17 replies to this topic

[Jimisgod]

 

Copyright: Rex Features / Getty

 

Who's this taking a scary looking approach to Eau Rouge and was there a happy ending for the driver? (No injuries)

[ReWind]

Stefan Bellof, F2 race in 1982.

[Finbin]

ReWind you just beat me to the answer. Here is another view https://grandprixins...-spa-1982/#main

[Emery0323]

Isn't that roughly the same location where he crashed fatally in the WSC race in 1985?

[Tim Murray]

The photo in the opening post appeared in Autosport's race report, credited to Bob Constanduros. As can be seen, the race was run in atrociously wet conditions and there were rivers running across the track at several places, including at the bottom of the dip after the left-hand part of Eau Rouge. This caught out four drivers during the race, including both of the Docking-Spitzley Tolemans, Piero Necchi's Toleman and Bellof's Maurer, who all aquaplaned off. No-one was seriously hurt, although Thierry Tassin was detained in hospital overnight as a precaution against concussion.

Bellof's Maurer was not so lucky. After hitting the Armco the car had ended up in a precarious position right on the edge of the track. Although there was a large crane available to lift the car off the track, the marshals chose to tow the Maurer away using a small van. The car overturned almost immediately and was towed to a safe place upside down in the mud. The race was stopped early due to the dreadful conditions.

[2F-001]

Isn't that roughly the same location where he crashed fatally in the WSC race in 1985?

Yes, he and Ickx tangled down in the dip at the left-hand entry. Ickx's car ended up roughly where the Maurer is headed, with Stefan's coming to rest just a little below where the Maurer is now.

 

 

I'm not normally one for posting links to accidents, but a friend who races Radicals highlighted this extraordinary (and thankfully unusual) Eau Rouge/Raidillon incident from a season or two ago. I understand the driver is now racing again, but it must have been a scary moment for the marshals too. (I heard there was quite a bit of discussion about tyre failures at that meeting.)

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=nyIQNM-1hUc

Edited by Vitesse2, 25 January 2016 - 12:03.

[2F-001]

How do I include a link in a post without actually including the YouTube frame and image within the post?

 

I didn't want the still from the clip or the splash screen to be visible to anyone who didn't want to see an accident.

(No oblique criticism of Jimisgod intended - it's as much to do with my own sensibilities as anyone else's)

Edited by 2F-001, 25 January 2016 - 11:46.

[Vitesse2]

How do I include a link in a post without actually including the YouTube frame and image within the post?

 

I didn't want the still from the clip or the splash screen to be visible to anyone who didn't want to see an accident.

(No oblique criticism of Jimisgod intended - it's as much to do with my own sensibilities as anyone else's)

Fixed it for you Tony. If you post a YouTube address directly into the reply box the board software will automatically display the preview. Paste it into a link box from the control panel if you don't want the preview.   

[2F-001]

Thank you - I'll try that next time!

[Nemo1965]

Isn't that roughly the same location where he crashed fatally in the WSC race in 1985?

 

Yes. And I found it rather eerie when I recognised the helmet...

EDIT: What I find eerie about the youtube-clip posted above how absolutely lethargic the guy in the blue shirt behind the barrier reacts. He is filming, probably, and believes nothing that happens on camera can happen to him...

Edited by Nemo1965, 25 January 2016 - 13:27.

[Dolph]

Yes. And I found it rather eerie when I recognised the helmet...

EDIT: What I find eerie about the youtube-clip posted above how absolutely lethargic the guy in the blue shirt behind the barrier reacts. He is filming, probably, and believes nothing that happens on camera can happen to him...

 

He could also be focused on looking/filming cars coming out of La Source hairpin and completely not see what's happening under his nose.

[funformula]

The photo in the opening post appeared in Autosport's race report, credited to Bob Constanduros. As can be seen, the race was run in atrociously wet conditions and there were rivers running across the track at several places, including at the bottom of the dip after the left-hand part of Eau Rouge. This caught out four drivers during the race, including both of the Docking-Spitzley Tolemans, Piero Necchi's Toleman and Bellof's Maurer, who all aquaplaned off. No-one was seriously hurt, although Thierry Tassin was detained in hospital overnight as a precaution against concussion.
 

 

Here is a picture showing all the crashed cars mentioned above.

http://41.media.tumb...d8iso1_1280.jpg

[funformula]

 

Yes, he and Ickx tangled down in the dip at the left-hand entry. Ickx's car ended up roughly where the Maurer is headed, with Stefan's coming to rest just a little below where the Maurer is now.

 

 

 

Here is another picture of the crash. It seems to me that the F2 cars crashed at EXACTLY the same spot Bellof died three years later.

Ickx crashed a few meters up the hill.

http://burgendeutsch...1140028_std.JPG

Edited by funformula, 25 January 2016 - 20:05.

[2F-001]

Yes, funformula - I agree.

My memory had told me that Bellof's Porsche had come to rest rather nearer to the road up to the old corner - which, on reflection, would have scarcely been possible given the cars' trajectory when they touched.

Edited by 2F-001, 25 January 2016 - 21:08.

[wolf sun]

Btw, Stefan is in the middle of Le Raidillon, already having exited Eau Rouge...(he said, splitting hairs and picking nits, in the time-honoured manner of this forum) 

[Tim Murray]

Ah, but to be really pedantic you could say that the accident happened when he hit the water in the dip at the exit of the left-hand Eau Rouge.

[E1pix]

... because the Spa sprang a leak? ;-)

[Lee Towers]

There is a video on YouTube - *https://www.youtube....h?v=2sP_F66NB6Q

Very sad.

Edited by Lee Towers, 26 January 2016 - 23:24.