Aero will of course play an enormous role, and in this respect the GT3 wing dominated the original setup to such an extent that side-exit exhausts have been developed (one for each cylinder bank) to make way for an entirely flat underbody and substantial diffuser. So far Litchfield has made two visits to the Nürburgring to hone the car’s geometry and aero, and there will be one final trip to Germany before the attempt is made, most likely in September. 

Overall, the car is said to tip the scales at 400kg less than the regular GT-R, which weighs around 1770kg. The resulting power-to-weight ratio of almost 900bhp per tonne makes it believable when Litchfield says he has “absolutely no doubt the car will do the time”. 

The spirit of the project is said to be much more friendly than the usual marketing-fed warfare that usually surrounds such lap record attempts. The engineers at Manthey Racing, who now operate a broad spread of Porsche’s sports car programme, are keen to share their experiences with Litchfield, and the competition between the two exists in the context of all involved being genuine enthusiasts, says Litchfield.  

On the day, Litchfield will not have the benefit of exclusive track use. More likely is that it will come down to a single hot lap at the very end of an organised track day; that will surely prove every bit as dramatic as it sounds.  

At the wheel will be German Nordschleife specialist Mortiz Kranz (“No ego, exceptionally fast,” says Litchfield), who’ll aim to take advantage of the combination of higher track but cooler air temperatures in the late afternoon. On Michelin Pilot Cup 2 R tyres, this alone is said to be worth 14 seconds compared with times set during the morning.

Unlike the MR modifications for the GT2 RS MR, there are no plans to offer this GT-R LM1 RS setup as a complete package for the GT-R. Litchfield does, however, estimate it would cost around £300,000 to recreate the car.