Compared to something like freefalling to earth from outer space, Red Bull’s latest stunt with its F1 car drag racing a fighter jet seems rather tame. But as humans have been watching car-versus-aircraft matches longer than most of us can remember, the fun hasn’t worn off.
Before last Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix, Infiniti Red Bull Racing kicked off the Formula 1 season by pitting two young Australians—the team’s new number two Daniel Ricciardo in his Renault-powered F1 car and Royal Australian Air Force pilot Michael Keightley in an F/A-18 Hornet—on a runway. Needless to say, Ricciardo got smoked and thought he might get blown off the tarmac when the Hornet filled his mirrors. If anything, seeing the heat trails stream off the jet and F1 car has us wishing we’d made better decisions at nine years old, like racing go karts or centrifuge training.
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Unfortunately, Ricciardo didn’t fare any better on race day. While the 24-year-old finished second, he was disqualified after the FIA’s onboard fuel meters indicated that his car had used more than the allowed amount of fuel. Teammate Sebastian Vettel retired after his engine lost power during the first five laps.
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