14 Aug JCB Hydromax Breaks World Land Speed Record with Support from MIA Members
The Motorsport Industry Association congratulates all those on the outstanding JCB Hydromax team for setting a new World Land Speed Record, confirmed by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), with a recorded speed of 406.320 miles per hour / 653.909 kilometres per hour on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, USA.
Lord Bamford, JCB Chairman, said: “Twenty years ago we came to Bonneville with JCB Dieselmax and showed what British engineering could do with diesel power. Today we have done it again — this time with engines powered by hydrogen. This record was set by production-based engines, the same engines powering JCB diggers right now. That is the point of JCB Hydromax: it shows hydrogen works, and it works today at the highest level with zero emissions.”
Chris Aylett, CEO of the Motorsport Industry Association, comments; “Congratulations to JCB and to everyone who worked on this project! JCB has always been an exceptional ultra-competitive organisation in all that it achieves. This superb achievement reinforces the UK as being the home of world-class competitive engineering and is a result of a mindset unique to the motorsport sector. I am proud to see that several members of the MIA have contributed to the success achieved by the JCB Hydromax. What makes this achievement for the JCB Hydromax even more staggering is the phenomenal pace at which development occurred, taking just 15 months. The high speed of successful research and development in the UK’s competitive motorsport industry sets new standards in engineering, captures our imagination and, most importantly, excites and motivates tomorrow’s young engineers.”
The JCB Hydromax was driven to this latest record-breaking velocity by Wing Commander Andy Green OBE. This achievement eclipses the previous FIA-recognised hydrogen internal combustion benchmark of 185.5 mph / 298.5 kph set in 2004 by the BMW H2R. The record also marks JCB’s welcome return to Bonneville in August 2006, some 20 years after the company’s successful Dieselmax, also driven by Andy Green, established the FIA world diesel land speed record of 350.092 mph.
The JCB Hydromax has undoubtedly set an important marker in the world of motorsport and beyond – hydrogen technology is now at the cutting edge of competition.
MIA member, Ricardo, shared this comment from their CEO- Jason Oms O’Donnell: “We’re over the moon at Ricardo with this achievement. That this feat goes from initial conversation to smashing the world record in little over 12 months, is a testament to the minds and hours that the JCB Hydromax teams have put in. A well-deserved congratulations to JCB, the Ricardo, team who worked tirelessly to support with engine development, and our friends at Prodrive.”
MIA member, Prodrive’s Chairman- David Richards said; “Everyone involved, from JCB, Ricardo, and Prodrive, should be proud of what has been accomplished. The achievement reflects the successful integration of multiple technical systems into a highly specialised vehicle, while demonstrating the value of motorsport engineering expertise in one of the world’s most challenging automotive environments.”
MIA member, AP Racing shared: “AP Racing is proud to be the braking supplier for this record-setting project, providing the high-performance braking technology required to deliver confidence, precision, and control at extreme speeds. Congratulations to the entire JCB Hydromax team, we’re proud to be part of this remarkable engineering challenge.”
President of the FIA, H.E. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, said: “This is a truly historic milestone for motorsport showcasing how innovation, performance, speed, and sustainability can go hand in hand. Motorsport has always been a catalyst for technological progress pushing the boundaries of what is possible. This new land speed record continues this tradition, showcasing the potential of hydrogen combustion for the future of sustainable mobility.”
