A spectator died and several were injured
after a car got airborne at the VLN Endurance Championship in Germany over the
weekend.
Videos of the race show how a Nissan GT-R,
driven by Jann Mardenborough, flipped onto its boot as it came over a notorious
crest at high speed, then skidded on its boot lid for several metres before
being somersaulted by a cement wall over a high fence to land among spectators.
The crash killed one fan on the spot and
injured several.
Mardenborough survived without serious
injuries. The race did not restart and organisers issued a
statement expressing
their shock and sadness, as well as rendering support to the families of the
deceased and injured fans.
The crash happened at the infamous
“Flugplatz” – or so-called “airport” turn and the spectators were taking photos
directly opposite the entry to the corner.
Mardenborough was taken to hospital for
further routine checks.
“Today’s events have been a tragedy,”
Nissan said in a statement.
“We are all deeply shocked and saddened by
these events and our immediate thoughts go to the deceased, those injured and
their families and friends.
The team is fully co-operating with the
race organisers to conduct an immediate and thorough investigation into this
incident.”
In a comment after the race on one of
several forums, a certain John Doe said: “People die every day, that person’s time.
I know there is a crest before that corner, I’m wondering if it was a
down-force issue or if driver was carrying too much speed, because it looked
like he wasn’t on the brakes when he came over that crest. If his car didn’t
catch air and go nose up he would have been killed, driver couldn’t have
crashed any better for his sake. That energy was dissipated perfectly.”
Former Witness motoring editor Dave Fall,
was a spectator at a similar crash in 1999, when a Mercedes-Benz crashed in a
similar fashion at the Le Mans 24-hour race only two hours into the event. The
driver, Scottish racer Peter Dumbreck, also got out of the wreck with just a
broken arm.
“This crash was definitely caused due to a
lack of down force that would have kept the touring car pressed to the track,
no matter the speed,” said Fall.
Before that in 1955, more than 80
specatators died when two drivers collided at Le Mans opposite the main stands
next to the pit area, their vehicles hurtling through the air to land on the
fans.
