Poll results: Should industry step in and save Bloodhound?

After stepping in to save the project (then named Bloodhound SSC) in 2018, Warhurst helped lead the team to a successful testing programme in South Africa in late 2019, where the jet-powered car hit a top speed of 628mph and validated its record credentials.

The project’s next target of 800mph+ requires the addition of a Nammo monopropellant rocket and a return trip to South Africa in 2022, with associated costs estimated to be in the region of £8m.

However, the sponsorship and support anticipated off the back of the successful 2019 tests have not materialised due to the Covid-19 pandemic, creating a financial shortfall and pushing Warhurst to find a new custodian for the project.

Much lauded by the engineering sector since its inception more than a decade ago, Bloodhound has had a troubled history of underfunding, delays and missed targets. However, genuine progress has been made since Warhurst stepped in just over two years ago, perhaps opening the door for a big UK name or a consortium of industrial companies to rescue Bloodhound and see the project through to its conclusion.