Bad crash in the GT race today

[lordh]

Very nasty crash in the GT race today at Brno. The driver seems to be serious, but not critical

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVFY-ic7vgM

[Norbury90]

Good grief, thats a horrible one. He's very lucky to get out of that, makes you realise how easy it is to have a very serious incident.

Not too long ago, he wouldn't have stood a chance.

[sirtyro]

Piss poor marshalling! They should of got the guy out straight away.....hope he is ok!

[BMR]

That is amazing how much the car disintegrated on impact - you just don't think they will fall apart like that nowadays.

Hope the driver is OK.

[hornet]

Looks like he caught the transition between the armco and the concrete pitwall? Horrible crash, the fire just making it all the more awful. Hope he's not too badly hurt.

[team underdog]

sirtyro said:

Piss poor marshalling! They should of got the guy out straight away.....hope he is ok!

Indeed, I've never seen such feeble attempts to extinguish a fire. In the end it took a team member to get the poor driver out! I hear he is critical but stable, an over used expression I know, but at least he's alive - that could so easily have been a fatality.

[T89 Callan]

team underdog said:

sirtyro said:

Piss poor marshalling! They should of got the guy out straight away.....hope he is ok!

Indeed, I've never seen such feeble attempts to extinguish a fire. In the end it took a team member to get the poor driver out! I hear he is critical but stable, an over used expression I know, but at least he's alive - that could so easily have been a fatality.

The extinguishers looked particularly crap as well, they didn't appear to have any preparation for a race fuel fire. Which at a race circuit is the only major type of fire you should be prepared for

[PhillT]

Horrible accident of the type that thankfully we don't see too many of these days. Hopefully an investigation following this one will mean even fewer in the future.
Latest is that Georgio Bartocci is critical in hospital. The Super Trofeo races have been cancelled at Brno following the incident.

[Dan Friel]

The equipment that the marshals had was not suitable for the fire being tackled. Only foam was being used and powder was required. The appropriate extinguishers would have been effective, but there obviously a lot of fuel.

The driver was almost thrown from the car, I can't believe the structure fell apart like it did. Not seen that on a modern race car.

[Parsnip]

The fire seemed to go on far, far too long with the driver in there.

Seems like the marshals were totally unprepared for the fire - granted, it was particularly bad, but it is still inexcusable.

Edited by Parsnip on Sunday 23 May 09:01

[Dan Friel]

This footage shows the impact of powder, fire was controlled as soon as it arrived..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eury2pnx0To&fea...

[heebeegeetee]

Dan Friel said:

The equipment that the marshals had was not suitable for the fire being tackled. Only foam was being used and powder was required. The appropriate extinguishers would have been effective, but there obviously a lot of fuel.

The driver was almost thrown from the car, I can't believe the structure fell apart like it did. Not seen that on a modern race car.

That and the fact that it looked like the bag-tank burst. Distressing to see unprotected people wielding fire extinguishers, just like back in the days of Roger Williamson.

[Roop]

Amazed at the poor safety.

1. The car hits the end of the pit wall - how did the circuit get away with a crap joint between armco and concrete not properly integrated...?

2. I could piss better than those extinguishers. Where are the big car-mounted powder extinguishers (like you see chasing up the pack at a race in the UK at the start). They should be at the start of the pitlane and on scene within 30 seconds. The poor bd in that car was buring forever.

3. Who decided it'd be a good idea to build a racing car out of bacofoil and pipe-lagging for a rollcage. It literally crumbles. Ignoring the bodywork that flies off, there seems to be no bracing at the fromt of the car. Bizarre.

[Eric Mc]

Who is the driver. I watched the quslifying race on ESPN yesterday and there was no mention of an accident.

[PhillT]

Driver is Giorgio Bartocci. He shares the #22 MIK Corse car with Fabio Barbini. They'd got pole position for the race, supporting the GT1 and GT3 events.

[T89 Callan]

Roop said:

3. Who decided it'd be a good idea to build a racing car out of bacofoil and pipe-lagging for a rollcage. It literally crumbles. Ignoring the bodywork that flies off, there seems to be no bracing at the fromt of the car. Bizarre.

No offence but dont be so bloody stupid. That Lambo will have a factory built roll cage/frame as strong as any GT car out there, unfortunately metal tubs can never be as strong as solid concrete.

[John D.]

Is it me or are there tyre marks on the track prior to the accident that suggest the Lambo was not the first car to impact there? Does seem a bit of a design flaw having the join in the armco at that point.

[team underdog]

John D. said:

Is it me or are there tyre marks on the track prior to the accident that suggest the Lambo was not the first car to impact there? Does seem a bit of a design flaw having the join in the armco at that point.

Well spotted, there are indeed. You can also see there is a tyre barrier that finishes with a gap for access, then a concrete retaining wall. The car hit the very edge of the retaining wall and clearly split apart. I presume those cars are left hand drive, in which case the poor guy took the full force, plus then was exposed to the fire for over a minute. Typically drivers in GT's wear their helmets with the visor open as well. Really horrible and I hope the circuit gets a royal shafting from the FIA.

[team underdog]

Another video of the aftermath here

http://vodpod.com/watch/3683873-super-trofeo-brno-...

It took them well over a minute to get the powder extinguishers.

[Mini1275]

Jesus, hope he recovers.