Zef to front new ITV4 show 'Speed Freaks'

Monday 15 July 2019

Multiple world speed record holder Zef Eisenberg is heading up a six-part TV series exploring "extreme, wacky vehicles, adrenaline-filled action and fantastic feats of engineering" in his bid to become Britain's fastest land speed racer by bike and car.

The ITV4 show, which airs early next month, will follow the speed racer and entrepreneur as he scours the nation to meet fellow ‘Speed Freaks’ and glean essential engineering know-how from their 'franken machines'.

Inspired by this, Mr Eisenberg challenges his own MADMAX Race Team of mechanics to take a different vehicle each week and turn it in to the fastest machine of its kind. 

The knowledge gained on his journey plays a crucial part in helping Zef and the MADMAX Race Team to build a 1200hp specially road-legal Porsche 911 Turbo. The series culminates at Pendine Sands, the holy grail of Land Speed racing where he attempts his life-long ambition to become the first person to break and hold the British land speed records on both bike and car at over 200mph, a feat that has never been achieved before.

Zef Eisenberg talks about his "speed addiction" on the show. 

The Speed Freaks show was commissioned for ITV4 by Paul Mortimer, Head of Digital Channels and is produced by Keshet Productions.

Speaking on behalf of Keshet Productions, David Williams said: “This high-octane series features a feast of items and VTs geared up to indulge anyone with an interest in cars, motorsports and engineering. Zef’s need for speed and desire to break that land-speed record is infectious and makes for compelling viewing.”

The Guernsey resident and entrepreneur currently holds over 40 land speed records, including the world's fastest turbine bike (234mph), the UK's fastest (no-fairing) 'naked' bike (225.6mph), world’s fastest motorbike racer on sand ever at 201.5mph to Britain’s fastest-ever motorcycle crash at over 230mph. 

After Zef broke the record for the fastest turbine bike, he set about trying to fulfil his ambition to hold the British land speed records on both bike and car at over 200mph.

In September 2016, Eisenberg nearly paid the ultimate price when disaster struck at 234mph during a motorcycle record attempt, riding a 560bhp Rolls-Royce jet turbine-powered motorcycle. He broke 11 bones, was hospitalised for three months, spent a further three months in a wheelchair and had to learn to walk again.

He defied doctors by racing on the anniversary of the crash on the same track, and just five months later became the first man in history to break the 200mph barrier on sand on a motorbike when he recorded a top speed of 201.572mph at Pendine in May 2018.

All images are taken from the ITV4 show.