Racer Zef Eisenberg killed after crashing Porsche in world record attempt

Racing enthusiast and businessman Zef Eisenberg died after crashing a Porsche 911 Turbo at 200mph during a world record attempt at Elvington Airfield, near York, The Sun reported, citing an inquest in Northallerton. The 47-year-old was trying to break a speed record in his ‘extensively modified’ Porsche while finishing the last attempt of the day, on October 1 2020.

As he was finishing the attempt, his customised vehicle overturned at high speed and he suffered multiple traumatic injuries, dying at the scene, in front of his wife. It is believed that he may have started braking too soon while attempting the speed record, in the moments before he died.

The hearing was told that Eisenberg had asked for a braking parachute, designed to slow the car down, which was fitted to the vehicle as he created his own modified vehicle, and a statement from race marshal Graham Sykes said that the racing enthusiast had successfully used it throughout the day. But on the final run, as the parachute was deployed, "the car began to lift as though air had got under it".

Sykes added that he believes Eisenberg had "got the sequence wrong" and applied the brakes before the parachute had fully deployed. Thus, leading to the car becoming "unstable" and losing control, in turn overturning at high speed. ": “Sadly I feel driver error caused this tragic accident," Sykes added.

The inquest was also told that Eisenberg was a "well known and much respected driver within British motorsports" and that his death was a "truly tragic incident". He wanted to drive the world's fastest Porsche motor car and wished for it to be recorded.

Eisenberg had already survived Britain's fastest motorcycle crash at the same airfield in 2016 when his turbine-powered motorbike failed to stop at the end of the runway, breaking bones in his legs and pelvis. He had to learn to walk again.