A stark reminder of just how dangerous motorsport is

Brogan

Legend
Staff Member
There was a huge crash at the Brands Hatch round of the Seat Lean Eurocup this weekend.

The driver and the marshals were extremely lucky to escape what could have been an horrific incident.


Once again we are reminded just how dangerous motorsport is.

Thankfully everyone escaped serious injury and in fact "the driver was fine (we did take him to? the medical centre for a check-up) and from the crowd and marshals just 6 people needed treatment for very minor injuries and/or shock".

A huge thumbs up to the marshals and medical staff who volunteer their time and services.
 
Wow, that could have been so much worse.

That's not the first time in motorsport that a safety fence has acted like a ramp I think that area will be looked at before the next race.
 
Not nice, glad no one was serioulsy hurt. As David Coulthard pointed out it just goes to show the dangers of having cars with different top speeds racing against one another...

Numpty :givemestrength:
 
Shouldn't there be a catch fence there at the very least? Yes it's not going to stop a car rolling towards you but it would surely eliminate some of the debris from getting at the marshals.

You have to hand it to them, they're brave volunteers.
 
fat_jez said:

You and me both........... :o :o :o :o :o :o

As I watch that, it reminds me in some ways of Joey Hand's accident at Mid-Ohio during a Grand-Am race a few years ago. He spun going through the dogleg heading towards turn 4, clipped a drainage grate just off-track and flipped his BMW M6 a bunch of times, almost clearing the catch-fencing along the outside of the course. It was a scary accident but he walked away uninjured; he was very shaken but otherwise okay.
 
I'll never complain about being a race marshal ever again! Of course, I only have several thousand women to contend with, but those guys are real troopers!
 
If ever there was a clear illustration of the "no" argument for Brands Hatch to host a Grand Prix, this is it.

Yes, motor-sport can be very dangerous, but a Grand Prix car would be travelling at roughly twice the speed at this point.
Perish the thought - but please; not the drivers, or the heroes who try to look after them…
 
Good job those marshals have a good set of legs on them. They were literally running for their lives. Unfortunately this issue of a car jumping the barriers seems to be an area difficult to fix. It seems to be more likely to see a marshal hurt than a driver these days.

A lucky escape and praise be on them brave guys.
 
Blimey O'Riley, that was nasty. That's one of my favourite spectating spots! :o

In everything the risk has to be calculated. If I remember rightly there's catch fencing on the outside of Dingle Dell/Sheene Curve, but not on the inside. Then again, I can't really remember a car coming off the road on the inside like that before. You simply can't eliminate the last 0.1% of danger or whatever.

Having said that, now it's happened, it should be reviewed and lessons taken on board. My personal bugbear with British circuits in general is bumpy grass runoffs that launch cars into the air, and often back onto the road at nasty angles. Silverstone is as bad as anywhere for that.

Finally, thank goodness everyone was ok. I hope they all had their choice of refreshment at the Kentagon afterwards.
 
"Bumpy grass" is indeed a problem. In fact it was a major factor in my first ever 'crash'.

However, this car was not launched skyward because of the grass. It was the impact with the barrier which is stronger at its base than above it. The base held, whilst whatever is above it folded a little, providing a slight angle which the momentum of the car followed. Taking the line of least resistance, it then went skyward.
 
cosicave said:
In fact it was a major factor in my first ever 'crash'

Interesting, So you're a bit of a racer then Cosicave. Care to expand as I'm sure a lot of us on here would be interested to hear? :snacks:
 
Saw that earlier in the week on the news. When I watched it I really thought - "how the heck was nobody injured?!"

Crashes like this happen for a reason, let's hope the lesson is learned.
 
cider_and_toast said:
cosicave said:
In fact it was a major factor in my first ever 'crash'

Interesting, So you're a bit of a racer then Cosicave. Care to expand as I'm sure a lot of us on here would be interested to hear? :snacks:
Please forgive me cider, perhaps I made a mistake with my previous comment. I am here to learn. I see fora as a very important vehicle(sic), perhaps THE most important; to discover feelings and understandings which people hold about motor-racing and, in particular; Formula 1.

This incident, in this thread, is an important one. This thread is about the dangers of motor-sport, and it would be completely wrong to alter its direction by becoming concerned with other matters.

Motor-sport is very dangerous, and this is all too easy to forget. Formula 1 is its major show-piece, and it is important to consider the gigantic speed difference between most other motor-sport and F1, especially when we are so ready to criticize some of the less exciting venues (me included), and perhaps to shout up for our own domestic favourites, such as Brands H.

I say this with particular regard to safety, circuit maintenance, and the many volunteers who undertake to help both, who are often forgotten or taken for granted. And I feel that this incident illustrates many of these points better than most. Furthermore, it is footage which I had not previously seen; so my reaction was perhaps, influenced by emotion.

There are heroes out there. We all owe them an awful lot…
 
cosicave said:
However, this car was not launched skyward because of the grass. It was the impact with the barrier which is stronger at its base than above it. The base held, whilst whatever is above it folded a little, providing a slight angle which the momentum of the car followed. Taking the line of least resistance, it then went skyward.

Quite so, my comment was, as usual, veering off-topic and heading into the scenery.
 
Very lucky everyone got away with that one and huuuuuge props to all the marshalls.

How many times have you seen this sign or statement on the back of your ticket?

warning.jpg
 
Galahad said:
cosicave said:
However, this car was not launched skyward because of the grass. It was the impact with the barrier which is stronger at its base than above it. The base held, whilst whatever is above it folded a little, providing a slight angle which the momentum of the car followed. Taking the line of least resistance, it then went skyward.
Quite so, my comment was, as usual, veering off-topic and heading into the scenery.

Galahad, of all the people who may veer off topic or track (sic), your swerves are a spectacle worth watching. Whilst most vanish for an inevitable mishap with the moderating scenery - a verbal rendering of the video seen here, somehow you manage to control yours to such an extent that you may be regarded as the Lewis Hamilton of fora.

- I've never seen anyone demonstrate better control. (If you get my four-wheel drift).

Now, where was I? :thinking:
 
cosicave said:
Galahad said:
cosicave said:
However, this car was not launched skyward because of the grass. It was the impact with the barrier which is stronger at its base than above it. The base held, whilst whatever is above it folded a little, providing a slight angle which the momentum of the car followed. Taking the line of least resistance, it then went skyward.
Quite so, my comment was, as usual, veering off-topic and heading into the scenery.

Galahad, of all the people who may veer off topic or track (sic), your swerves are a spectacle worth watching. Whilst most vanish for an inevitable mishap with the moderating scenery - a verbal rendering of the video seen here, somehow you manage to control yours to such an extent that you may be regarded as the Lewis Hamilton of fora.

- I've never seen anyone demonstrate better control. (If you get my four-wheel drift).

Now, where was I? :thinking:

Better not have a metaphorical pit lane accident!
 
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