Monday 10th October 2011

Racer Escapes Bathurst Fireball

David Besnard emerges unhurt after dramatic Mount Panorama accident

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Aussie touring car racer David Besnard escaped unhurt from a terrifying crash at last weekend's Bathurst 1000 when his Ford Falcon was engulfed in flames.

Besnard crashed into the wall at Griffiths Bend on the Mount Panorama circuit after brake problems on the 112th lap of the race and was trapped in the vehicle as it was engulfed in flames from a ruptured fuel tank.

Amazingly, the 34-year-old racer managed to free himself as soon as the marshals had managed to control the flames.

"As soon as I hit the brakes and realised there was nothing, I knew it was going to be big," Besnard told Australian paper The Courier Mail. "All of a sudden I was surrounded by flames, and I knew I just had to get out. Our race suits are meant to give us a minute or two, but you don't want to push it. The marshals did such a great job and it's because of them we can have races like this."

 

 

[Benbay001]

Wow, impressive stuff!
Great response by the marshalls too.

[Fastra]

Yep - top work there from the Marshalls, they quickly stopped that getting a lot worse!

[Rumblestripe]

As the camera pans away you can see the flames spreading towards the car. The response from the marshals is excellent, note how they extinguish the fire around the car and driver to give him time to escape and reduce any risk of injury. Well done sirs!

[jayfish]

Goodness gracious!

[JonnyFive]

Excellent Marshalling! Definitely saved that driver from something nasty.

[TonyHetherington]

Blimey - marshalls were prompt on the scene there (under great risk to themselves as well, let's not forget - not only because of the flames, but cars still 'racing'. His safety equipment did it's job too - great to see him walk out quite so easily!

[off_again]

Wow - I guess this is a racing drivers worst nightmare! It just goes to show how far race car design has come in that these occurrences are so rare! But V8 Supercars, two in one season? Wow, how unlucky!

I love the V8's and would hate to see them strangled by safety concerns.

[SeeFive]

Totally brilliant and selfless marshals.

Those guys really deserve some serious recognition for going on to a live track, their position obscured by fire and seemingly putting out a fuel fire with quite limited resources.

[RB Will]

I wonder what started that fire then? Normally cars crash and burst into flames but that crashed then sat there then flames way from the car.

[DanDC5]

RB Will said:

I wonder what started that fire then? Normally cars crash and burst into flames but that crashed then sat there then flames way from the car.

I wondered this when I was watching it, I can only guess some debris from the car created a spark as it went skimming across the ground.

[SmoothCriminal]

Bloody hell that fuel goes everywhere, it's even on the lens of the camera!.

[covboy]

Notice from one of the long shots looking from further up the track – It looks like the TV cameraman nearest the crash had “vacated” his position – sensible bloke !

[EDLT]

Didn't another Aussie V8 burst into flames earlier this year?

Maybe a redesign is in order.

[vrooom]

Very good marshalling, but i wonder why it takes so long for driver to get out ?

[Maldini35]

Great work from the marshals.

They are the ultimate enthusiasts. If it weren't for them none of us could go racing.

Top fellas

[Mini1275]

This also happened earlier in the year:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?nomobile=1&v=dR5k...

It's awful seeing a car go up in flames whilst a driver is still in there.

It makes me feel sick, thankfully the marshalls did a good job .

[JonnyFive]

vrooom said:

Very good marshalling, but i wonder why it takes so long for driver to get out ?

Aren't they 6 point harnessed in, with a full cage and big bucket seats? Was less than 30 seconds?

[vrooom]

ahh 6 point, and harness and that windows netting. mmm fair enough.

[JonnyFive]

vrooom said:

ahh 6 point, and harness and that windows netting. mmm fair enough.

I also reckon he might be abit dazed from hitting the barrier at that speed too

[BennettRacing]

WELL DONE TO THE MARSHALS, GREAT RESPONSE!