Formula 1's mission statement is "to unleash the greatest racing spectacle on the planet". So to see Porsche and, by association, the World Endurance Championship that the marque has forsaken, steal its thunder by unofficially breaking Stefan Bellof's legendary Nurburgring Nordschleife lap record will have stung.
The Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo is, to co-opt another of F1's marketing slogans, a brilliant piece of "engineered insanity". The feat of lapping almost a minute faster than the record at the 'Ring is exactly what F1 not only should be doing, but explicitly wants to do.
It ticks all the boxes. It's a hit on social media, it showcases Porsche's technical brilliance, it is living proof of just how fast a racing car can be, and it appeals to the gaming fans that motorsport is so keen to draw in thanks to the Nordschleife's reputation (even for those who pay no attention to racing) as the ultimate track.