Motoring
A brief history of land speed records
Get up to speed with the fastest people of their time with this handy infographic.
Up until 1935, world land speed records were mostly set on beaches or in deserts until Bonneville Salt Flats in the USA became the venue of choice.
Stretching over 30,000 acres near the Utah/Nevada border, the barren landscape made of thick crusty salty soil, which looks like snow, played host to nearly all the records set, up until 1970.
The current land speed record in a car was set at Black Rock Desert in the USA in the late '90s and remains unbroken over 20 years later.
Land speed record-breaking attempts are still being made on the dazzling white plain and Red Bull returned to the Bonneville Salt Flats to film the latest batch:
1 min
The people of Bonneville Speed Week
Looking at the festival through the eyes of participants and fans. Featuring: Sam Sunderland, Dougie Lampkin, Mad Mike Whiddett, Sebastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans.
To celebrate, we've put together a potted history of land speed records from the very beginning to the present day.
A brief history of land speed records
© Oli Pendry
