The Bloodhound LSR on Sunday set a top speed of 1,010km/h at Hakskeen Pan in the Northern Cape, just next to the Namibian border. This follows weeks of incremental speed testing during time which the team and its pilot, Andy Green, slowly got to grips with both the jet-powered car and 20km desert test track upon which it was built to run.
Punching through the 1,000km/h barrier is a big deal for the Bloodhound outfit as it allows them to harvest valuable data essential for the completion of their ultimate goal: breaking the world land speed record by safely reaching 1,000mph (1,609.34km/h).
“The stability and confidence the car gives me as a driver is testament to the years of world class engineering that have been invested in her by team members past and present," Green said after Sunday's run.
"With all the data generated by reaching 628mph (1,01 km/h), we’re in a great position to focus on setting a new world land speed record in the next year or so."
"A vital component in the success of our high speed testing has been the race track created here at Hakskeen Pan. It’s proved to be exactly what we need and I’m delighted with how the car has performed on it."
Green said the Bloodhound LSR team is grateful to the Northern Cape provincial government and members of the local Mier community, who undertook the painstaking process of removing 16,500 tonnes of rock from 22 million square metres of dry lake bed to ensure the Bloodhound car can run smoothly and safely.
It’s the largest area of land ever cleared by hand for a motorsport event, and testament to the partnership forged between all three groups. This feat was recognised by the FIA in 2016 with the award of special certificates and medals for the 317 workers.
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