Audi R10 TDI versus jet-fighter
- Le Mans winning car versus Harrier “Jump Jet”
- Diesel sportscar came close to beating jet-fighter
- 5,000 spectators watch one-kilometre race
Audi demonstrated once again the performance of modern diesel engines in an unique duel that took place prior the “Festival of Speed” meeting at Goodwood (England): In a one-kilometre acceleration race at RAF Wittering, the Le Mans winning Audi R10 TDI driven by Allan McNish was just narrowly beaten by a 15,000-bhp combat aircraft from the Royal Air Force (RAF).
Despite the 650-hp Audi R10 TDI being designed to start races from a “rolling” as opposed a “standing start”, the revolutionary diesel sportscar was quicker off the line and in the lead for almost the whole one-kikometre distance before the Harrier GR7 “Jump Jet” just beat the Audi by literally a “nose” before it took off in front of a 5,000 crowd.
“It was essentially a ‘fun’ race,” explained Audi factory driver Allan McNish. “But when a racing driver and a pilot get together it quickly becomes serious. To come so close beating a Harrier jet-fighter was a tremendous achievement once again for Audi TDI Power – especially if you consider that we didn’t modify the R10 TDI for this ‘race’.”