Has the 1997 land speed record been broken?

No. As of October 2025, the absolute land speed record set on October 15, 1997 by Andy Green driving ThrustSSC—763.035 mph (1,227.985 km/h) averaged over two runs—still stands as the official FIA world record. The record, achieved at Black Rock Desert, Nevada, was the first supersonic land speed record and remains unbroken despite several high-profile attempts.

What the 1997 record represents

ThrustSSC, a twin-jet–powered car designed by Richard Noble’s British team and piloted by RAF Wing Commander Andy Green, became the first car to officially break the sound barrier on land. The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) certified the record at 763.035 mph (1,227.985 km/h), calculated as the average of two runs in opposite directions within one hour over a measured mile (and kilometer). The car’s peak one-way speed exceeded the average, but the official mark is the bidirectional average, as per FIA rules.

Attempts and milestones since 1997

Multiple projects have pursued the absolute record over the past two decades. While some have achieved remarkable speeds or class records, none has surpassed ThrustSSC’s FIA-certified mark under the required conditions. The following highlights the most significant efforts and outcomes.

• Bloodhound LSR (UK): Conducted high-speed testing at South Africa’s Hakskeen Pan in late 2019, reaching 628 mph (1,010 km/h). The program has faced recurring funding and ownership challenges and, to date, has not mounted an FIA-certified record attempt that exceeds 763 mph.
• North American Eagle (US): A jet-powered program that ran numerous trials. In 2019, driver and TV host Jessi Combs died during a high-speed run; she was posthumously awarded a Guinness World Record for the fastest speed by a woman on land (522.783 mph/841.338 km/h). The team’s absolute record ambitions ended with the program’s closure.
• Aussie Invader 5R (Australia): Rocket-powered effort led by Rosco McGlashan. The car has undergone development and testing phases, but as of 2025 has not conducted an FIA-sanctioned record run.
• Wheel-driven streamliners (not absolute record class): Teams such as Vesco’s Turbinator II have set notable wheel-driven records at Bonneville (surpassing 500 mph in class), but these fall under different categories and do not challenge the absolute land speed record for jet/rocket vehicles.

Taken together, these efforts underscore the technical, financial, and logistical difficulty of organizing a fully compliant, two-way supersonic record attempt. None has surpassed the 763.035 mph average under FIA conditions.

How a new record would be certified

To replace ThrustSSC’s mark, any challenger must meet stringent FIA protocol for the absolute land speed record. That includes standardized timing, a prepared course, and strict procedures designed to ensure fairness and safety. The key steps and requirements typically include the following elements.

1. Two runs, opposite directions: The car must complete back-to-back runs in opposite directions to neutralize wind and gradient effects.
2. Time limit: Both runs must be completed within one hour.
3. Measured distance: Speeds are recorded over a precisely measured mile or kilometer; the official record is the average of the two runs.
4. Sanctioned timing and scrutineering: FIA-approved timing equipment and technical inspections before and after runs ensure compliance and safety.
5. Suitable venue and conditions: Ultra-flat, lengthy surfaces such as Black Rock Desert or Hakskeen Pan are required, with favorable weather and visibility.

Only by satisfying all these conditions—and exceeding 763.035 mph on the averaged runs—would a new absolute record be ratified by the FIA.

Outlook

Interest in breaking the record remains high, with efforts exploring advanced aerodynamics, hybrid rocket systems, and improved braking and safety technologies. However, the combination of extreme technical risk, multi-million–dollar funding needs, and limited suitable venues has repeatedly delayed full, sanctioned record attempts. Unless a well-funded team returns to a desert course with a proven vehicle and a locked-in FIA program, ThrustSSC’s 1997 achievement is likely to remain intact in the near term.

Summary

The 1997 absolute land speed record set by Andy Green in ThrustSSC—763.035 mph (1,227.985 km/h)—has not been broken. Several programs have come close to mounting challenges or achieved notable class speeds, but no FIA-certified, two-way average has surpassed the supersonic mark established at Black Rock Desert.

Has the 1997 speed record been broken?

The record of 763 mph was set on the 15th October 1997 by Wing Commander Andy Green and 26 years later that record has not been beaten.

Has the land speed record been broken?

ThrustSSC, driven by Royal Air Force pilot Andy Green, holds the current land speed record at 1,227.986 km/h (763.035 mph) set October 15, 1997. FIA LSRs are officiated and validated by its regional or national affiliate organizations.

Why hasn’t anyone broken the land speed record?

To answer the question of why, is that it is dangerous, and expensive, and it takes a lot of innovation and work as vehicles/tires/engines do not exist to do it so they have to be built and tested over and over. As you gain speed you need exponentially more power (literally)to get past where the last record is.

What was the land speed record smashed in 1997?

The ThrustSSC set the 1997 land speed record on October 15, 1997, reaching 1,227.985 km/h (763.035 mph) in the Black Rock Desert, Nevada. Driven by British Royal Air Force pilot Andy Green, the vehicle was the first land vehicle to officially break the sound barrier, achieving a speed of Mach 1.02.
 
Key Details of the Record: 

• Vehicle: ThrustSSC (SuperSonic Car)
• Date: October 15, 1997
• Location: Black Rock Desert, Nevada, USA
• Driver: Andy Green
• Speed: 1,227.985 km/h (763.035 mph)
• Significance: The ThrustSSC is the first land vehicle to officially break the sound barrier on land.

This video shows news reports from 1997 about the attempts and success of the Thrust SSC: 59sDriver61YouTube · Feb 23, 2024
About the ThrustSSC: 

• Powerplant: The car is powered by two Rolls-Royce Spey 202 jet engines, which generated immense thrust for the record-breaking run.
• Rules: The record was set under the rules of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), which requires two timed runs in opposite directions within a one-hour period for official validation.
• Current Status: The record set by the ThrustSSC remains unbroken, making it the fastest land speed record in history.