17 replies to this topic

[byrkus]

I was browsing through www.grandprix.com, as I was looking for some additional info of old Spa circuit. However, I noticed something that froze my blood. It said:

"During the 1973 Spa 24 Hours three drivers were killed. Jochen Mass tells a horrifying story of sharing a car with Hans Stuck and during one of the pitstops at the night, Stuck shouted to him over the noise that he should "look out for body parts at the Masta Kink". Mass arrived there expecting to see bits of car all over the road but was appalled to discover it was bits of a marshal."

I have some old copies of local car magazin (simply called Avto) from 1973, and there was a picture of destroyed BMW, but there was no word about a marshall, lying on circuit! Can anyone present more info about that accident??

[Barry Lake]

Three drivers lost their lives in that race. I don't know anything about a marshall.

Felix Muelas and Milan Fistonic have information on this event, I believe.

[racer69]

i have only heard and read stories about this accident, apparently as Barry said 3 drivers were killed, one of which being the leader at the time. In Louis Stanley's book "Strictly off the record" it mentions an incident in which drivers were killed at the 1973 Spa 24 Hours, presumebly this one, due to broken necks.

I have only heard things about this, i'm not sure if i'm correct, as byrkus said, any more info?

[Udo K.]

The most prominent driver being killed in that accident was Hans-Peter Joisten, sometimes co-driver of Niki Lauda in the Alpina-BMW.
Who were the other two?

[Jeremy Jackson]

Joisten was leading at the time, co-driving with Brian Muir. Roger Dubos (Alfa ) collided with Joisten's BMW, and was killed instantly with Joisten. Massimo Larini I think was the third fatality in a separate accident - I think he succumbed to his injuries later. I've not seen anything about a marshal losing his life.

[Patrick Italiano]

I confirm Jeremy's report:

One collision at Masta between Joisten's BMW and Dubos' Alfa 2000 GTV with both drivers killed and later the crash of Massimo Larini's Alfa GTAm, the driver not surviving his injuries.

[LittleChris]

IIRC Joisten spun while negotiating Mamedy and Dubos who would've been unsighted ran into him, both dying instantly. Larini ( Nicola's uncle ) lost it shortly afterwards and went over the armco at Haut De La Cote ( Les Combes) receiving head injuries from which he died sometime later.

I've heard the story about the marshall at Masta but wasn't aware it was during 1973. I also seem to remember that the following year Alain Peltier went over the armco at Blanchimont killing a marshall, although this only became clear the next morning when they found the unfortunate mans body.

[Rediscoveryx]

I've never heard about that marshall at Masta, is it just a rumour?

[GMiranda]

Does anybody know a bit more on Hans-Peter Joisten than what is stated at Motorsport-Memorial? I'd be deeply pleased for information on him (and the other drivers and the circumstances of the crash, I think the history of the marshall is apocryphal

[malomay]

I've never heard about that marshall at Masta, is it just a rumour?

 

 

I've heard a very similar story to this as well....but I read it from a quote by Tom Walkinshaw....and it was in an article about racing touring cars at the old Brno circuit in the early 80s ?.....so, not sure which of these is correct now.

[Myhinpaa]

Found out about this tragic race when I tried to find out if the Alpina CSL that Lauda was 'reunited' with in July last year was a/the proper one.

 

https://www.instagra...id=vpcqh0dlxdwn

 

Which led me to finding out about the tragic chain of events and Larini's accident later. Obviously that car - and almost Alpina's ETCC effort - ended it's days there too....

 

Both Alpina and Autodelta withdrew their remaining cars.

 

Photos from the race : http://touringcarrac...p 1973 Spa.html

 

Results + some description : http://touringcarrac...s/1973 Spa.html

 

Some more background (Dutch) http://autosport.nl/...e-week-van-1973

 

More info/photos from a model builder's site : https://scale143.com...opic.php?t=5498

 

Nothing about any marshals involved in any of the accidents, or separate ones.

 

 

[GMiranda]

Found out about this tragic race when I tried to find out if the Alpina CSL that Lauda was 'reunited' with in July last year was a/the proper one.

 

https://www.instagra...id=vpcqh0dlxdwn

 

Which led me to finding out about the tragic chain of events and Larini's accident later. Obviously that car - and almost Alpina's ETCC effort - ended it's days there too....

 

Both Alpina and Autodelta withdrew their remaining cars.

 

Photos from the race : http://touringcarrac...p 1973 Spa.html

 

Results + some description : http://touringcarrac...s/1973 Spa.html

 

Some more background (Dutch) http://autosport.nl/...e-week-van-1973

 

More info/photos from a model builder's site : https://scale143.com...opic.php?t=5498

 

Nothing about any marshals involved in any of the accidents, or separate ones.

 

Many Thanks!!! In fact, the incident with a marshall happened the year before, when Walter Brun loss control of his Mazda and killed a marshall

[William Hunt]

The marshall's name was Léon Grisard and he was hit by the Mazda of Walter Brun in the 1972 race, it happened at the Masta kink section, the story of Jochen Mass is true only he remembers the wrong year, '72 instead of '73

This is what happened:

Midway through the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, 5th round of the 1972 European Touring-car Championship held on 22/23 July 1972, the Mazda Savanna RX-3 #64 of the Swiss team Walter Brun-Joe Kretschi, was travelling in sixth place in the Division 2, behind two works Ford Escort RS 1600s and three factory Alfa Romeo 2000 GTVs.

Around 05h13 on Sunday, 23 July 1972 early morning, the Mazda driven by Brun went out of control and crashed at Masta straight, killing a marshal who was standing in front of the guardrail, with his back to the track. The marshal Léon Grisard was inspecting the track after another competing car had left oil on the asphalt. He was violently hit by the car and killed instantly; Walter Brun escaped uninjured.

At the moment of the accident there was a fog bank in the area, and Walter Brun was closely following another car. It is believed that he wasn't able to realize the marshal was on track and to avoid him.

After the accident the event wasn't stopped and Hans-Joachim Stuck-Jochen Mass in a factory Ford Capri RS 2600 eventually won the race. The sister Mazda Savanna RX-3 #65 also entered by team Mazda Swiss Racing and driven by Florian Vetsch-Peter Mattli managed to finish seventh in class, 25th place overall.

Edited by William Hunt, 17 April 2024 - 00:56.

[E1pix]

Isn't vigorous and insensitive discussion of one Spa death on Raging Comments quite enough for one weekend?

[zoff2005]

I witnessed the Joisten/Dubos accident. I was standing on the slope over Malmedy. It was at night. Joisten was overtaking a slower car and went wide on the marbles and slid to a halt, across the track, at the exit of the corner. I guess he stalled. Unfortunately the marshalls who were at track level could not see that his car was blocking the track - also it was sideways on, so the lights were pointing infield. Ballot-Lena and Dubos, who were team-mates in the Alfa's came barrelling along, with Dubos slipstreaming Ballot. Ballot-Lena saw the obstacle at the last second and swerved behind it, but poor Dubos just slammed into the car.

[GMiranda]

I witnessed the Joisten/Dubos accident. I was standing on the slope over Malmedy. It was at night. Joisten was overtaking a slower car and went wide on the marbles and slid to a halt, across the track, at the exit of the corner. I guess he stalled. Unfortunately the marshalls who were at track level could not see that his car was blocking the track - also it was sideways on, so the lights were pointing infield. Ballot-Lena and Dubos, who were team-mates in the Alfa's came barrelling along, with Dubos slipstreaming Ballot. Ballot-Lena saw the obstacle at the last second and swerved behind it, but poor Dubos just slammed into the car.

Hello!!

I know it's hard to remember such an awful thing but, as a historian, I'd like to report the facts, and I am writing a small article on that race, focusing on the "dark day". It might be used in the future on a broader article about that edition of the Spa 24 Hours, as it was the peak of the Ford vs BMW duel. If you have memories of that race you don't mind to share with me; please tell me by PM. If you don't want to mention the crash, I fully understand. Sadly, motor racing is dangerous.

Best Regards

[john aston]

My inner pedant forces me to say that although the activity is 'marshalling' , the person who does it is a 'marshal'  

[2F-001]

... and is there to impose marshal law?