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Heavy crash at Rally "Bulgaria", co-driver killed

Started by Dragonfly , Jul 19 2009 09:27

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31 replies to this topic

#1 Dragonfly

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Posted 19 July 2009 - 09:27

This morning on the first stage for the day of the 40-th Rally "Bulgaria", part of ERC, the crew with driver Brian LAVIO and co-driver Flavio GUGUELMINI crashed heavily on a narrow mountain road. GUGUELMINI was killed instantly, the roll-bar and his helmet broken. LAVIO is in hospital, his state still uncertain. The car is Peugeot 207 S2000.
The crew were running in 11-th place after 6 stages on Saturday.
Consequently the organizers decided to cancel the rest of the stages. This year's event was very important because it was expected Rally "Bulgaria" to be approved for the WRC by FIA.
RIP Flavio Guguelmini.

Edited by Dragonfly, 19 July 2009 - 09:30.

#2 Dolph

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Posted 19 July 2009 - 09:32

In Estonia yesterday or the day before a rally spectator was killed - he was taking photographs in a not allowed area (outside a corner). Apparently he and many others did not yield to several orders to leave the area.

#3 pingu666

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Posted 19 July 2009 - 13:42

RIP

#4 Lazy Prodigy

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Posted 19 July 2009 - 13:45

Shame. I wonder how this will effect the choice if the FIA puts WRC there.

#5 HP

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Posted 19 July 2009 - 14:27

Here some further information in German

http://www.tagesanze.../story/27884074

Driver is out of life threatening danger.

What could have been done better by the organisers is to call of the race immediately. First they decided to go continue on.

#6 VicR

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Posted 19 July 2009 - 15:12

Sad news.

#7 Dragonfly

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Posted 19 July 2009 - 16:33

#8 alfista

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Posted 19 July 2009 - 18:38

According to the picture this was similar to Michael Park's death at Wales Rally 2005. If car hits tree sideways at the level of seats there is very little which protects the crew.

#9 Dragonfly

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Posted 19 July 2009 - 19:08

Happened on a fast lefthander slightly tightening at the exit. Marks show early entry into the turn. The car hit a thick pine tree close to the road at the side of the co-driver.
Brian Lavio is OK, he could actually get back on the road and signaled to a Czech crew who were the first to stop at the crash place.
Guguelmini has been a co-driver to Basso who was taking part also and was leading comfortably. Most probably a driver error.

#10 Henrytheeigth

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Posted 20 July 2009 - 01:18

Sad. I always fear for the drivers, co drivers, and the spectators everytime a rally event is held.

#11 Nobody

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Posted 20 July 2009 - 01:43

RIP

#12 rjk

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Posted 20 July 2009 - 06:04

RIP

A bad weekend for motorsport

#13 mursuka80

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Posted 20 July 2009 - 06:15

In Estonia yesterday or the day before a rally spectator was killed - he was taking photographs in a not allowed area (outside a corner). Apparently he and many others did not yield to several orders to leave the area.

I wonder how Sebastian Lindholm,who was the driver is feeling now

Not his fault ofcourse,but it must be hard for him.What a sad weekend.

Edited by mursuka80, 20 July 2009 - 06:16.

#14 klyster

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Posted 20 July 2009 - 06:18

RIP

A bad weekend for motorsport

Aye...RIP

#15 MARVI

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Posted 20 July 2009 - 14:21

I have some photos from the place of the accident but they are too unpleasant. If you want I will show them.. God Bless You Flavio, I hope you are on a better place now :cry:

#16 Dragonfly

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Posted 20 July 2009 - 16:17

Video footage by my younger son who was there.

#17 alfista

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Posted 20 July 2009 - 16:49

Video footage by my younger son who was there.

Oh ****! Driver's side seems to be quite intact. I read that there were actually two impacts but which part was hit in the second impact?
And what tubing was on the ground? Was it really a safety cage? Was it torn apart or cut off by rescuers?

#18 OfficeLinebacker

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Posted 20 July 2009 - 17:01

And what tubing was on the ground?

Exhaust.

#19 OfficeLinebacker

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Posted 20 July 2009 - 17:04

I have some photos from the place of the accident but they are too unpleasant. If you want I will show them.. God Bless You Flavio, I hope you are on a better place now

I think it's appropriate to put them up. However, do it by putting them on a separate hosting site, then provide a link here only to a gallery on that site.

Do NOT embed the images in posts here.

That way those who don't want to see, don't have to see. Only those who want to see will click on the link.

#20 Tony Matthews

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Posted 20 July 2009 - 17:06

Exhaust.

With foam padding? I'm not so sure...

#21 alfista

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Posted 20 July 2009 - 17:13

With foam padding? I'm not so sure...

That's why I asked

#22 Dragonfly

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Posted 20 July 2009 - 17:46

The cage has been smashed and tubes torn near the welds. That's what I was told. A tube has perforated the co-driver's helmet's back side so he was found sitting as if still reading his notes. First hit is on co-driver's side against the tree with large piece of bark missing. Then down the hill the car hit another one with its back.
Part of the cage has been cut off by the rescuers to take the body out. I suppose it is this piece on the footage.
Pieces have been taken for analysis and I hope we'll know the conclusions.

Edited by Dragonfly, 20 July 2009 - 17:48.

#23 MARVI

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Posted 20 July 2009 - 20:41

I was on the place maybe 1 hour after the accident. This is what we saw ->

http://img374.images...61/p1090278.jpg
http://img19.imagesh...4/p1090280p.jpg
http://img149.images...19/p1090281.jpg
http://img245.images...50/p1090288.jpg
http://img190.images...49/p1090282.jpg

Here is the corner ->
http://img156.images...72/p1090285.jpg
http://img136.images...4/p1090284n.jpg

From these two pictures you can see that it is maybe a fault in the notes... He cut the corner very early and that made the car go outside the corner with very high speed and they crashed. Lavio had been stepping on the gas all the time to avoid the accident and he didn't use the brake because there wasn't any brake way... If he had used the brake, he would have gone between the trees and crash with the front of the car. My father is a doctor and he was a participant in the rally but he retired after SS6. After he saw the accident and Flavio he ascertained that he had a brain death instantly....

I didn't like the name of their team which is very unsuitable for a rally team... as if they had pulled the tail of the devil...

http://img245.images...0/p1090283o.jpg

I want to beg you not to share these photos to any media. We have to respect Flavio's death!

P.S. This is a photo when Flavio was Basso's codriver
http://img9.imagesha...092/t1basso.jpg

Edited by MARVI, 20 July 2009 - 20:51.

#24 ItisI

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Posted 20 July 2009 - 21:34

I was on the place maybe 1 hour after the accident. This is what we saw ->

http://img374.images...61/p1090278.jpg
http://img19.imagesh...4/p1090280p.jpg
http://img149.images...19/p1090281.jpg
http://img245.images...50/p1090288.jpg
http://img190.images...49/p1090282.jpg

Here is the corner ->
http://img156.images...72/p1090285.jpg
http://img136.images...4/p1090284n.jpg

From these two pictures you can see that it is maybe a fault in the notes... He cut the corner very early and that made the car go outside the corner with very high speed and they crashed. Lavio had been stepping on the gas all the time to avoid the accident and he didn't use the brake because there wasn't any brake way... If he had used the brake, he would have gone between the trees and crash with the front of the car. My father is a doctor and he was a participant in the rally but he retired after SS6. After he saw the accident and Flavio he ascertained that he had a brain death instantly....

I didn't like the name of their team which is very unsuitable for a rally team... as if they had pulled the tail of the devil...

http://img245.images...0/p1090283o.jpg

I want to beg you not to share these photos to any media. We have to respect Flavio's death!

P.S. This is a photo when Flavio was Basso's codriver
http://img9.imagesha...092/t1basso.jpg

Amen mate, thanks for sharing ...

#25 Tifoso05

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Posted 20 July 2009 - 21:38

R.I.P Flavio

#26 OfficeLinebacker

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Posted 21 July 2009 - 13:42

With foam padding? I'm not so sure...

Oh that was padding? I thought it was like a muffler, but it was painted black.

#27 OfficeLinebacker

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Posted 21 July 2009 - 13:44

I didn't like the name of their team which is very unsuitable for a rally team... as if they had pulled the tail of the devil...

http://img245.images...0/p1090283o.jpg

Jesus! that's not the name of some stupid energy drink?

#28 MARVI

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Posted 21 July 2009 - 14:18

And what tubing was on the ground?

I think this is the rollcage which is near to the helmet... See the picture below ->

Posted Image

What about the energy drink, I don't know if "Brain Damaged" is an energy drink, because I can't find such in the Internet but I really think that this is very unsuitable name for a rally team... Unfortunately Flavio got a real brain damage :cry:

Edited by MARVI, 21 July 2009 - 17:02.

#29 Dragonfly

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Posted 21 July 2009 - 15:51

A farewell from rally fans in Bulgaria.

Edited by Dragonfly, 21 July 2009 - 16:00.

#30 HP

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Posted 23 July 2009 - 00:03

Regarding the "Brain Damaged" label,

This is Brian Lavio's own promoting company. (Promoting sports events amongst others)

http://www.moneyhous...4.010.883-8.htm

If you open the pdf link near the bottom, you'll find his name there as the owner.

Edited by HP, 23 July 2009 - 00:09.

#31 Dragonfly

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Posted 23 July 2009 - 00:33

Thanks for the find, HP.
Still, a weird name for a company.

#32 HP

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Posted 23 July 2009 - 01:18

Thanks for the find, HP.
Still, a weird name for a company.

Maybe Lavio is Enimem fan?

But as a Swiss myself, I could image where the name comes from. My father often called me "Hirnverbrannt" (roughly meaning brain burned, the Swiss version of "brain damaged", or being an idiot) for riding motorcycles. It's not uncommon that when we do something that looks risky to others, someone calls them "hirnverbrannt". Driving a rallye car would strike many Swiss as that, being brain damaged. And sometimes folks even adopt the name they are being called just to defy other people. In some cases people have become famous just because of that.

As a company name, in Switzerland it should be OK. He'll only lose customers that would be a pain to deal with anyway. But he'll get more alternative customers, which don't trust the establishment.

Anyhow, self-deprecating names are part of our culture. However on an international stage, I agree it's not a good name. And in light of the sport he is invovled and that unfortunate accident, even less so.