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Post by charleselan on Aug 3, 2021 11:50:35 GMT
Now I am not one to watch accidents in any form but came across this shocking bit of film taken by what I assume was a spectator of a huge accident during the Spa 24 Hour race. The shear forces involved and the carnage in the wake of the initial accident is truly shocking. Fortunately no one was seriously hurt in the crash(s) and that was an absolute miracle.
Be prepared for the first part of this as the initially crashed Lambo is struck at high speed by a following car, and then absolute carnage.
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Post by Carl on Aug 3, 2021 16:49:53 GMT
Now I am not one to watch accidents in any form but came across this shocking bit of film taken by what I assume was a spectator of a huge accident during the Spa 24 Hour race. The shear forces involved and the carnage in the wake of the initial accident is truly shocking. Fortunately no one was seriously hurt in the crash(s) and that was an absolute miracle. Be prepared for the first part of this as the initially crashed Lambo is struck at high speed by a following car, and then absolute carnage. Those were professional drivers in the first car (114) so it's hard to know what first happened. A left-side tyre or suspension failure would have propelled it into the barrier, but most importantly no-one was seriously hurt at this very dangerous corner. |
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Post by René on Aug 3, 2021 16:59:35 GMT
Horrendous accident. I already saw a few photos but not this footage. Unbelievable no one was seriously hurt.
Certainly the recording of a lifetime for that fan!
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Post by mikael on Aug 3, 2021 17:08:32 GMT
Isn't it at just the same spot as that of Hubert's accident in F2 in '19? A dangerous place to get it wrong ...!
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Post by Carl on Aug 3, 2021 17:31:57 GMT
Isn't it at just the same spot as that of Hubert's accident in F2 in '19? A dangerous place to get it wrong ...! Yes, and also Brian Redman's terrible accident caused by a fractured suspension arm in the 1968 Belgian Grand Prix. The hospitalized Redman had been held to blame by John Cooper until this photograph showed otherwise.
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Post by charleselan on Aug 3, 2021 17:39:32 GMT
Isn't it at just the same spot as that of Hubert's accident in F2 in '19? A dangerous place to get it wrong ...! Indeed it was Mikael. I have never sought out the accident that claimed young Hubert's life, and would not have viewed this had there been loss of life. Interesting to see someone in the YT comments say that gravel traps in place of the modern systems used could have possibly avoided this accident as the initial accident would have been held in the gravel. The driver of the car that began the accident was Jack Aitkin who actually substituted for George Russell last year when he drove the Merc, so pretty good by any measure, must have been a car breakage or tyre failure. |
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Post by René on Aug 3, 2021 18:24:57 GMT
Isn't it at just the same spot as that of Hubert's accident in F2 in '19? A dangerous place to get it wrong ...! Yes as others already said the same spot. I’ve stood behind the fence there many times because it’s so impressive to watch the cars almost fly but you always realize how dangerous it is. The speed is super high and the cars become ‘light’ on the top of the hill, very impressive. I will always remember seeing Gerhard Berger’s Ferrari crash there at high speed in the rain in 1989. Squealing tires and a dull bang against the rails. |
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Post by mikael on Aug 8, 2021 10:19:15 GMT
There is an article on the Official F1 homepage, describing the evolution of Eau Rouge. It includes a number of very good photos. The link is here(*):
((*) For some reason, this link doesn't work properly on my own computer; in such case, a direct copy-and-paste of the link will at least work ...)
René, you might even have witnessed this evolution with your own eyes (from the time of the Armco barrier-lined corner)?
As to the now-ongoing (rekindled) discussions about the safety of this corner, perhaps the present large asphalt runoff area gives the drivers (or some drivers, at least) a false sense of security? Perhaps the Armco barriers of the 1970's were even safer, in the sense that they made the corner look more frightening, suggesting the drivers to "take it a bit easy"?
Judging from photos (never having seen the actual place), it might seem that the large "sandbox" of the late 1990's really has been the best solution so far.
Late 1990's appearance of the Eau Rouge area.
The appearance in the early 1970's.
The present appearance.
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Post by mikael on Aug 8, 2021 11:30:00 GMT
Just very interesting to compare these great moments in time, at one and the same spot (almost), directly:
1950's
1960's
1970's
1990's
1990's again
2010's
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Post by René on Aug 8, 2021 14:25:48 GMT
René, you might even have witnessed this evolution with your own eyes (from the time of the Armco barrier-lined corner)?
I witnessed part of it but only from 1983 onwards. I never saw a race on the old Spa (unfortunately) but I do remember driving over (parts of) the old track with my parents. Most of it was public road but you could recognize the track by the armcos and billboards.
You may like this compilation:
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Post by charleselan on Aug 8, 2021 16:31:52 GMT
A very interesting comparison of how the Spa circuit has been over the years. Remember one thing and that was the fact that all of the circuit in its original format Pre-1980 was a normal road used every day, it was only after the creation of the shortened track we now know that the furniture and run off areas have changed.
As we can see from the photo that Mikael has posted from 1958 there were very little in the way of guard rails, then as we progressed into the 1960's guard rails became commonly used not only on race circuits but also open roads especially where "dangers" were a possibility.
When at the 1986 Spa 24 Hour Race my friend and I drove much of the old circuit as we could as they were still public roads, pretty awe inspiring to be truthful, The Masta Kink being one place in particular that was hard to get ones head around. For it much more than a mere kink and to think guys back in 1970 went through it flat out at around 180mph is mind blowing. Burnenville is another terrifying part of the circuit and no wonder that even the likes of Jim Clark were scared of the place, but in Jim's case he mastered the circuit like no other and doubt he ever drove it at more than 8/10ths.
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Post by Carl on Aug 8, 2021 18:29:31 GMT
A very interesting drive around and description of the old circuit as it exists today. This video was attached to the excellent "Best Corner in the World" film posted by Mikael.
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