Outside of Formula 1 venues, the Spyker F1 team knows how to put on a good show. For a Dutch Air Force promotional event called "Full Throttle," Spyker driver Christian Albers pitted his Formula 1 racer against Captain Ralph Aarts' F16 to see who could make it to the end of a 1000-meter runway first.
The scene: Volkel Air Force Base, with a crowd of 10,000 in attendance. In one lane was a 2007 F1-world-championship-contesting Spyker F8-VII, with 700 bhp and a 350 kph top speed. In the other lane was a Royal Netherlands Air Force standard issue F-16, piloted by a seasoned veteran, with 25,000 lbs of thrust (something like 10,000 bhp), and a top speed above Mach 2. Here comes the spoiler: the plane won. But you knew that. Nevertheless, Albers led the first 300 meters, and was only beat by two car lengths. If he can pull that off in the next F1 round in Barcelona, we'll really be impressed. For video, click here and here.
[Source: AutoJunk.nl via Motor Authority]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Gavin S. @ Apr 23rd 2007 8:21PM
The video is worthless. You can't tell what the hell's going on.
BKadalur @ Apr 23rd 2007 8:39PM
^ yea, i couldnt find the race itself...
Bill Hancock @ Apr 23rd 2007 8:39PM
They do a race similar to this each year with a viper...if the driver of the viper can drive it right and not miss a shift he usually wins
Jim Sanders @ Apr 23rd 2007 9:05PM
The F-16 weighs 18,238 lb without fuel.
You think it might take 18,238 lbs longer to start rolling than 1200 lb?
18auto @ Apr 23rd 2007 10:22PM
however it's a good idea
http://www.18auto.com/
Brad @ Apr 23rd 2007 10:27PM
The article contains one falsehood, it calls the Spyker "world-championship-contesting". I figured Albers would find some way to run off a straight runway.
Steve Shickles @ Apr 23rd 2007 10:54PM
Wow... That's fast.
Pip @ Apr 23rd 2007 11:51PM
Let me guess the ending: Albers locks up the inside tire and understeers off into a gravel pit. The F-16 makes the turn.
Will @ Apr 24th 2007 12:31AM
shumi coulda beat it.
nagmashot @ Apr 24th 2007 9:29AM
the slowest F1 with the slowest driver... wow
The Penguin @ Apr 24th 2007 1:02PM
In Road & Track's Standing Mile Test the Lola Champ car was almost able to beat an F-18 Hornet over a mile and it wasn't until the last forth of the mile that the F-18 was able to pull ahead. If it was a Mclaren or Ferrari F1 car with one of their drivers, the F1 would have won.
alan @ Apr 25th 2007 7:15PM
Ha, let's see how the F-16 goes on the first bend out of the straight - THEN you've got a race on your hands!
Justin @ Apr 27th 2007 12:58PM
completely stupid.