Jump jet beats Audi R10

Race sees Harrier win by a nose

By PH Staff / Monday, 10 July 2006 / Loading comments

Harrier beats Audi

Audi's diesel-powered R10 TDI sports-prototype, which won the Le Mans 24 Hours last month -- the first oil-burner to do so -- came close to beating a Harrier GR7 Jump Jet in a race at RAF Wittering.

The R10 with Scotsman Allan McNish at the wheel sped down a taxi-way racing a Harrier aircraft on an adjacent runway from a standing start in a one-kilometre race last week.

The contest, staged at the annual Family & Friends Day at the RAF base near Peterborough in front of a 5,000 crowd, ended in a close victory for the Harrier - by one-tenth of a second.

The Audi was quicker off the line and faster to 150mph than the aircraft.

But the Harrier, piloted by Flight Lieutenant Pete Keenlyside, just beat the Audi by a nose before the jet took off in a spectacular vertical climb.

"I had a practice run against the Harrier moments before the race ‘proper’ and I came very close to beating it - it was a very close run contest", said McNish.

"It was essentially a ‘fun’ race but when a racing driver and a pilot get together it quickly becomes serious. For our diesel-powered Audi, which we didn’t modify or prepare specifically for this event in any way, to come so close to beating a Harrier jet-fighter I believe was a tremendous achievement once again for TDI power."