THIS IS the cockpit of Bloodhound SSC, a supersonic car being built by a British team to set a new land-speed record by driving at 1,000mph (1,609kph). Most of the controls on the right of the driver are used to make it go and those on the left are to stop it, using a combination of wheel brakes, air brakes and parachutes. The car uses a jet engine from a Typhoon fighter aircraft and a hybrid rocket. It will be driven by Andy Green, a Royal Air Force pilot, who holds the existing land-speed record of 763mph in Thrust SSC. This was set in 1997 at Black Rock Desert, Nevada. As this desert is not big enough for the new record attempt it will take place on a larger expanse of flat ground at Hakskeen Pan in South Africa’s Northern Cape. Testing will begin there next year along with an attempt to reach 800mph. If all goes well, Wing-Commander Green will try for 1,000mph in 2016.