This archive report was first published on 5 October 2019.
On October 5, 2019, the INEOS 1:59 Challenge was set to take place, with Eliud Kipchoge aiming to run a marathon in under two hours. To achieve this feat, a team of engineers and experts worked tirelessly to ensure that Kipchoge's pace was maintained at a constant level.
Peter Vint, Performance Team Manager for the INEOS 1:59 Challenge, explained that an electric car was the best way to ensure Kipchoge ran at the same speed for the entire 26.2 miles. He noted that elite athletes like Kipchoge are better at maintaining a consistent pace, but running a marathon in under two hours requires exceptional accuracy.
According to Peter, Kipchoge had a tendency to want to go faster or slower at certain times during a marathon. To address this issue, a car would travel in front of the runners at a constant speed, ensuring that Kipchoge maintained a steady pace.
However, achieving this level of precision proved to be a challenge. Peter and his team discovered that cruise control systems on cars are not 100 per cent accurate, with most cars having an accelerator resolution that can only give a reading of 0.1 kph. This meant that if the timing car ran 0.1kph too slow over two hours, it could be the difference between Kipchoge finishing the race in under or over two hours.
To overcome this issue, the RML Group, a high-performance automotive engineering company, was hired to deliver precision. They chose a fully-electric SUV with plenty of space onboard for all the equipment needed for the race. Chris Francis, who heads up the Powertrain division at RML's HQ in Wellingborough in the UK, noted that the car would produce no emissions, ensuring that the runners were not affected.
