nurburgring Nordschleife with a Zonda F, and we are developers with them regarding Pirelli PZero range of tires.
The Pirelli official website lists the P Zero Trofeo as a DOT approved race tire. That said, Pirelli issued a disclaimer: "In the event of wet asphalt, judicious driving at reduced speeds is advised to limit the risk of aquaplaning. The P ZeroTM Trofeo is generally not recommended for use in wet track conditions."
For one final twist, the P Zero Trofeo tires on the website exhibit a different tread pattern than the Trofeo tires on the Huayra. Pagani claims the P Zero Trofeo tires are a modified version of the slick used on the Zonda R.
In short, the Pagani Huayra that set the lap record on the Top Gear test track was fitted with P Zero Trofeo tires, for all intents and purposes, despite the omission of nomenclature, branding, a different tread pattern, and Zonda R wear indicators.
While Pagani insists its setup for the Top Gear test was street legal, it's certainly pushing the edges of regulation. Let us know what you think. Should Pagani be allowed to keep its record lap time on the board? Should Pagani repeat the lap once more with standard Pirelli P Zero and P Zero Corsa tires? Sound off at the comment section below.
Watch the Pagani Huayra segment from Top Gear Season 19 episode 1 here:
