120 replies to this topic

[Andrew Hope]

There's some old old threads on this topic here but perhaps discussion of more recent events is possible. But anyway:

I'm watching races from 1984. At Kyalami that year Ghinzani crashed on warmup, tearing his car perfectly in half and setting a full fuel load on fire. The car either didn't flip, or came to rest right side up, and he escaped. Had it been upside down he would surely have perished.

Anyone got more, F1 or otherwise?

[Tim Murray]

This one has always stuck in my mind:

[Collombin]

I think most people who saw a photo of Dickie Attwood's 1965 Spa wreck would assume a fatality. The same would be true of Mike Mosley's horrifically mangled car at Indy 1971, although that wasn't a walk-away.

Footage of Dick Simon's wreck at Riverside from 1982 is pretty scary, even knowing he walked away unhurt.

[jcbc3]

Regazzoni F3 Monaco 1968

[Antti Salmi]

Michael Waltrip at Bristol in 1990.

[Terry Walker]

One I remember is a b+w pic at Avus, I think, of a driver, just ejected and on his knees as his car flies over his head. Can't remember the driver...

[Collombin]

That would be Hans Herrmann.

Speaking of AVUS, did Richard von Frankenberg walk away from his crash over the banking?

Edited by E.B., 10 November 2018 - 13:14.

[Bonde]

In response to Antti Salmi's post: I'm absolutely amazed that these two NASCAR drivers lived to tell the tale, and not much the worse for wear (which definitely cannot be said for their cars!). add to that that these two shunts were right at the same spot with near-identical dynamics...amazing they didn't fix the Bristol wall after Waltrip's accident, but needed a reapeat before doing it...

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=r-r3jIgrSiY

Edited by Bonde, 10 November 2018 - 13:58.

[Bloggsworth]

That would be Hans Herrmann.

Speaking of AVUS, did Richard von Frankenberg walk away from his crash over the banking?

 

As did Paddy Alfrey when he took his Shannon F3 over the same banking, met him soon after, not bothered by it at all...

[jcbc3]

Manfred Winkelhock Nürburgring 1980 F2:

[Collombin]

I've seen a few US dirt track crash photos with the driver at a significantly higher altitude than the car that he used to be in (Musselman at Langhorne, Cassidy at Arden Downs for example), yet escaping with relatively light injuries

[messy]

Oh easily Austin Dillon's crash (can't actually remember where) a couple of years back. From what I recall, the car got airborne and hit the catch fencing, but instead of the usual dissipated energy and car being torn into shreds it hit a post and just stopped dead before crashing back down onto the track. It looked like it went in cockpit first. I was convinced he was a goner. Then thumbs up all round and he hops out.

Maybe it wasn't as bad as it looked but I was convinced it was goodnight.

[Henri Greuter]

Footage of Dick Simon's wreck at Riverside from 1982 is pretty scary, even knowing he walked away unhurt.

 

After seeing that one, and with in mind what happened with Gordon Smiley and Jim Hickman that same year, I for one am still amazed that I ever met Sick Simon alive and well on some occasions between '88 and '93.

[Antti Salmi]

In response to Antti Salmi's post: I'm absolutely amazed that these two NASCAR drivers lived to tell the tale, and not much the worse for wear (which definitely cannot be said for their cars!). add to that that these two shunts were right at the same spot with near-identical dynamics...amazing they didn't fix the Bristol wall after Waltrip's accident, but needed a reapeat before doing it...

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=r-r3jIgrSiY

Shame on me for not remembering Mike Harmon. Having another car ploughing in on your wreckage and still walk away from it is really, really lucky. No need to play lottery after that.

[Andrew Hope]

Harmony's crash was nuts.

Watch the guy in the pits throw his hands up, because there's no way..

https://youtu.be/f29gjN8NBgg

That's a straight link to the Dick Simon crash mentioned earlier. It's my go to, for anyone who says racing is too safe "now".

[JacnGille]

https://youtu.be/f29gjN8NBgg

That's a straight link to the Dick Simon crash mentioned earlier. It's my go to, for anyone who says racing is too safe "now".

I did not remember that one.

[F127]

In response to Antti Salmi's post: I'm absolutely amazed that these two NASCAR drivers lived to tell the tale, and not much the worse for wear (which definitely cannot be said for their cars!). add to that that these two shunts were right at the same spot with near-identical dynamics...amazing they didn't fix the Bristol wall after Waltrip's accident, but needed a reapeat before doing it...

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=r-r3jIgrSiY

 

He was so lucky that other car didnt hit the "cockpit" area!

 

I'll add a modern entry with Robert Kubica's 2007 crash in Canada, just the ferocity of it. I had that horrible sinking feeling when his head was being thrown around during the accident. I think the HANS device has to take credit there.

[scheivlak]

That would be Hans Herrmann.

Speaking of AVUS, did Richard von Frankenberg walk away from his crash over the banking?

Carel Godin de Beaufort did.

[E1pix]

Jacques Villeneuve's at Eau Rouge in 1999, if memory serves the year.

[opplock]

Katherine Legge's 2006 shunt at Road America looked horrendous on the TV coverage. Interviewed on leaving the medical centre about 15 minutes later her only concern was that her bruised knees wouldn't look attractive at the post race banquet. 

[2F-001]

I'm not sure if Mark Blundell's big 'hit' at the Rio CART race qualified here... that was an horrific-looking impact; he got out of the car on the his own, and stepped away but was looking decidedly groggy soon afterwards - and was, in fact, quite badly knocked about.

Not exactly a 'walk away' in the context of this thread, but certainly lucky... although the 'lucky' part is perhaps being involved in a series with modern, well-constructed cars.

[AJCee]

Webber and Dumbreck's 1999 Mulsanne flips?

Edited by AJCee, 11 November 2018 - 19:44.

[2F-001]

I don't think Dumbreck's 'flight' incident was at Mulsanne, was it? But yes, three airborne incidents at one meeting for the same team was pretty alarming!

 

Edit: I think Webber's flip was before Mulsanne Corner, before the race; and Dumbreck's much-publicized trip into the scenery was at - where, Indianapolis was it? - were Webber had had a previous incident in practice.

Edited by 2F-001, 11 November 2018 - 19:54.

[2F-001]

Jacques Villeneuve's at Eau Rouge in 1999, if memory serves the year.

Was that the year that his team-mate (Zonta?) did almost the same thing?

[F1matt]

This one has always stuck in my mind:

Was that the Schumacher Silverstone 1999 car shoddily rebuilt? It almost looks staged.

[Doug Nye]

The Laguna Seca Ferrari was certainly said to have been Schumacher's leg-breaking Silverstone crash monocoque Araldited back together again, later sold to its Dutch owner - Ferrari dealer Fritz Kroymans - on the understanding it would not be driven in anger...but I am not sure if any of this was really so... I believe he escaped with a hairline leg fracture.  Lucky chap - so far as that weekend was concerned. 

 

DCN

[Tim Murray]

Was that the Schumacher Silverstone 1999 car shoddily rebuilt? It almost looks staged.

In this earlier RC thread a couple of links were posted to the relevant chassis histories on the Barchetta site. These would seem to show that Schumacher crashed chassis 192 at Silverstone, while Frits Kroymans had his lucky escape at Laguna Seca in chassis 193:

Ferrari Schumacher crashed F399 #192
Ferrari Frits Kroymans crashed F399 #193

[JacnGille]

I'm not sure if Mark Blundell's big 'hit' at the Rio CART race qualified here... that was an horrific-looking impact; he got out of the car on the his own, and stepped away but was looking decidedly groggy soon afterwards - and was, in fact, quite badly knocked about.

Not exactly a 'walk away' in the context of this thread, but certainly lucky... although the 'lucky' part is perhaps being involved in a series with modern, well-constructed cars.

I remember holding my breath for that one!

[E1pix]

Was that the year that his team-mate (Zonta?) did almost the same thing?

Yep, though across the track to be as different as their graphics.

[lustigson]

Stan Fox at the 1995 Indianapolis 500 comes to mind. I only learned he'd survived a couple of years later, actually, although Fox had already died by that time.

 

[ensign14]

It wasn't a walk away though.  The effects continued for ages.

 

Kevin Cogan's a few years earlier though.  Car just folded around him.

[F1matt]

Hard to believe the Ferrari hasn't been rebuilt or modified in some way (maybe to accommodate for a much taller driver) the Carbon can't have deteriorated due to age yet, he is a very lucky chap to have walked away from that relatively uninjured, I imagine Ferrari wanted that back pretty quickly!

[GazChed]

There used to be a picture on TNF of Jackie Oliver leaning against a five bar gate while a mechanic ( Dale Porteous was mentioned on another thread ) looks on in disbelief at the remains of Oliver's Lotus 49 after his accident during practise for the 1968 French Grand Prix at Rouen . Sadly , like Barrichello's escape from his accident at Imola in 1994 relief at a narrow escape from a horrific accident was followed by tragedy later in the weekend .

[2F-001]

There used to be a picture on TNF of Jackie Oliver leaning against a five bar gate while a mechanic...

This one?

https://www.reddit.c..._his_destroyed/

 

Oliver's face seems to wearing a "Nothing to do with me guv, honest" sort of expression!

[F1matt]

This one?

https://www.reddit.c..._his_destroyed/

 

Oliver's face seems to wearing a "Nothing to do with me guv, honest" sort of expression!

 

 

I think he is looking out for Colin Chapman.....

[Paul Parker]

That would be Hans Herrmann.

Speaking of AVUS, did Richard von Frankenberg walk away from his crash over the banking?

 

He was saved by some bushes that broke his fall having exited the Porsche.

[LittleChris]

Giorgio Francia, Rouen 1975 F2 practice. Barrel rolled from the exit of the first curve down the hill to the 2nd curve, vaulted the barrier, took out a marshals post leaving the former occupants hanging onto the remains then dropped into a ravine. Re-appeared from the ravine with a fractured wrist .  

[Ray Bell]

That would be here?



Without the bollards, of course.

[guiporsche]

Rather than walking he had to jump on one foot, but Tambay's escape from his crash at Las Vegas 1981 (a few turns after being spun by De Cesaris) comes to mind. The footage is also interesting re. some discussions in other threads about the safety of the 1981-82 ground effect cars...

 

Edited by guiporsche, 12 November 2018 - 22:46.

[racinggeek]

It wasn't a walk away though.  The effects continued for ages.

 

Kevin Cogan's a few years earlier though.  Car just folded around him.

 

I was going to suggest Cogan -- '89 Indy 500, he got loose off Turn 4, spun down and pancaked the inside wall, rebounded to slide up into the butt end of pit wall. Car pretty much just exploded apart from both hits, except the cockpit, which thankfully stayed relatively intact. That was a horrific one, yet he got out of what was left pretty quickly. Watch via YouTube here.

Edited by racinggeek, 12 November 2018 - 23:02.

[racinggeek]

Of course, one also could suggest "Coogan" was extremely fortunate to walk away from his '82 Indy 500 crash, considering one of the drivers who was looking for him afterward ... 

[Rob G]

Johnny Rutherford's 1982 Pocono crash was horrifying, but somehow he was able to walk (with assistance) to the ambulance.

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=pflrT1n_oTc

[Rob G]

Even luckier than Rutherford was Hiro Matsushita at Phoenix in 1994, when Jacques Villeneuve T-boned his car and tore it in half.

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=uBVwaaWIDU0

Edited by Rob G, 13 November 2018 - 00:08.

[ensign14]

What's interesting about that is that the immediate aftermath of the accident was the fastest Hiro had ever travelled on an oval.

[arttidesco]

After Dale Earnhardts fatal accident at Daytona in 2001 NASCAR spent some five years developing a safer Car of Tomorrow (CoT) platform which was introduced full time for the 2008 season. At the seventh race of the season Micheal Mcdowell put the crash test theory of the CoT and recently introduced SAFER barriers to good use and walked away from this sickening wreck during qualifying for the 2008 Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

 

[john aston]

No choice for many , but this thread is really asking 'what is the best crash you've seen on telly - and which can be mentioned because the driver wasn't too seriously hurt '? 

 

From trackside the worst I have seen was a FF1600 rolling end over end about 15 feet up on Silverstone Club circuit in the 80s into Woodcote. I suspect the driver was even more surprised than I was that he left the scene of the carnage under his own power . Pre safety  car and  code 60 nonsense , but no red flag - some waved yellows for a bit...

 

Rallying - Dave Metcalfe's Nova rolling straight at me at silly speed in Wass forest in the 80s , or Mikkola's Escort crash at what became known as Mikkola's bend . I was there - my first ever marshaling job 

Edited by john aston, 13 November 2018 - 12:34.

[Charlieman]

I cycled from university with a mate to watch the Donington Park special stage of the RAC Rally -- 1981 I think. The cars were spectacular. One of the cars flicked a stone into the air right into my face, a 20 metre toss of a stone. I closed my eyes instinctively and the stone shattered one lens of my specs. I rode home feeling lucky.

[john winfield]

Four Brands Hatch incidents come to mind, all from some of the earliest meetings I attended. Jo Bonnier rolling his T70 on Bottom Straight at the '69 BOAC 500 (did he walk away, or was he stretchered?) and one year later Barrie Smith destroying his T70 on Top Straight at the end of the first lap. I think he only had wets on the front!

 

Pescarolo, Gurney and the marshals were lucky to escape at Clearways in the 1970 GP, and the fourth one was in 1971, in the saloon event that followed the sadly truncated Victory Race. There was a fantastic scrap between Frank Gardner (Camaro), Gerry Birrell (Capri) and John Fitzpatrick (Escort). We were watching at Clearways and suddenly the Capri came through alone as we saw the aftermath of the Camaro and Escort destroying themselves just before the bridge. Frank's car had punctured, throwing the big American beast into John's path. We feared the worst but both drivers were, I think, unhurt. I wouldn't fancy being hit by a 5.7 litre Camaro.

 

Oh, and Jochen Mass was lucky too in 1979, at the Silverstone 6 Hours. Thundering up from the old Abbey in the works Porsche 936, something broke and the car disintegrated against the barriers before Woodcote. Many years later, on a revised circuit, wasn't it somewhere near here where Pedro Lamy had his huge testing shunt in a Lotus? He, sadly, was quite badly injured I think.

Edited by john winfield, 13 November 2018 - 13:11.

[AJCee]

Pedro Lamy crashed coming towards the bridge from Abbey.  Horrible crash and he was indeed badly hurt. If there is a positive side to that one, it can only be that it didn't happen at the GP meeting.

[LucaP]

Pedro Lamy crashed coming towards the bridge from Abbey. Horrible crash and he was indeed badly hurt. If there is a positive side to that one, it can only be that it didn't happen at the GP meeting.

Didn't the car actually fly into a pedestrian underbridge pass?

Edited by Luca Pacchiarini, 14 November 2018 - 14:55.