Corvette Z06 vs Gravity-defying Man in Wingsuit Isn’t Your Average Race
Corvette Z06 vs Gravity-defying Man in Wingsuit Isn’t Your Average Race
Which is faster – a free falling man, or a Corvette Z06 carving up one of the world’s most famous roads?
By now, you’ve seen just about every comparison test, head-to-head showdown, and straight up drag race you can possibly see. We just love to watch cars like the Corvette Z06 take on pretty much all comers to see who comes out on top. And with each passing video or article, we’ve got a fresh source of bragging rights for the break room water cooler debate. But this test, conducted by Chevrolet Europe, isn’t your typical study. Not by a long shot.
Like something straight out of a Top Gear segment, this particular videos pits a Corvette Z06 against world-class wingsuit flyer Jokke Sommer. And you won’t find just some average Joe behind the wheel of the Corvette, either. Today’s hot shoe is none other than Oliver Gavin, 5-time winner of 24 Hours of Le Mans. So in a true test of man versus machine (or man versus man in different machines?), the stage is set for a pretty exciting clip.
The setting for this unique competition isn’t your typical race track, either. Rather, it takes place 1,948 meters above sea level on the snow-capped Klaussen Pass in Uri, Switzerland. At first glance, you might think that the wingsuit holds a few advantages here. Sommer’s path is straight down, whereas Gavin must deal with a number of sharp corners. Plus, he’s got gravity on his side.
But it’s nothing that the Corvette Z06 (and the right driver) can’t handle. Banging through the gears and sliding around some pretty perilous corners, Gavin makes this legendary road look like child’s play. For a brief minute, Sommer flies by the “Vette at high speed, but things slow down when he deploys the parachute. And that’s the only window Gavin needs to claim yet another victory for the machine. Though we’d argue that it takes the right man to make it happen!
