Bar Aims For 400kph Barrier

[Monty 0]

BAR is planning to set the Formula 1 Land Speed Record at the Bonneville Salt Flats in October.

The team aims to break the 400kph barrier (more than 245mph) with a specially-modified BAR-Honda 007 driven by South African tester Alan van der Merwe.

BAR has labelled the project Bonneville400 and has already conducted shakedown tests with a more conventional 007 on the Utah plains.

"From a driver's perspective it is a challenge because it has never been done with an F1 car before," said van der Merwe, who drove the car on the salt flats in August.

"The car is not designed to drive on the salt flats and it makes for a very different and unpredictable ride.

BAR will run the car, which will still comply with the current regulations but will built to cut down drag significantly, for seven days from October 4 as it attempts the record.

"There is a degree of madness about it," said the team's sporting director Gil de Ferran.

"When you go to Bonneville it's easy to see why people used to think the world was flat, that you could fall off the end.

"To imagine a Formula 1 car running here is bizarre, totally offbeat - but that's what this is all about."

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[Taku 0]

cool! heard about this before so its good to see they are doing it. a bit if a waste of resources, but a good promo exercise.

[Null 0]

er... why are they wasting their money like this? Aren't they going to be needing the money for their precious Jenson?

[bajo39 0]

er... why are they wasting their money like this?  Aren't they going to be needing the money for their precious Jenson? 

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BAR are not exactly known for their management prowess...

[AutoRacer5 0]

Cough Cough Craig Pollock Cough Cough

[cavallino 2]

frankly I dont see the point. everyone knows F1 cars could be doing 400 on track, though it would be unsafe and the drivers would probably break their necks with the gforces.

[nojvnof1 0]

"Cough Cough Craig Pollock Cough Cough"

don't forget Nick Fry! I've read reports that a driver in the Monza test last week broke the unofficial speed record, clocking 375 kph. He's Canadian and drives a Sauber.

[Monty 0]

I read somewhere that Webber clocked at 377 Kmph in Monza during testing.

[nojvnof1 0]

really? Oh ok, still bloody quick though But I guess it's just a normal part of life to those guys.

[bajo39 0]

I read somewhere that Webber clocked at 377 Kmph in Monza during testing.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, 400kph is not that fast.

[pumpdoc 2]

Yeah, 400kph is not that fast.

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Not for B'Ville