2 young guys killed in Austrian Alps racing. Came off a clif

2 young guys killed in Austrian Alps racing. Came off a clif

Author
Discussion

Toltec

7,159 posts

222 months

Friday 24th July 2015
quotequote all
It is a great road to drive, however even when driving well within your own limits you are conscious that a mechanical failure will probably kill you.

I do feel sorry for their families, maybe part of getting older is realising taking risks affects more than just your own future.

JohnoVR6

690 posts

211 months

Friday 24th July 2015
quotequote all
That is an absolute mess eek

The Alpine routes I've done are great fun, but some of the drops you encounter are terrifying. 1000ft is a long way to be falling and that was something that always played in the back of my mind when driving them...

If the car was a Seat, then going off the rear lights on the Daily Mail link, it looks like it was this shape Leon to me...with the same Pro.Race wheels;


NickGibbs

1,247 posts

230 months

Friday 24th July 2015
quotequote all
I hope news sites will drop the 'illegal race' element of the stories. Judging from the Great Rally's website, it was meant to be a fun jaunt rather than a timed event, even if it turns out the crash was the result of stupidity on a tricky road.
But that'll be too much to ask, especially of the Mail.

MarshPhantom

9,658 posts

136 months

Friday 24th July 2015
quotequote all
Blaster72 said:
el romeral said:
Can't make out what it is but doesn't look like a Porsche

It's a Seat Leon according to the Grauniad article above.

bobbo89

5,151 posts

144 months

Friday 24th July 2015
quotequote all
Definately a Leon


sb-1

3,315 posts

262 months

Friday 24th July 2015
quotequote all
Regardless of the circumstances,condolences to the families of the guys.....RIP.

SuperchargedVR6

3,138 posts

219 months

Friday 24th July 2015
quotequote all
Anyone recognise those tyres? They don't look like a premium brand. Maybe they ran out of grip?

KTF

9,788 posts

149 months

Friday 24th July 2015
quotequote all
SuperchargedVR6 said:
Maybe they ran out of grip?
More like talent.

SirSquidalot

4,039 posts

164 months

Friday 24th July 2015
quotequote all
Tragic, but could have been completely avoided. Talent runs out before grip.

NickGibbs

1,247 posts

230 months

Friday 24th July 2015
quotequote all
Or something could have bust. There's a reason so many car companies use Grossglockner for testing. It's properly tough on cars

JuniorD

8,616 posts

222 months

Friday 24th July 2015
quotequote all
The Austrian article says the younger (22) of the two guys in the Leon was driving and the 42 year old driver of the Porsche was a few minutes behind. When the Porsche driver didn't see the two Leon guys later at the meeting point, and couldn't reach them by phone and didn't see them at the hotel, he contacted the rally organizer. When he saw the police helicopter later on he contacted the police.

paulyv

1,017 posts

122 months

Friday 24th July 2015
quotequote all
One wonders if the 'rally' handle of this organised jaunt is what has led some to believe it was a race. Time will tell, but it must have been a driving holiday which the young fellas would have been very excited about, as we all are when we take our cars abroad. All rather sad that it ended in this way.

nurseholliday

173 posts

191 months

Friday 24th July 2015
quotequote all
SuperchargedVR6 said:
Anyone recognise those tyres? They don't look like a premium brand. Maybe they ran out of grip?
Toyo R1R
Pretty decent tyre, one below the R888 in Toyo's lineup I think

GrumpyTwig

3,354 posts

156 months

Friday 24th July 2015
quotequote all
SuperchargedVR6 said:
Anyone recognise those tyres? They don't look like a premium brand. Maybe they ran out of grip?
These.

http://www.toyo.co.uk/tire/pattern/proxes-r1r

JuniorD

8,616 posts

222 months

Friday 24th July 2015
quotequote all
Austrian Article does say it wasn't a timed event

Spy

1,302 posts

206 months

Friday 24th July 2015
quotequote all
So sad. It sounds like either their car or their ability may have let them down.

It reminds me of an accident a close friend had many years ago.

He was driving a bog standard Escort and thought he could keep up with a Golf GTi. The GTi took the corner but his Escort ended up wrapped around a tree, with the back passengers being sucked out of the rear window and ending up the river next to the road. Luckily, by luck or God's will, they all survived albeit with injuries.

I did the Alpine roads a couple of years ago and I have to say that some of them are pretty scary. Some were narrow with no visibility round corners and no run off between you and the drop.

marcosgt

11,011 posts

175 months

Friday 24th July 2015
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Grossglockner is a private, well surfaced road, but it's not place to be driving fast (lots of hairpins, drops with no or limited barriers and when we went lots of cyclists descending faster than cars!).

Obviously it's very sad and I can't imagine what happened, but descending any mountain pass (Ok it's not a pass, as it's a cul-de-sac, but it's like one) is a killer on brakes if you're driving quickly.

Going up, well, I guess a bend could tighten unexpectedly and surprise the driver.

Condolences to the families, sad loss for them whatever the circumstances.

M

Bungleaio

6,324 posts

201 months

Friday 24th July 2015
quotequote all
I've been on a driving tour, it was very well organised and there was no pressure to do anything you don't want to but the guys at the front certainly liked to go quite quickly.

BrightYellowTVR

1,257 posts

266 months

Friday 24th July 2015
quotequote all
RIP to the people concerned and thinking of the families.

andrewparker

7,899 posts

186 months

Friday 24th July 2015
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Thread on seatcupra.net suggest they know who it was. Understandably they want it kept quiet for now.