Hovercraft racing – the world’s most extreme sport?
Published on Apr 18, 2023 at 2:44 PM (UTC+4)
by Kate Bain
Last updated on Apr 24, 2023 at 5:59 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
This is hovercraft racing and it might just be the world’s craziest sport.
These machines can reach 80 miles per hour and go from 0-60mph in just four seconds.
But what makes this sport even crazier is the fact these machines don’t have brakes, so drivers are sending it 100 percent of the time.
Watch them in action here!
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Also known as an Air-Cushion Vehicle (ACV), hovercrafts are designed and built to traverse almost any kind of terrain including land, water, mud, and even ice.
This isn’t just a crazy backyard game you’ll find in the deep dark corners of YouTube, hovercraft racing is a totally legit sport.
In fact, there is a World Hovercraft Championship held each year and it hosts racers from right across the globe.
Just like with car racing, hovercraft racing is split into various classes.
There’s the Formula J, Formula 25, and Formula 1.
Formula J is the junior race for children 18 years and under.
In Formula 25, machines are limited to 25 horsepower so it’s fair across the board.
Meanwhile, Formula 1 is a totally different ball game.
Formula 1 has no limits on the size or even number of engines on your machine, so it’s basically a green light for racers to modify their hovercrafts however they want and push them to the extreme.
How do they work?
Hovercrafts are a boat, airplane, and helicopter all rolled into one.
The hovercraft works by trapping a cushion of air underneath it and floating on top of it.
The air cushion then holds the hovercraft slightly above land, meaning it can almost fly above whatever surface it’s racing on.
Footage of hovercraft racing has gone viral online and for very good reason.
It’s fast-paced, chaotic, and definitely not for the faint of heart.
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Kate is Lead Editor, overseeing coverage across automotive, tech, and lifestyle content on the site. She has more than 10 years’ experience as a journalist and news editor, having worked across a range of major publications including News Corp, Daily Mail Australia, and Sky News. Kate holds a Bachelor of Business Management from University of Queensland and a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism from Queensland University of Technology. She has been with Supercar Blondie since 2020 and played a key role in establishing supercarblondie.com as a leading automotive news destination.
