If the landing angle looks a little steep in the lead photo for the “flying” Mini, you’re right. That little bastard came in face first and driver Guerlain Chicherit went on a violent ride after the nose hit the ground and vaulted the car into a series of end over end flips and rolls that carried him far past the landing ramp an into a large open “runoff” area. Chicherit was attempting to break Tanner Faust’s standing record for a ramp to ramp car jump. Technically we guess he made it across the gap but the insane wreck pretty much precludes us from calling his flight a success. If anything, this makes Faust look like even more of a bad ass wheelman than we already know him to be.

Both Chad and I have spent some time with Faust since his rise to stardom in the world’s of drifting, Global Rallycross, and the television show Top Gear America. In fact last weekend at the NHRA Gatornationals Faust was there with the other Top Gear guys shooting an episode where they drove factory drag cars and Faust was wheeling a Cobra Jet Mustang. We talked to him in the staging lanes and stuff where he was clearly having a good time and as usual, came off like a pretty normal dude who really knows how to drive.

Back to this failed attempt by the Frenchman Guerlain Chicherit, we’re almost wondering if something went wrong with the car because it didn’t seem like he was able to modulate the throttle to keep the car flying on an even trajectory. Like the motocross guys who essentially use the rear wheel as a gyroscope on the flying dirt bike people jumping cars can do the same thing. Hitting the gas while in flight is a way to drive the back of the car down to keep the vehicle level. If you listen (to the bad assed V8 powered Mini!) it doesn’t seem like Chicherit is able to do any of that before the car essentially augers into the ramp. Whoopsie doodle.

Since the people who do this stuff are completely frigging nuts anyway, we’re sure that these guys will be back soon enough with another attempt. Until then, watch this multi-angle video of the wreck!

PRESS PLAY TO SEE A MINI FLY AND THEN CRASH LAND BADLY WHILE TRYING TO SET A DISTANCE JUMPING RECORD –