Swissbeatz
01-28-2004, 10:40 PM
Formula One great Michael Schumacher has lost a race against a fighter jet.
Schumacher's Ferrari F2003-GA beat the Italian Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon in 600-metre race, but was not a match over 900 and 1,200 metres.
During the races at the Baccarini military airport near Rome, the plane had to avoid taking off and stay on the ground to win.
The Eurofighter's top speed when airborne can reach 2,448km/h, while the Ferrari's limit is 369km/h.
"It was a very interesting experience," Schumacher said after the races.
"I was glad to be here today - it was very impressive," the six-time Formula One world champion said, adding that there was a lot less pressure than when facing his arch-rival Juan Pablo Montoya.
Brutal force
The jet - piloted by former Italian astronaut Maurizio Cheli - raced on the airport's main runway, while Schumacher drove the Ferrari alongside it on an asphalt track.
The Eurofighter showed its excellent acceleration in the next two races
The jet carried no weapons and weighted just over 21,000kg.
The Ferrari weighted 600kg and had minor alterations from race mode - its outer shell was adjusted slightly to make it more aerodynamic.
Schumacher just edged his powerful opponent over the shortest distance, but the plane showed its brute force in the following two, longer races.
However, the plane only beat Schumacher by 0.2secs in the 900m dash - with a time of 13secs compared with the Ferrari's 13.2secs.
And Schumacher said he believed he may also have won this race if the showdown had not been run in the wet, limiting acceleration.
After covering the required distance, the jet went airborne and then landed following each race.
Racing cars have notched up some impressive wins racing against planes in the past.
In 1931, auto driver Tazio Nuvolari in Alfa Romeo 8C-300 beat a Caproni Ca100 aircraft.
In 1981, history repeated itself when Gilles Villeneuve's Ferrari 126 beat an F-104 plane in a 1,000m race.
Schumacher's Ferrari F2003-GA beat the Italian Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon in 600-metre race, but was not a match over 900 and 1,200 metres.
During the races at the Baccarini military airport near Rome, the plane had to avoid taking off and stay on the ground to win.
The Eurofighter's top speed when airborne can reach 2,448km/h, while the Ferrari's limit is 369km/h.
"It was a very interesting experience," Schumacher said after the races.
"I was glad to be here today - it was very impressive," the six-time Formula One world champion said, adding that there was a lot less pressure than when facing his arch-rival Juan Pablo Montoya.
Brutal force
The jet - piloted by former Italian astronaut Maurizio Cheli - raced on the airport's main runway, while Schumacher drove the Ferrari alongside it on an asphalt track.
The Eurofighter showed its excellent acceleration in the next two races
The jet carried no weapons and weighted just over 21,000kg.
The Ferrari weighted 600kg and had minor alterations from race mode - its outer shell was adjusted slightly to make it more aerodynamic.
Schumacher just edged his powerful opponent over the shortest distance, but the plane showed its brute force in the following two, longer races.
However, the plane only beat Schumacher by 0.2secs in the 900m dash - with a time of 13secs compared with the Ferrari's 13.2secs.
And Schumacher said he believed he may also have won this race if the showdown had not been run in the wet, limiting acceleration.
After covering the required distance, the jet went airborne and then landed following each race.
Racing cars have notched up some impressive wins racing against planes in the past.
In 1931, auto driver Tazio Nuvolari in Alfa Romeo 8C-300 beat a Caproni Ca100 aircraft.
In 1981, history repeated itself when Gilles Villeneuve's Ferrari 126 beat an F-104 plane in a 1,000m race.