Zef Eisenberg: Daredevil millionaire businessman took hand off wheel during ‘unsurvivable’ crash, inquest told
A daredevil entrepreneur who crashed at 244mph during a bid to set a speed record in a Porsche 911 Turbo took one hand off the wheel to deploy a parachute, an inquest heard.
Zef Eisenberg, 47, was attempting to prove he had created the world’s fastest Porsche and achieve a record “flying mile” when he died at Elvington Airfield near York in 1 October 2020.
His “extensively modified” car overturned at high speed, barrel rolling and spinning end over end, travelling 500 metres before it eventually came to a stop.
The millionaire businessman suffered “multiple traumatic injuries” and died at the scene.
Mr Eisenberg, an ultra-speed motorcycle racer, asked for a parachute to be fitted to his Porsche as part of his own bespoke design.
He mistakenly braked before releasing the parachute – causing the car to become unstable and take off, the inquest found.
Jamie Champkin from Motorsport UK – the organisation which gave Mr Eisenberg the permit to take on the challenge – said the car hit the ground nose first.
“Unsurvivable” incident
Mr Champkin told the inquest: “The car became airborne very quickly, it travelled 513 metres before coming to a rest.
“The minute it is in the air, there’s no friction, apart from air friction, to restrain its speed in any way.”
He added: “Our estimates were it was probably still doing 150mph, maybe 250mph, but it hit the ground and our very basic calculations would suggest an impact force may be as high as 37,000lbs, or 218 times Mr Eisenberg’s body weight.
“This incident was not survivable in that context.”
Coroner John Heath recorded a verdict of misadventure after Mr Eisenberg died from injuries caused while “driving at approximately 244mph during a record speed attempt.”
Mr Eisenberg’s family said in a statement that he was greatly loved by them, and they “followed his progress with great admiration”.
He needed to take his left hand off the steering wheel of the modified vehicle – which was legal to drive on the road – to use a lever to deploy the parachute.
Steve Gardner, who at the time was a collision investigator for North Yorkshire Police, said the movement to push the lever forward and release the parachute was “quite substantial”.
The car was not fitted with an alternative device, a button mounted on the steering wheel.
A minimal but noticeable twitch was observed on the steering wheel seconds before Mr Eisenberg lost control.
He carried out 10 runs of the airfield that day, with analysis of the vehicle finding no faults in the brakes, tyres or aerodynamics.
Relatives who joined the inquest remotely expressed concerns about whether Mr Eisenberg was strapped in correctly using a six-point harness, which was attached to the car in five places.
‘True genius with unique talents’
Thrill-seeker Mr Eisenberg survived Britain’s fastest motorcycle crash at the same airfield in 2016 when his turbine-powered motorbike failed to stop at the end of the runway.
But he was forced to learn to walk again after breaking bones in his legs and pelvis.
The former teenage bodybuilder, from north London, made his fortune with the Maximuscle fitness brand of protein powder – which was later sold to pharmaceutical giant, GlaxoSmithKline – before moving to the island of Guernsey.
His passion for motorsport led to him presenting ITV show Speed Freaks, focusing on the design, build and engineering of extreme cars.
His family paid tribute to him as a “true genius with unique talents”.
Mr Heath said he would make a report asking Motorsport UK to consider regulations about the strength of the chassis at which point harnesses are mounted – although this was not a factor in Mr Eisenberg’s death – in the hope of preventing future deaths.
Thunderstorm warnings have been issued for large parts of the country, lasting from lunchtime until Monday night.
The Met Office says thunder and heavy downpours could cause flooding and travel problems.
Southeast England – including Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and south London – could be affected from noon, says the forecaster.
Other areas affected are mid-Wales and most of northern England, stretching up past Glasgow into southwest Scotland.
That warning is in force from 1pm – with both alerts ending at 9pm.
Pic: Met Office
Pic: Met Office
“Spray and sudden flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures,” says the Met Office, while there is also a small chance that roads and properties could be flooded.
Bank Holiday Monday has brought a grey and cloudy start for many, with forecasts ranging from 12C (53F) in the Hebrides to 18C (64F) in northern England at 1pm.
Get the latest Sky News forecast for where you live
However, it will become warmer, brighter and drier from Tuesday with high pressure forecast for much of the UK – and it should stay that way for next weekend.
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London is expected to have 23C (73F) with sunny spells next Saturday and Sunday, according to the Met Office.
Highs of 20C (68F) are forecast in Edinburgh, while Cardiff is set for sunshine and 19C (66F), and Belfast likely to struggle with cloud but still feeling warm with a maximum of 20C.
West Ham have agreed a deal in principle with Julen Lopetegui to take over from David Moyes as manager at the end of the season, Sky Sports News understands.
Lopetegui, 57, has been out of work since leaving Wolves three days before the start of the season but has stayed in England in the hope of landing another job in the Premier League.
The Spaniard, who has also managed Porto, Spain, Real Madrid and Sevilla during an illustrious coaching career, looks set to take charge at the London Stadium at the end of the season after Moyes’ expected departure.
Julen Lopetegui. File pic: PA
West Ham are ninth in the league after Sunday’s 5-0 defeat at Chelsea.
Moyes, 61, who is out of contract in the summer, has faced increased questions about his future as his team have won only one of their previous nine league games.
He said he felt “really sorry” for West Ham fans after watching his side fall to a heavy loss at Stamford Bridge.
He said: “The fans have been great but I feel bad for them.
“I don’t normally have teams who get beaten like this but we are lacking some ingredients – mental toughness and leadership to get better results, or at least not get hammered.
West Ham United manager David Moyes during the Premier League defeat at Chelsea. Pic PA
“The fans played their part and I can only say I’m really sorry for how it played out.”
Asked if he was frustrated that the club was regularly being linked with other managers, he said: “I’ll talk to the board at the end of the season. We’ll do that then.”
The Scot, whose second spell as Hammers boss began in 2019, led the club to their Premier League points total of 65 in 2021, finishing in sixth place.
The following year they finished seventh and reached the semi-finals of the Europa League.
They went one better last year, winning the Europa Conference League final, the club’s first European trophy since 1965.
In November, Lopetegui told Sky Sports News he had unfinished business in the Premier League.
He said: “It’s why I’ve said no to different countries and different situations because I would like to stay here in England. I feel like our team here is just starting and we want to achieve our dreams.
“The way the country lives football here is special – it’s the best league in the world, the most competitive league in the world, the best environment for the players, coaches and fans too.”
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