Rally Sweden has a unique competition within the competition: Colin’s Crest. Whoever jumps this particular crest on the Vargåsen stage of the rally the farthest achieves instant legend status. This year, a humble Ford Fiesta R5 from the support series crushed the previous record with a mind blowing 45-meter jump.
At that point, I’m not sure it’s a jump anymore. You’re in orbit. You’re circling the earth at some distance from the earth itself. That’s orbit. Your car is now a low-flying spaceship.
The jump itself was named after Mr. “If in doubt, flat out” himself, Colin McRae, however Thierry Neuville has proven himself to be a master of the jump, having smashed the record twice over the years.
This year’s record wasn’t set by Neuville or any of the big-time World Rally Championship names, but rather, WRC 2 driver Eyvind Brynildsen. WRC 2 acts as a support series to the main WRC show, with cars that are less powerful and not as heavily modified as the main WRC spec, such as Brynildsen’s Ford Fiesta R5.
According to the WRC, Brynildsen was in fifth gear and travelling at about 103 mph when he hit Colin’s Crest. Brynildsen told the WRC this of the jump:
I heard that Thierry didn’t believe that the Fiesta R5 could go that fast, but he can join me for a ride if he is unsure!
We had a perfect combination of corners before the crest and I knew that we had quite a lot of speed. I decided before the stage that if everything went to plan then I would try to break the record. I just put my right foot on the pedal and held it down. No drama!
Brynildsen beat Neuville’s previous 2015 Colin’s Crest record by just one meter. Given the car used to pull it off, though, that’s incredibly impressive.
Per the WRC, previous record holders also include submarine pilot Ott Tänak in 2012 and professional hoon Ken Block in 2013.
GIF via YouTube
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