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Today we have another remarkable drag race to share. It seems that straight-line racing will never truly go out of style. It doesn’t matter if it is three iconic American muscle cars racing each other or two of the fastest EVs in the world. Our human curiosity just can’t resist the age-old question: which car is faster?

When it comes to a wide and long strip of road, the combinations in which that question can be asked are limitless. Thanks to YouTube channels like DragTimes, which have constant access to a drag racing strip, the audience gets to watch them test all manner of racing combinations. In a recent video, the crew at DragTimes elected to match up a Ferrari F8 Tributo against a modified, 1,000 horsepower Porsche 911 Turbo.

The outcome might seem immediately obvious, but just because a sports car has a lot of power does not necessarily mean it can efficiently put that power down properly in a drag race situation. Let’s take a closer look at the competitors.

Ferrari F8 Tributo

A red 2019 Ferrari F8 Tributo similar to the one seen in the drag race video featured in this article.
Ferrari F8 Tributo | Ferrari

When the Ferrari F8 Tributo was revealed in 2019, it was billed as having the most powerful V8 that the manufacturer had ever produced (at the time) in a “non-special” series. Behind the passenger’s seats is mounted a 3.9-liter turbocharged engine that makes 710 horsepower. The V8 in the Tributo is a derivative of the engine that previously came in the 488 GTB but with boosted output (no pun intended).

We would suspect that Ferrari designed the F8 Tributo for performance on street and road courses primarily. However, with so much power on tap from its turbo engine, the F8 is going to be fast in just about any contest of speed, including a drag race. One area where the Ferrari F8 may find trouble is the speed at which it can put all of those 700+ horses to the ground. The Tributo’s V8 has a redline of 8,000 rpm, but max power is not reached until 7,000 rpm. The Tributo will need to be near its limits for the entire race to utilize its full potential.

Porsche 911 Turbo S

2018 Porsche 911 Turbo S seen in light metallic blue driving on a road at sunset. This car is similar to the 911 Turbo S seen in the drag race video featured in this article.
Porsche 911 Turbo S | Porsche

In stock form, the Porsche 911 Turbo S has 580 horsepower from its 3.8-liter flat-six engine and a drivetrain that sends power to all four of its wheels. By any measure, those are the makings of a formidable sports car. Yet, there is vast aftermarket support for the Porsche catering to those who want even more from their German sports car. The particular Porsche 911 Turbo S in this drag race has doubled its power thanks to an ES850 performance upgrade kit.

The ES850 modification package adds upgraded turbochargers, larger intercoolers, high-flow piping, and turbo manifolds. The result is nearly 900 horsepower at the wheels, which is approximately 1,00 horsepower at the crank, according to the video host, who also serves as the Porsche’s driver in the drag race. 

Drag Race: Porsche 911 Turbo S vs Ferrari F8 Tributo

On paper, it seems like the Porsche 911 should grab an easy victory in this drag race. Though, we have been surprised before. A spec sheet is one thing, but real-world performance is an entirely different story. Make your predictions on what car you think will win the best 2 out of three drag racing match up and then watch the DragTimes video to see if you guessed right. Even if your pick isn’t right, are there really any losers when we all get to watch two supercars race?

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