- The hypercar was testing an experimental aerodynamic setup when it suddenly lost downforce.
- Hennessey wants to set a new production car top speed record with the Venom F5 this year.
- There’s no word on how much damage the car sustained.
John Hennessey has revealed that a Venom F5 being tested by the manufacturer at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center crashed during high-speed testing at the start of the month. Fortunately, no one was injured in the crash.
In February, the founder of Hennessey said it was determined to set a new production car top speed record this year, eclipsing the 300 mph (482 km/h) mark in two different directions, a feat never achieved before in a road car. At the time, Hennessey said it had the car for the test and had also picked a driver, meaning all it had to do was find an appropriate location to perform the high-speed runs.
Watch: Hennessey Pours Gas On The Fire To Reach 300 MPH
Hennessey has used the Shuttle Landing Facility for many years, but it’s not long enough to exceed 300 mph. In an Instagram post about the recent crash, the company said the Venom F5 “performed strongly” and accelerated from 0-250 mph (402 km/h) in under 4,000 feet. A new experimental aerodynamic setup was being tested at the time, but at high speed, the car lost downforce, and the driver lost control.
No information has been provided on how quickly the car was traveling at the time of the crash, nor how much damage the car sustained. What we do know is that the test driver walked away without injury. John Hennessey added the “team will evaluate the aerodynamic data to determine the root cause of the issue.”
“I am very grateful to our team of engineers and technicians who have designed and built an amazingly strong vehicle,” he added. “We are also very thankful to the first responders and staff at KSC for their quick response to ensure everyone’s safety.”
It’s uncertain if the incident will slow Hennessey’s pursuit of the 300 mph barrier, but time is of the essence if Hennessey wants to be the first to exceed this figure in two different directions. Earlier this year, Christian von Koenigsegg expressed hope his firm could go for the production car top speed record with the Jesko Absolut this year. Koenigsegg added that it is also looking for a stretch of road long enough to conduct the top-speed run.
