Speed ​​Records

Motor racing is also an opportunity to establish numerous speed records. These are indicative of technical progress, including the suspension or steering. They convey the image of the manufacturer, so the races records are often used as promotional advertising for brands automobiles. In addition, the combustion engine is not the preferred way to achieve significant speed defenders steam engines or electric wanting to prove that the oil, whose developments are fast, is not the only source of energy efficace.

The first timing back to the year 1897, during which Pierre Alexandre Darracq, manufacturer cycles Gladiator travels 10 km in 9 '45 "(60.504 km / h), with Triplette the tricycle. The first official timing establishing a speed record established 18 December 1898 on the road Achères (Yvelines) by Count Gaston de-Laubat Chasseloup on an electric car, the Duke of Jeantaud at a speed of 63.158 km /h. begins a duel between the Count and the "Red Baron", the Belgian Camille Jenatzy. changes four times the record hand at the beginning of the year 1899. Nevertheless, reach 100 km / h and remained a key objective particularly coveted. Moreover, some scientists at the time claimed that the human body could not withstand such a speed. Camille Jenatzy It finally won this duel April 29 or May 1, 1899 (according to sources), always on the road Achères, exceeding the to 100 km / h up to 105.882 km / h on board the No. 25 Jamais Contente, an electric vehicle very streamlined. Electricity is at the end of the nineteenth century a trail explored by engineers to propel automobiles. It is a steam car which ends the reign of electric cars. 13th April 1902, Leon Serpollet reached 120.805 km / h aboard the Easter Egg with a steam engine Garnier Serpollet on the Promenade des Anglais Nice. The last steam-powered vehicle to hold a speed record is a Stanley Steamer motor vehicle that reaches 195.648 km / h January 26, 1905 in Daytona Beach (Florida) with H Fred Marriott driving.'s bar 200 km / h is exceeded 6 November 1909 by the French Victor Hemery at Brooklands in Britain with a vehicle equipped with an engine of 200 hp Benz reaching 202.681 km / h. The last speed record to be established on a public road closed to traffic is to Arpajon (Essonne) July 12, 1924 by English Ernest Eldridge on a car Fiat Mephistopheles Special to 234.884 km / h.

Speed ​​records will never cease to be battus per vehicle less traditional. Malcolm Campbell September 25, 1924 with 235.206 km / h, Henry Segrave March 16, 1926 with 240.307 km / h, J. G. Parry-Thomas April 27, 1926 with 270.482 km / h, Ray Keech April 22, 1928 with 334.019 km / h, George E. T. Eyston November 19, 1937 with 501.166 km / h, and John Cobb, the first time on 15 September 1938 with 563.576 km / h in turn beat the record for John Cobb finally establish September 16, 1947 the last record speed with a motor vehicle explosion with 634.089 km / h, crossing for the first and the last time the 400 mph.

On 4 September 1956, the automaker Renault upsets discipline by setting a speed record with Shooting Star, with a Turbomeca developing 270 hp at 28,000 rev / min, it reaches the hands of the French Jean Hebert 308 km / h with 5 kilometers in 58 seconds. Today, the land speed record with a motor vehicle has been detained since March 1, 1997 by Andy Green, pilot of the Royal Air Force on Thrust SSC, a machine equipped with two Rolls-Royce turbofan engines with afterburners and developing more 000 hp 100, he reached Black Rock (Nevada) speed 1 227.985 km / h, exceeding for the first time the sound barrier at Mach 1,016.