The Bloodhound Land Speed Record team returned to the UK last month after successfully completing the crucial high-speed testing of the supersonic car on a dry lake-bed in the Kalahari Desert, during which it reached a speed of 628mph in just 50sec — making it (unofficially) the sixth-fastest car of all time.

However, going fast was not the primary aim; the 12 run profiles were designed to hone operational processes,
deliver crucial data, and prepare the car and team for a world-record attempt in the next 18 months.

Bloodhound LSR owner Ian Warhurst (www.bloodhoundlsr.com) said: “The global media interest around the high-speed testing has really raised our profile, and potential sponsors are getting in touch every day.

"Our partners will have opportunities to get involved in the next exciting phase of the project, as we develop the mono-propellant rocket and prepare the car for supersonic speeds.

"With the data we have generated from the high-speed testing, we are able to start budgeting for the next phase of the project, which will need to be funded through sponsorship.

“The incredible social engagement with our high-speed testing programme has proved that sponsors will see a return on their investment and be a part of history.”

The Bloodhound LSR car is currently in a shipping container, heading back to Gloucestershire by sea. When it arrives, it will be returned to the workshop at SGS Berkeley Green University Technical College and re-assembled into
its desert-specification configuration.

Norwegian aerospace expert Nammo is developing a mono-propellant rocket that will be a perfect fit for the Bloodhound LSR car, slotting easily into the vacant tunnel beneath its EJ200 jet engine. This will generate the several tons of thrust needed to help blast Bloodhound LSR into the record books.