Tesla S Plaid v 200mph F1 Drone: DRAG RACE

Summary

Matt Watson races a Tesla Model S Plaid against a custom-built racing drone from Red Bull capable of keeping up with Formula 1 cars. The drone's insane power-to-weight ratio enables it to beat the Tesla multiple times, despite Matt improving his launches. After easily beating an F1 car as well, the drone company claims it can beat Max Verstappen's Silverstone record. They aim to set up a future race between Max in an F1 car and the drone to settle the debate over which is fastest.

Takeaways

• 😲 The Red Bull drone built specifically to film Formula 1 cars raced a Tesla Model S Plaid in a quarter mile drag race
• 🚀 The drone has a power to weight ratio of 5000 hp per ton compared to the Tesla's 500 hp per ton
• 🚦 The slippery surface hampered the Tesla's launches while the drone could take off easily
• 🏎️ The drone completed the quarter mile in 7 seconds, while the Tesla took 10.5 seconds
• 😅 The drone pilot was just playing around in the initial runs before unleashing the drone's full potential
• ⚡ The drone can go from 0-100 km/hr in around 2 seconds
• 👀 The drone raced a 2012 F1 car driven by David Coulthard and easily won
• 🤔 Coulthard believes an F1 car could beat the drone on a proper race circuit
• 🏁 The drone may be able to beat Max Verstappen's Silverstone lap record
• 🤩 The power and speed of the custom built racing drone is truly incredible

Q & A

What vehicles are racing in the video?

A Tesla Model S Plaid is racing against a custom-built drone made by Red Bull to film Formula 1 cars at high speeds.

What are the specs of the Tesla Model S Plaid?

The Tesla has 3 electric motors with a combined 1,020 horsepower and 1,000 Nm torque. It weighs 2.2 tons and costs £180,000.

What are the specs of the Red Bull drone?

The drone weighs just under 1 kg, has around 5 horsepower, and a power to weight ratio of 5,000 horsepower per ton.

Why does the Tesla struggle off the line?

The wet and slippery surface causes traction issues for the Tesla, resulting in wheel spin on launch.

How fast can the drone accelerate and fly?

The drone can hit 100 km/h in around 2 seconds. It can also go from 100 km/h to 300 km/h in about 2 seconds, gaining 100 km/h per second.

Who is driving the Formula 1 car?

David Coulthard, a former Formula 1 driver, drives the 2012 Red Bull RB8 F1 car.

How does the F1 car compare to the drone?

While faster in corners, the F1 car stood no chance in a straight line against the drone. The drone hit 210 mph while the F1 car struggled for traction off the line.

What does David Coulthard think would happen at a race track?

He believes Max Verstappen in the F1 car could potentially beat the drone around a proper race circuit with corners, rather than a straight drag race.

Has the drone raced at Silverstone?

No, the drone has not officially raced or set a lap time at Silverstone yet.

What is the lap record at Silverstone?

The lap record at Silverstone is 1 minute 27 seconds, set by Max Verstappen in 2020.

Outlines

00:00

😊 Introducing the competitors: Tesla Model S Plaid vs a custom drone for filming Formula 1 cars

Matt Watson introduces the Tesla Model S Plaid which has 1,020 horsepower from 3 electric motors. The custom drone is designed by Dutch Drone Gods to film Formula 1 cars at speed, weighs just under 1kg with 5 horsepower, but has insane power to weight ratio.

05:01

🏎️ Racing the Tesla against the drone, Tesla struggles with traction but eventually wins

Matt races the Tesla against the drone multiple times. The Tesla struggles with traction on the wet surface so doesn't launch well. After improving traction and getting better launches, the Tesla finally beats the drone in the quarter mile.

10:03

😲 The drone shows its true speed, hitting 210-220 mph (340-350 km/h) in under 2 seconds

The drone pilot Ralph reveals the drone's true speed capabilities. From standstill it can hit 100 km/h in under 2 seconds, and 300 km/h in just another 2 seconds. Matt attempts to race it at speed and the drone absolutely destroys the Tesla.

15:04

😅 Tesla beats the drone in braking, but still no match for its speed

Matt challenges Ralph to brake the drone in a straight line from high speed. The Tesla is able to brake shorter than the drone. But the drone's insane acceleration is no match for the Tesla or even a Formula 1 car driven by David Coulthard.

Keywords

💡drag race

A drag race is a race between vehicles in a straight line over a short distance. It tests a vehicle's raw acceleration and speed capabilities. This video features a drag race between a Tesla Model S Plaid electric car and a custom-built racing drone. The race is central to the video's theme of comparing high-performance EVs to specialized racing drones.

💡Tesla Model S Plaid

The Tesla Model S Plaid is a high-performance electric sedan with extremely fast acceleration. With 1,020 horsepower, it represents the pinnacle of commercial EV technology. Its race against the custom drone tests the limits of production EVs.

💡racing drone

The racing drone is a specialized quadcopter custom-built by drone experts to film Formula 1 race cars at full racing speeds. With a power-to-weight ratio exceeding most supercars, it demonstrates the remarkable capabilities of drone technology.

💡traction

Traction refers to grip between a vehicle's tires and the road surface. Good traction is essential for a quick launch during drag races. The Tesla struggled with traction issues on the wet track surface which hampered its times.

💡launch

The launch refers to a vehicle's acceleration from standstill at the start of a drag race. An optimal launch involves balancing traction and power for maximum acceleration off the line. The video examines differences in launch techniques between the Tesla and the drone.

💡quarter mile

The quarter mile (400 meter) drag strip is the standard distance for drag racing. The video compares the Tesla's and drone's respective quarter mile times as the definitive performance metric.

💡Formula 1

Formula 1 represents the pinnacle of motorsports with the fastest race cars in circuit racing. The drone is designed to film F1 cars at full racing speeds, so an F1 car features in the video as an aspirational standard for racing performance.

💡top speed

Top speed refers to a vehicle's maximum achievable velocity given enough distance and road. While less pertinent for short drag races, top speed remains an important benchmark for overall performance potential.

💡Silverstone

Silverstone is a famous British Formula 1 circuit. One proposed future challenge involves racing the drone against an F1 car piloted by Max Verstappen at Silverstone to demonstrate capabilities in real circuit racing.

💡power-to-weight ratio

Power-to-weight ratio measures peak power output relative to vehicle weight. The drone's extremely high power-to-weight ratio allows extreme performance despite its small size and weight compared to the Tesla and F1 car.

Highlights

The Tesla Model S Plaid has 1,020 horsepower and races against the world's fastest camera drone built by Red Bull to film Formula 1 cars at full speed.

The drone has 5 horsepower but a power to weight ratio of 5,000 horsepower per ton compared to the Tesla's 500 horsepower per ton.

The drone completes the standing quarter mile in just 7 seconds, the fastest time for any vehicle tested, while the Tesla takes 10.5 seconds.

The slippery track surface hampered the Tesla's launches and times; a Model S Plaid has hit 9.7 seconds in better conditions.

The drone hits speeds of 210-220 mph. It hits 100 km/h in about 2 seconds and every 100 km/h jump in speed takes around 2 more seconds.

In the braking test from 100 km/h, the Tesla beats the drone which has to come to a complete stop in the air.

The drone then races a 2012 Formula 1 car, easily beating it as the F1 car struggles for grip off the line on the slippery surface.

The F1 car tops out at 200 mph in this configuration but the drone hits 300+ km/h. An F1 car with more optimized aero could potentially hit 200+ mph.

The drone creator believes it could beat Lewis Hamilton's Formula 1 lap record time of 1:27 at Silverstone set in 2020.

The Tesla initially struggles with traction off the line while the drone does not have to deal with that issue since it launches from the air.

Multiple runs are done to allow the Tesla to warm up its tires to improve grip and traction for better launches.

The drone creator admits he was just playing around at first and not using the drone's full performance capability in the initial runs.

The Tesla races the drone from a 50 mph rolling start and still gets easily beaten when the drone accelerates at full throttle.

The drone hits 100 km/h in 2 seconds from a standstill, whereas the Tesla takes over 4 seconds to hit that speed.

Transcripts

what we'll win in a drag race between a

Tesla Model S plaid and the world's

fastest camera drone which Red Bull has

had specifically built to be able to

keep up with and film a Formula 1 car as

it races at full speed round a circuit

well I'm going to find out I'm Matt

Watson and you're watching

carwow now let me tell you about this

Tesla Model S plaid it has three

electric motors combined they put out

1,20 horsepower and 1,000 420 new M of

torque this thing weighs in at 2.2 tons

and it costs

£5,000 now to find out about the Drone

let's speak to one of the guys from the

Dutch drone Gods they're the company

that have built the Drone for redball

Ralph is going to be flying the Drone

hey Ralph how are you I'm good thank you

so Ralph listen can you tell me a bit

about your drone you know stats such as

power weight you know that kind of thing

yeah so right here we have the world's

fastest film drone it's just just under

1 kg it's about 5 horsepower actually

wow 5 horsepower wait a minute if I do

the maths you've got a power to weight

ratio of like

5,000 horsepower per ton whereas mine's

just under 500 horsepower per ton oh

dear this launch is really well though

what's the launch like on your drone

it's a bit more difficult because I

first have to take off straight then

tilt it forwards then I can go forwards

it's going to be close oh you're such a

spot I thought you going to start with

it hovering in the air you're going to

start with it Landing

yeah I can't make it too easy on

myself yes come on I am in with a Chance

well do you know what I think we should

see what happens shouldn't we now before

we do though if you haven't done so

already and you like these kind of crazy

drag races make sure you're subscribed

to this Channel and hit the Bell icon to

turn your notifications on that way you

won't miss our next uploader and you

won't want to miss it cuz it's rather

special okay let's do this you good to

go your batter's all charged mine's

charged and ready to go yeah same for me

two electric vehicles racing just a

little bit different than your normal EV

drag race three

2

1 oh traction

issues where's that

[Music]

drone he doesn't have to worry about

traction oh oh he just beat me a he does

have to worry about traction cuz he's up

in the air this car can go quicker a lot

quicker it was spinning up its Wheels in

fact that's probably the worst launch

I've ever had out of a Tesla Model S

plaid just because it's wet and slippy

I'm going to have to have another go he

only just beat me let's get some heat

into these tires come on grip up oh it's

really all over the

place right I really really need to get

some heat into these tires come on hul

hul hul it's just killing the power this

surface is not great

right good I got the warning up saying

brak's too hot so they should be heating

the tires from within maybe this will

help hey Ralph you there mate here nice

and easy in the tent it's nice and dry

here yeah well that brings me on to the

problem I just had right now I'm always

full of excuses and my excuse this time

is that this surface is quite wet and

quite slippy so I didn't get a great

launch I traction issues obviously you

don't have traction issues with your

drones I'd like another go cuz it was

rather close and I think that if I can

get this car to hook up I might be able

to beat you okay well I take the

challenge so let's uh let's try

again 2

1 bit better come

on

whoa so quick this

car

where is he oh just

ahead still not

perfect it's not liking the on the

brakes come on warm the tires that was

better though I'm getting closer

normally I do best two out of three and

that' be it but I reckon you might be

willing to give me one more chance and I

think I can get a better launch let's

find out what happens hey Ralph I didn't

get the Great is launched yet again but

it is getting better obviously you want

this to be a fair race so would you mind

just letting me have one more go yeah

I'm always happy to fly as drone so uh

let's do it again I reckon if I can just

get a better like launch initial launch

better hook up I keep saying that D

let's see if it'll actually happen Let's

Race three

two

one that is

better

come on

Tesla where is he I can't see him coming

past come

on come on come

on

wo yes knew it this could just hook up

this car is so quick yes and Tesla

obviously I've got to go again but I

think now if I'm in the groove can win

this Ralph yes I add you that time mate

yes you did now my tires are warm I'm

getting a better launch I reckon this is

going to be close I'd like you to give

me another chance and I reckon maybe I

might be able to beat you again actually

the last run I just took my chance to

like get some good shots of your car

maybe it's time to show what the Drone

really can do what do you mean just give

me another shot I'm not sure I like the

sound of this Ralph have you just been

playing with me I'm not sure I want to

do this I reckon he's just been winding

me up maybe he's just trying to psych me

out come on Tesla we won't be psyched

out it's the same drone why is he so why

is he laughing at me I have a bad

feeling about

this

2

1 what the

[Music]

actual what the's that

gone that was just Bonkers I think was

just doying with me the whole time that

was on another

level gone wow so then what exactly

happened well the Red Bull drone won it

completed the standing quarter mile in 7

Seconds this this is the quickest quart

mile time of any vehicle we've ever

raced meanwhile the Tesla took 10.5

seconds obviously the slippery track

really hampered its time because the

best we've ever had out of a non-track

pack version of the model S pla is a

standing quarter mile time of 9.7

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a fair price on with the video you were

just playing with me weren't you a

little bit yeah I thought it was like

close and it was like similar speed it

was still really impressive like the

first few runs but then when you

actually show me what it could really do

having that power to weight ratio really

helps out here cuz I can just go full

throttle and it it just speeds up how do

you even control it I have the goggles

on so I see exactly what's happening in

front of it like I feel like I'm in the

Drone that is in insanely quick but do

you know what talking about the launch

you have to take off and then go forward

what I'd really like to see is what it's

like when you're just like flying

already and then you punch it okay yeah

let's try that I will just keep up with

you and then once every whenever you

call 3 to 1 go you'll go let's do it

okay Ralph coming around I'm getting up

to 50 Ralph Ralph Ralph here he is his

level right three 2 1

go freaking heck is gone look at him

[Music]

go I've got some speed up here yeah 50 2

70 290 300

[Music]

330 and that's over oh God he's heading

back down already my god I've never seen

anything like it that seemed even

quicker that time yeah so like what what

kind of speeds are you doing I was

hitting um I think around 210 220 mph wa

so Ralph what's the N to 100 km an hour

on that drone I think about 2 seconds 2

seconds to measure cuz I have to it

depends on how fast I can it up and til

it forward so 2 seconds to 100 km an

hour or 60 what about um from 100 km to

I don't know can you do 300 km an hour

that's also around 2 seconds so 1 second

for every 100 km an hour I've got no

chance wait a minute we still need to do

the brake test yeah I'm not looking

forward to this

one maybe you'll have the edge on this

one and you got to break in a straight

line right I want to go do a turn but

it's against the rules right I have to

break in a straight line break in a

straight line and don't drop out the air

and break your drone I'm going to do my

best okay good luck come on right I'm

going to get up to 100 right here we go

3 2 one

[Music]

break come on break car

[Music]

got the brakes on this on this service

oh

great whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa

whoa Ralph did I just win go go back a

bit you just came past me I know you're

hovering level with me now but I saw you

come past me a little bit is that where

the Drone actually stopped yes yes it

was so uh unfortunately you won that one

yes do you know what I didn't think that

I did win it because the way you came

past was quite slow but that was you

with your last bit of slowdown go Tesla

we won one however that drone is

designed to chase Formula 1 cars so what

I think we need to do is switch cars now

and do something a little bit different

I'm just going to head over here to find

out exactly what the drone's racing next

so have a

look it's a Formula 1 car an rb8 from

2012 and it's being driven by David

colard so I wonder how that's going to

play

out wish I put my air defenders in I'm

so deaf so we've got the Formula 1 car

lined up on the start got the Drone next

to it they're going to race all the way

down this strip here it's going to be

interesting to see what top speed the

Drone can do it's going to beat the

Formula 1 car for sure I think Dave is

going to struggle off the line worse

than I did because his rear wheel drive

but he should pick up speed and actually

get quicker than I was able to get to

down this run will he catch the Drone up

I doubt it good luck David you're going

to need

it 3 2

[Music]

1

[Applause]

[Music]

oh

that looks so cool coming down there all

right David hello again hello how are

you I'm all right thanks last time I saw

you you got beat by a shiron and you

also raced an electric radar control car

didn't you yeah that was really

impressive it beat me as well it beat

you it beat you as well but not by as

much as that drone just beat you I I

think the drone's in London it's so fast

it's so fast I mean I race it in this t

and I've got four-wheel drive slippy

surface so I got questionable launch how

was it for you well it was already

halfway down that mile straight before

I'd got into second gear and stopped

spinning the wheels so as you know a

Grand Prix car it's just it's going no

downforce so it's got no grip until

you're get getting you know above 100 km

an hour uh so the Drone well and truly

beat me on this occasion but I reckon

around a racetrack it's going to

struggle you reckon yeah it's designed

to keep up with Formula One cars it

can't do that as quickly as we can okay

so you are hamstrung by being in a

straight line on a slippy surface what's

the top speed of this car well if you

winged it out it would do 200 odd miles

hour but with that level of drag it's

probably 200 flat okay do you know how

quick he went down there 300 and

something km an hour 250 M hour did 210

mph down there so even with minimal drag

and you could have hooked this up top

speed has got you on this Wing

configuration but this is let's say a

general Wing if we were doing like a

Monza wing set up which is thinking

about it probably what we should have

done but uh given the conditions it was

no contest today okay but you're saying

you would like to try round a Formula 1

circuit and see what happens then but

with my sort of special ingredient which

is not 52y old me driving okay Max just

happen right then then there's a real

chance well maybe one day we will get to

see that thank you very much David shame

you lost again you don't look at all so

can you fake some real emotion in that

you know what I was pleased that it beat

you by more than it beat me by but there

we go thank you very much

congratulations for actually getting it

off the line I got to say cuz that looks

pretty mental yeah bit slippy Ralph

congratulations you won again thanks now

I was just speaking to David colar

didn't he was saying that you know he's

having a little bit of moan about the

traction like like you know I struggled

with traction but I don't think it

really made that much of a difference

all excuses you know you I can complain

about the headwin as well so yeah yeah

but you don't do you you want quite a

clear margin now one thing that David

did say was that he reckoned around a

Formula 1 circuit when you put some

Corners into it that Max ven in a

Formula One car would beat your drone

around an F1 circuit now I know the lap

record at Silverstone is Max 2020 it's a

127 okay have you timed this round

Silverstone I have not but I would

reckon if I go a bit Full Throttle on

this uh we could beat that in Terry wow

I think so you know what iton will be

close but yeah maybe Red Bull will set

that up until then watch this space and

do you mind if I have a quick look at

this yeah yeah wow I'd love one of these

that'd be

awesome I hope you enjoyed the video if

you did give it a like let me know what

you think of this drone in the comments

below who do you think would win Max R

Silverstone or this now if you want to

watch some other videos click on the

windows and click on the car logo

together the car drag race leader B see

you later