London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Zef Eisenberg: Racer's high-speed crash 'not survivable' inquest told

Zef Eisenberg: Racer's high-speed crash 'not survivable' inquest told

A fitness firm founder who was killed attempting a land speed record had taken one hand off the wheel to deploy a parachute, an inquest has heard.

Millionaire Zef Eisenberg died during the attempt in a Porsche 911 Turbo at Elvington Airfield, near York, in 2020.

He may have also braked then deployed the parachute, causing the car to take off, the hearing was told.

Mr Eisenberg suffered fatal injuries in the crash after his car barrel-rolled and spun end over end.

Coroner Jon Heath recorded a conclusion of misadventure.

The inquest was told the Maximuscle founder's modified Porsche was fitted with a parachute which required him to take his left hand off the steering wheel to deploy it using a lever.


'Huge forces'


Steve Gardner, a collision investigator for North Yorkshire Police at the time, said an alternative method was to deploy a button mounted on the steering wheel, but that was not fitted to the vehicle.

"The movement to deploy the parachute was quite substantial," he said.

Footage from inside the car also showed a "minimal" but "noticeable" twitch on the steering wheel in the moments before the loss of control, Mr Gardner added.

Family members had also expressed concerns about whether he was correctly strapped into the Porsche.

But Jamie Champkin, from Motorsport UK - the body which provided Mr Eisenberg, who lived on Guernsey, with a permit for the record attempts, said the forces involved in the crash were huge, and could not have been survived.

"The car became airborne very quickly, it travelled 513 metres before coming to a rest," he said.

We know it barrel-rolled, but it had also tumbled, he said, adding: "There came a point in that tumble that the car came down nose first.

"Our estimates were it was probably still doing 150mph, but it hit the ground and our very basic calculations would suggest an impact force 218 times Mr Eisenberg's body weight.

"This incident was not survivable in that context," he added.

Mr Eisenberg had amassed more than 90 land speed records on two wheels and four


Coroner Jon Heath said he would make a report aimed at preventing future deaths, asking Motorsport UK to consider its regulations about the strength of the chassis at which point harnesses are mounted.

However, he said that was not a factor in Mr Eisenberg's case.

Mr Eisenberg, who was from north London, had previously survived a motorcycle crash at the same airfield in North Yorkshire in 2016 when his turbine-powered motorbike failed to stop at the end of the runway.

He returned to racing in 2017, despite concerns he would never walk again, and in 2018 became the fastest biker to ever ride on sand, recording a speed of 230mph (370km/h).

In 2019, Mr Eisenberg set the record for the "flying mile" at Pendine Sands in Wales.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×