2 replies to this topic

[Gosfield54]

Just flicking through my very old copies of Autosport and reminiscing about the Springbok Series in the late 60s/early 70s. Great tracks with names like Pietermaritzburg and Port Elizabeth.
Then I remembered a tale about Mike Hailwood being hit by a water buffalo and ending up in the back of hire car with the horns of the animal puncturing the roof of the car
That's what I remember, but not sure of the real facts as compared to a boyish memory.I was wondering if anyone can remember that incident?
Also .... along with Hunt, Ireland and other such extroverts, who were the drivers that sort of lived up the reputations we heard about as colourful and flamboyant characters?
I also admired Hailwood and Servoz-Gavin, along with Jonathan Williams. What? An English guy working for Ferrari and a helicopter pilot to boot? Amazing to a schoolboy from Liverpool!

Edited by Gosfield54, 13 April 2011 - 13:38.

[Doug Nye]

Mike was in his Bizzarini, I believe - maybe Lamborghini? - hurtling along a South African road with Richard Attwood when some kind of cow/bull/buffalo stepped onto the road ahead and Mike promtply torpedoed it at high speed. Mike was cut and battered in the impact, Richard less so, and off they went to hospital. The car was a basket case and I think the hapless animal would never have grazed again.

DCN

[Bauble]

Mike was in his Bizzarini, I believe - maybe Lamborghini? - hurtling along a South African road with Richard Attwood when some kind of cow/bull/buffalo stepped onto the road ahead and Mike promtply torpedoed it at high speed. Mike was cut and battered in the impact, Richard less so, and off they went to hospital. The car was a basket case and I think the hapless animal would never have grazed again.

DCN

Probably slightly graized though.