Hennessey Venom F5 test driver ‘walked away’ from 250mph crash

Hennessey has confirmed that one of its test drivers has emerged unharmed following a terrifying 250mph crash in a prototype Venom F5.

The accident occurred on 1 July at the NASA Kennedy Space Center’s ‘Shuttle Landing Facility’, where Hennessey was testing a new aerodynamic setup.

The factory-owned prototype F5 apparently suffered damage to some body panels though remained intact, while the driver was able to avoid any injury.

Details of the experimental aero kit haven’t yet been shared, but Hennessey confirmed to TG it’s been designed to allow the 1,817bhp, twin-turbo V8 hypercar to crest 300mph and beyond. Clearly, Hennessey appears to be gearing up for a top speed run.

Speaking to TopGear.com, John Hennessey said: “The prototype Venom F5 performed strongly accelerating from 0-250mph in just under 4,000ft when the vehicle lost downforce on the runway causing the driver to lose control.

“Most importantly, our test driver walked away from the incident without injury. Pushing the limits of speed, performance, and physics has never been easy. Our 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. We are also very thankful to the first responders and staff at KSC for their quick response to ensure everyone’s safety.”