Ben Collins Takes to the Top Gear Track for a Hypercar Showdown: Can the Praga Bohema Beat the Aston Martin Valkyrie?
With the Bohema’s 700-horsepower, twin-turbo V6 engine and featherweight construction—tipping the scales at just 1,000 kg—the Czech hypercar is built for track dominance. It generates a staggering 900 kg of downforce at 155 mph, and despite its race-bred aerodynamics and carbon brakes, it remains fully street-legal. On standard road tires, Collins unleashed the Bohema’s potential, setting a scorching lap time of 1:09.84.
That result put the Praga just 0.14 seconds shy of the Aston Martin Valkyrie’s record of 1:09.70, which was set by the Stig himself. Collins reflected that the circuit’s tight corners and short straights didn’t always play to the Bohema’s strengths, but its lightweight build and pure combustion power allowed it to go toe-to-toe with hybrid rivals boasting over 1,000 horsepower.
With a perfect lap, Collins suggested, the Bohema might just have edged ahead. Even so, achieving the fastest time for a pure combustion road car on his first attempt was a remarkable achievement. The session also showcased the Bohema’s versatility—Collins drove it to the track before setting his lap, proving it’s as much a road car as it is a track monster.
While the Valkyrie still stands at the top of the leaderboard, the Bohema’s performance proves that lightweight engineering and pure combustion can still challenge the mightiest of hybrid hypercars. With Collins set to demonstrate the Praga at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Czech marque is making a bold statement in the supercar world.
In the end, the Valkyrie retains its crown—but only just. For fans, the real thrill lies in the spectacle of world-class engineering and the excitement of seeing two of the fastest road cars ever built go head-to-head on one of motorsport’s most legendary circuits.