Schwarz on the secrets behind a 73.5 metre jump!
Skoda Motorsport's Armin Schwarz has earned himself a reputation as one of the bravest drivers currently competing in the FIA World Rally Championship - and nowhere is the fearless German's nerve better proven than on the famous Fafe jump in Portugal.
The spectacular leap that sends rally cars flying through the air is one of the undoubted highlights of the forthcoming Rally of Portugal.
Skoda Motorsport's Armin Schwarz has earned himself a reputation as one of the bravest drivers currently competing in the FIA World Rally Championship - and nowhere is the fearless German's nerve better proven than on the famous Fafe jump in Portugal.
The spectacular leap that sends rally cars flying through the air is one of the undoubted highlights of the forthcoming Rally of Portugal.
Last year Armin took the jump absolutely flat-out at more than 180kph setting a new unofficial distance record of 73.5 metres in the process - that's nearly the full-length of a soccer pitch!
"We needed to make up some time in 2000, so I just went for it," recalled the Skoda ace. "I tested at Fafe with Toyota back in the early nineties and must have done the jump 100 times, so I know it pretty well. But last year was definitely my biggest leap yet.
"It's not the kind of thing that you can contemplate on doing in advance; everything must be feeling just right on the approach for you to keep your nerve. If the line is wrong on take-off, you can land in the left-hand ditch or, worse still, on the bank- then you are going to have a very big accident.
"Last year the approach was perfect and I have every confidence in the flying abilities of the Octavia. As we were going so fast, the landing was actually quite smooth. At slower speeds, cars have a habit of falling out of the sky with a much bigger bump."
Armin's co-driver Manfred Hiemer still has vivid memories of last year's great leap into the unknown.
"Armin knows what's possible and we had talked about it in advance; even so the adrenaline was really pumping around my body. I remember we seemed to be up in the air for a very long-time but I think it was more exciting for the spectators who made Armin into an instant hero," recalled Hiemer.
The German duo are unsure whether they will try to better their amazing long jump record in 2001. "I'd rather we didn't," admitted Hiemer. "But if someone beats our record then you can be sure Armin will try again."
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