Designed and built by Rod Pobestek of PR Technology, the Porsche 968-based prototype holds the outright lap record on the Gardner Grand Prix Circuit.

Last year, Mawer set a 1:17.860 during the first session on a cool Saturday morning and there’s every chance he’ll do it again.

“Nothing will touch that at the moment,” Baker told Speedcafe.

“There are a few cars in the build, maybe in the next couple of years perhaps, but nothing at the moment.

“And we’ve got to be realistic about it. They know that. They’re all about breaking their own record.

“Tim Slade’s there in a Lotus this year. If it can do a sub-20 that’s still good, but I don’t think they’re gonna get near the Porsche, that’s just being honest.”

When asked if Mawer would break the lap record, Baker replied, “100 per cent it will.”

Exactly how fast? That’s part of the allure.

“We don’t know. That’s what we’re all going to see,” said Baker.

“In all the other classes, it’s gonna be game on. The gloves are off in Open Class this year.

“I think Open Class will do a 1:23.0 on road tyres with with minimal aero. They’ve got no flat flooring, so it’s pretty spectacular.”

Behind the scenes, there is chatter that the car is capable of a 1:16.0 in the right conditions.

This year’s Pro field is thin with just a handful of cars, but that’s no great surprise to Baker who said the cost to build a car capable of challenging RP968 is exorbitant.

That’s not to say that World Time Attack Challenge is struggling, however. Pro-Am is flush with 15 entries and Open has just as many.

The lowest rung on the time attack ladder, Club Sprint, has upwards of 40 entries.

“Pro class isn’t the main class anymore,” said Baker.

“Well, look, it’s the fastest class, but like anything at the pinnacle, it’s going to shrink because of the cost whereas Pro-Am has grown exponentially.

“We’ve got 15 cars in Pro-Am this year and three in Pro, but that’s going to be the same anywhere in the world.

“If you look at the top of Pikes Peak or the top of Le Mans or anything, the faster things go and the more expensive it gets, the harder it’s gonna be to fill that.

“It’s the fastest category now, but that’s certainly not the be-all and end-all for sure.”