Who is Zef Eisenberg and how did the Maximuscle founder and motorbike racer die at RAF Elvington in Yorkshire?

The businessman died in 2020 at a North Yorkshire airfield while attempting a British land speed record.

He was 47-years-old.

An coroner's court inquest is being held today (Wednesday 18) in Northallerton.

Who was Zef Eisenberg?

Eisenberg was born in 1973 in Merton, south London.

He started work in a health food shop after leaving school and qualified as a gym instructor specialising in nutrition.

At the same time he went to a design and technology college in Barnet.

Eisenberg said he was "self-taught" in the world of engineering.

He founded the Maximuscle in 1995, which was bought by GlaxoSmithKline for £162 million in 2011 and later Krüger in 2018.

Other business ventures included Maxicorp which is a property investment and engineering company.

The engineering arm builds high-speed vehicles and designed the Eisenberg V8, the world's smallest and lightest V8 engine motorbike

Racing career

Eisenberg ran the Madmax Race Team, which attempts speed records with motorbikes and cars.

It has more than 50 land speed, British, world, and Guinness records to its name.

Eisenberg himself held many Guinness World Records for his racing.

These included the Guinness World Record for the fastest turbine-powered motorbike at 225.4 mph, naked motorbike (no fairing) in Britain also at 225.4 mph and the world land-speed record for the same motorbike, with a 1 way peak top speed of 234.01 mph, achieved in May 2018

He also held the world record for the fastest turbine-powered streetfighter at 231 mph, fastest sand speed record ever achieved by a wheel-powered vehicle at 210.332 mph at Pendine Sands and as of 2019, he was the only person in history to have achieved over 200 mph on bike and car at Pendine, and a flying mile record in bike and car in Britain.

2016 crash at Elvington Airfield

Eisenberg crashed on a motorbike at 234 mph at Elvington Airfield on September 18, 2016.

Eisenberg was competing on the Mad Max Turbine, a gas turbine engined motorcycle, at the Straightliners ‘Top Speed’ event.

He was airlifted to Leeds General Infirmary.

Eisenberg broke 11 bones in the crash, including his pelvis, hip and femur.

Elvington Airfield was the scene of a crash involving former Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond in 2006.

The privately-owned venue, which is an active airfield, is also a facility for driving, driver training, filming and other testing purposes for professional organisations.

2020 crash and his death

Eisenberg was killed while attempting to break the British land speed record at Elvington Airfield on Thursday, October 1.

At the time, North Yorkshire Police said in a statement: "Shortly after 4.30pm on 1 October 2020 we were called to a serious vehicle incident at Elvington Airfield near York.

"The incident occurred during a British Land Speed record attempt and the driver, 47 year-old Zef Eisenberg tragically died at the scene."

A statement released on behalf of his family said: “Known for the enthusiasm that he applied to each of his projects, Eisenberg injected his positivity into everyone he came into contact with.

“They, in turn, were left feeling upbeat and in an enlightened mood.

“His family have described him as a ‘true genius with unique talents’.

“Eisenberg leaves behind a loving partner Mirella D’Antonio and two children.

“His parents and four siblings all adored him and followed his progress with great admiration.

“All have expressed their great sadness and ask for their privacy to be respected at this tragic time.”