JET CAR READY

THE BLOODHOUND Land Speed Record programme’s high-speed test campaign will be launched in the Northern Cape next week, when the Bloodhound LSR car will make its first appearance on the Hakskeenpan desert racetrack.

Senior members of the Bloodhound LSR team, including owner Ian Warhurst, driver Andy Green and engineering director Mark Chapman, and the Premier of the Northern Cape, Dr Zamani Saul, and the MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, Maruping Lekwene, are expected to be in attendance.

The Bloodhound LSR programme is a global endeavour exploiting the cutting edge of digital technologies to set a new world land speed record.

By sharing this adventure with a global audience, the Bloodhound project will help inspire the next generation to engage in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. It will also be a supersonic test bed for showcasing emergent technologies.

According to Saul, the Province has put its full support behind the Bloodhound team as it recognised the “tremendous potential” of the project.

“Local beneficiation was of paramount importance and the local communities continue to benefit in terms of employment and infrastructural improvements. However, the deciding factor was the fact that youth development and education play a cardinal role in this project. The excitement of building a vehicle capable of breaking the land speed record is serving as an inspiration to an entire generation of youngsters and reigniting an interest in science and technology. And our children will have the incredible opportunity of being part of history in the making,” Saul said.

The Bloodhound project has also played a pivotal role in the destination marketing efforts of the Northern Cape by drawing global attention to a very remote part of South Africa’s largest province.

The Province has been promoting itself as a premier destination for extreme sports and outdoor adventure and this high-octane adventure has definitely highlighted this positioning.

In addition, it has also given the Province the opportunity to showcase its tourism potential and the diversity of experiences to be enjoyed in the area surrounding Hakskeenpan.

The pan lies in the heart of the Kalahari Red Dune Route and visitors are encouraged to explore the fascinating offerings of this diverse region, which offers something for any type of traveller whether looking for luxury, adventure, culture or family fun.

The high-speed test programme is a closed event running from mid-october to mid-november.