, Motorsport
End or life?
In the 20th century, low safety standards often turned racing tracks into the Colosseum and pilots into gladiators fighting for their lives. Innocent spectators who came to watch the spectacular race of their idols also fell under the blow.
Today we will tell you about the five most bloodthirsty accidents in motorsport.
RALLY PARIS - MADRID. MAY 24, 1903.
115 years ago, the first serious incident occurred in the world of motorsport. For the first time in France and Spain, it was decided to hold a full-fledged rally race on public roads.
As a result of several accidents in which fans who crowded the sides of the track and from time to time ran across it died, the authorities decided to suspend the race ahead of schedule.
The fact is that for the audience at that time there were no protective barriers. Racing cars could zip through just a few centimeters from the crowd of fans. After the counted casualties, the race was simply cancelled.
It is also worth noting that one of the founders of Renault, Marcel Renault, died in that fatal race.
ITALIAN GRAND PRIX. "FORMULA 1". 1928
Bugatti's Louis Chiron won that race, but it's not the most memorable event of the 1928 Italian Grand Prix. The race was marked by the first high-profile incident in Formula 1. On lap 17, at a speed of more than 200 km / h, Emilio Materassi flew off the track, after which he rolled over several times and got into a crowd of spectators.
The incident killed 27 people and Emilio himself. After the stage in Monza, the organizers decided to change the configuration of the track, but, unfortunately, this did not help to avoid another terrible incident in 1961.
"24 HOURS OF LE-MANS". FRANCE. 1955
Truly creepy footage were recorded on tape during a daily marathon on the Sarthe circuit in 1955.
Due to a Jaguar braking hard, another driver in an Austin Healey car took a sharp left and blocked the road for Mercedes team pilot Pierre Levegh. As a result of the collision, Austin acted as a springboard for Levegh, and his Mercedes flew into the crowd of spectators. The engine, gearbox, front suspension, hood and other parts flew into the crowd of spectators. 86 people died, including Pierre Levegue.
After the worst disaster in the history of motorsport at Le Mans, racing as such was banned in Switzerland, and the Mercedes team returned to the Sarthe track only in the second half of the 1980s.
The ban on any manifestation of motorsport competitions in the territory of this country is still in effect and is unlikely to ever be canceled.
RACE "MILLE MIGLA". ITALY. 1957
A worn rubber tire has killed 13 people during a 1,000-mile race in Italy.
The Ferrari car, driven by Alfonso de Portago, went into an uncontrollable skid after a missed pit stop and a torn tire, and flew into the crowd of spectators. 11 people from the crowd died, dozens were injured. Alfonso and his navigator also died at the scene.
ITALIAN GRAND PRIX. "FORMULA 1". 1961
The accident already mentioned above on the Monza highway after a configuration change occurred in 1961.
Reds driver Wolfgang von Trips collided with another car driven by driver Jimi Clark.
Trips' car flew into the crowd of fans, and the pilot himself was thrown out of the car during the flight. 12 people died, including Wolfgang von Trips. Jimi Clark was not badly hurt in that incident.
“, the site brings to your attention the 10 worst accidents that have occurred in the world of motorsport.
1. Formula 1. 1994 Grand Prix of San Marino. AyrtonSenna
Stage in Imola, perhaps, was the saddest for all fans of Formula 1. In 1994, during a race weekend, two riders died at once, one of which was three-time world champion Ayrton Senna. Reasons tragic death There are many rumors and versions of the “Brazilian Magician” to this day, and the section of the track called “Tamburello” has long become synonymous with danger and fear for all pilots. The history of the tragedy caused a reassessment of the safety standards of the “royal races” and cut short the magnificent career of one of the best drivers in the history of motorsport.
2. 24 Hours of Le Mans. 1955 Pierre Levegh
The accident that resulted in the death of Mercedes pilot Pierre Levegh and 82 spectators of the competition occurred in 1955 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans series. The German car, flying into the gravel fence, took off into the air and flew straight into the spectator stands, where a hail of car debris fell on the spectators. After this accident, the German concern left motorsport for almost 40 years.
3. Formula 1. year 2001. Australian Grand Prix. Jacques Villeneuve and Ralf Schumacher
The accident in 2001 at the Australian Grand Prix was overshadowed not even by the collision of the 1997 world champion and the brother of the “great and terrible” Schumacher, but by the subsequent tragedy, the cause of which was ... a wheel from a Canadian racing car. As a result of a collision between two riders, a wheel flew off Villeneuve's car, which flew off at breakneck speed and hit the marshal of the track, who was responsible for the safety of the race. As a result hard hit an employee of the autodrome has died.
4. "Indy-500". 1964 Dave McDonald
The debut race for Ford driver Dave McDonald was remembered for a long time. As a result of the failure of the brakes, the driver's car crashed into the concrete fence of the track at high speed, which caused the car to catch fire. Huge clouds of smoke filled the entire track, blocking the view of the rest of the race. Having lost visual reference points, many racers found themselves in a massive blockage. The organizers of the competition had to stop and postpone the race for three and a half hours.
5. NHRA. 2005 year. Scott Kalit
In addition to the main racing series, and very unusual racing disciplines are rich in incidents. In 2005, during the qualifying races, Toyota driver Scott Kalit, driving at a speed of 450 km / h, did not notice spontaneous combustion of his own car. The resulting flames destroyed the brake parachutes and the rider's car flew into a gravel trap at the end of the track. As a result of his injuries, Kalit died in the hospital.
6. Formula 1. 2010 European Grand Prix. Mark Webber.
European Grand Prix, held in Spanish Valencia, clearly demonstrated the latest safety achievements in the "royal races". Pilot "Red Bull" Mark Webber, bypassing the circle of his opponent from the "Lotus" (Now - "Caterham") Heikki Kovalainen, hooked on the rear axle of the Finn's car, and soared into the sunny Spanish sky. Taught by the bitter experience of the past, the automobile association responsible for the safety of racers has proved that it is not in vain that it functions - two hours after the accident, Webber posed for photographers.
7. Formula 1. 1976 Nurburgring. Niki Lauda.
Three time champion world Niki Lauda, as well as his colleagues from other automotive sports disciplines, "marked" a burning car during the race. Having lost control, the driver's car high speed hit the side railing of the track, as a result of which the car was quickly enveloped in flames, in a matter of seconds making a fireball out of the Ferrari. It is worth noting the courage of the Austrian - after the accident, the rider personally went on the track and warned his rivals about the wreckage on this section of the track.
8. Rally. 2011. Italy. Robert Kubica
Polish racer Robert Kubica, who competed in Formula 1 for Renault, became a victim of his own hobby. One of the athlete's favorite hobbies is rally performance, to which the pilot devotes almost all his time, free from performances in "big prizes". Having taken part in the Italian stage of the rally, the Pole's car was torn off at the entrance to the turn, as a result of which the car hit the track fence. The pilot received severe hand injuries, which practically put an end to Kubica's "formula" career. IN this moment, almost two years later, the rider continues the process of rehabilitation and still, from time to time, returns to the wheel of a rally car.
9. "IndyCar". 2011. Dan Weldon
One of the worst and most massive accidents occurred in 2011 during the legendary Indianapolis 500. The mistake of one pilot in the peloton caused a massive blockage on the track and ended the life of two-time champion Dan Weldon.
10. Formula 1. 1978 Grand Prix of Italy. Ronnie Petersen.
The accident at the Italian Grand Prix in 1978 was a record for the number of cars involved in the blockage, resulting in the death of one of the riders. Chaos and confusion in the peloton at the start of the race led to the fact that 11 riders were involved in a huge accident. Ronnie Petersen's car, as a result of collisions, flew off the track fence and caught fire. The pilot was pulled out of the burning car, but the next day the athlete died in the hospital.
The twenty-four-hour race at Le Mans (24 Heures du Mans) rightfully has two well-deserved titles - firstly, it is the oldest endurance race that has been held annually since 1923, and secondly, in 1955, during the race, the most the biggest car accident in the history of motorsport, which killed 84 people (including one of the drivers) and seriously injured 120 others.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans started on June 11, 1955. The competition between teams such as Mercedes, Jaguar, Aston Martin was extremely intense, and almost from the very beginning of the race, many existing Le Mans lap records for time and speed were broken. By the end of lap 35, Pierre Levegh, piloting the number 20 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR, along with Lance Macklin's Austin-Healey 100, which kept slightly to the right, were closely following Mike's Jaguar D-type Hawthorn (Mike Hawthorn), approaching the pit stop. Mike belatedly saw the signal from the pit stop for refueling, and quickly began to slow down and taxi to the pit stop, deciding not to do another lap. Since they stood on the jaguar disc brakes(a novelty at the time), he braked much faster than the rest of the race, and his maneuvers forced Lance McLean, who was following him closely, to slam on the brakes, throwing a small cloud of dust from under the wheels, and steer to the left, avoiding a collision . At the same time, he completely forgot about Pierre Levet, who was driving behind him in a Mercedes, who had no time left to react, and who, at a speed of about 240 km / h, hit Austin-Healey in the left rear fender. As a result of the impact at such a high speed, the Mercedes took to the air and, instantly overcoming the fences of the track, flew into the crowd of spectators, crushing everything in its path.
Due to the enormous speed of the collision, the Mercedes, after hitting the fences of the spectator stands, literally shattered into pieces, which caused so many victims. The engine, hood, front axle separated from the frame and scattered across the stands, knocking down spectators in their path. The pilot was also thrown out of the car and died from hitting his head on the grandstand on landing. Interestingly, at that time, seat belts were not put on racing cars, as it was widely believed among the racers that it was better to be thrown out of the car than to burn in it or be crushed while being strapped to the seat. However, the belts would hardly have helped Pierre Leve: after landing, the remains of the body of the Mercedes caught fire due to a burst gas tank, and, given that the body itself was made of a special light magnesium alloy, this caused fiery flashes that scattered onto the track and into the surrounding stands, adding new victims. In addition, eyewitnesses tried to extinguish the fire with water, adding intensity to the burning of the magnesium body, and as a result, the fire continued for several hours.
Lance McLean's Austin-Healey 100 car after the collision flew off into the wall farthest from the stands and ricocheted back across the track to the spectator fences, crushing one of them along the way. Lance himself was practically unharmed.
As a result of the accident, 84 people died, including one rider - Pierre Levet, and more than 120 spectators were seriously injured. This incident went down in history as the bloodiest accident in the largest number victims for the entire existence of motorsport.
It was decided not to stop the race so that the departing spectators would not interfere with the movement of ambulances and firefighters and would not occupy the road to the city. At midnight, at the request of John Fitch, the co-pilot who was supposed to replace Pierre Levai, the Mercedes team held an emergency board meeting, at which it was decided to end the race ahead of schedule in deference to the victims of the incident. Eight hours after the accident, the two remaining Mercedes crews - Juan Manuel Fangio / Stirling Moss and Karl Kling / Andre Simon - were withdrawn from racing despite the fact that the team was in the lead. Also, the director of the team offered to leave the race and the jaguar team, but they refused. As a result, the winner of the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans was the Jaguar team and its drivers Mike Hawthorne and Ivor Bueb.
The next day, a funeral was held at Le Mans for all the dead. At the same time, the jaguar team racers were celebrating their victory. Although the French press covered this event, they treated the Jaguar team with slight contempt, believing that Mike Hawthorne's Jaguar D-type was the culprit of the tragedy. However, the official commission ruled that the jaguar was not the culprit and blamed the lack of safety measures for spectators on the track. This was the impetus for the closure and refurbishment of not only the tracks at Le Mans, but also many others in France, Spain, Germany and other countries. In Switzerland, there is still a ban on races in which cars can approach each other side to side (i.e., in fact, no racing at all).
In 1955, only two more races were held - the RAC Tourist Trophy in England and the Italian Targa Florio, the Mercedes team became the leader in them. After these two competitions, Mercedes announced that they would retire from motorsport indefinitely and focus on developing passenger cars for the public. In the same way, a little later, the jaguar team decided.
Jon Fitch retired from racing after the incident and became actively involved in improving the safety of pilots and spectators at racing tracks. On his initiative, all pit stops were redone on the Le Mans track.
Cars - participants in the accident
Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR
The 300 SLR was the successor to the 1955 Mercedes-Benz W196 racer in the Formula-1 class. It was the first to feature a specially designed magnesium alloy body (called Elektron), which significantly reduced the car's weight to 880kg. An eight-cylinder engine was installed on it, with a volume of 2,981 cc, with a power of 310 hp. It was installed longitudinally, and in order to improve the aerodynamic properties of the car, it was rotated 33 degrees relative to the chassis and crawled out a little beyond the hood space, for which a special bulge was made on the hood on the passenger side. The brakes on the 300 SLR were drum type.
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR won the Mille Miglia and the 1955 World Sportscar Championship, as well as several races at the Nürburgring (Germany) and Christianstadt (Sweden). Despite these victories, after the incident in 1955 at Le Mans, the participation of the SLR 300 (and the Mercedes team in general) in the race was discontinued. Sterling Moss, 1955 Mille Miglia winner and Le Mans racer, rated the Mercedes 300 SLR as "the best racing car ever built".
The D-Type was produced from 1954 to 1957. The load-bearing body was made of aluminum and was made based on aviation ideas about the aerodynamics of that time. The engine is an in-line six-cylinder, with a volume of 3.4 (3.8 on the 1957 version) liters. The D-Type won consecutive 24 Hours of Le Mans in '55, '56 and '57.
87 Jaguar D-Types were produced to date. The first example to roll off the assembly line (XKD-509) was sold at auction in 2008 for £2,200,000.
Austin Healey 100s
In 1952, Donald Healey built an experimental example called the Healey Hundred for the 1952 London Motor Show, and it impressed Leonard Lord, then director of Austin (who was just looking for a replacement for the unpopular Austin A90), that he immediately signed a deal with Haley to produce a new car, which they decided to call the Austin-Healey 100.
Austin-Healey 100 was produced from 1953 to 1956. 100s, like the jaguar, had an aluminum body and disc brakes on all wheels. Engine power was 132 hp. A total of 50 Austin-Healey 100s were produced.
No. 26 Austin-Healey 100s at Le Mans 1955 - The same car that raced at Le Mans 1955 at No. 26 was auctioned off in 2011 for £843,000.
Now on the track in Le Mans, a commemorative plaque hangs at the crash site with the date of the crash - June 11, 1955.
Last Sunday, October 16, during the Las Vegas Grand Prix - the final stage of the American IndyCar Series - one of the biggest disasters in the history of motor sports occurred. On final stage 15 cars collided at the prestigious IndyCar race. As a result of a car accident, the famous British pilot, 33-year-old Dan Weldon, died.
(Total 15 photos + 1 video)
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2. Dan Weldon's car takes off after a collision. Keeping behind, Weldon at great speed approached the scene of a collision of several cars. It was impossible to go around them and, trying to slow down, he ran into the wheel of a car driving in front of him.
3. Dan Weldon's car explodes after hitting a fence.
4. Dan Weldon's burning wrecked car slides down the track after hitting a wall and exploding. Weldon died due to injuries incompatible with life. He was 33 years old.
5. Dan Weldon won the IndyCar title in 2005 and won the iconic Indianapolis 500 twice, including this season.
6. Dan Weldon with his family. The racing driver and his family moved from Britain to the States, where he has lived for the past few years.
7. The moment of the catastrophe.
8. In one of the largest accidents in the history of racing, about 15 cars collided, that is, almost half of those participating in the start.
9. Pilots who got into the thick of things later said that they had never seen anything more terrible in their lives.
10. It was decided to stop further races in Las Vegas.
11. According to preliminary data, the condition of the track could be the cause of the tragedy.
"Torino", 1949
The Torino football club of the 1940s was a superclub of the Italian championship. From 1946 to 1948, he won three gold medals in the national championship. On May 3, 1949, a match between Torino and Benfica took place in Portugal, in which the Italian team lost to the Portuguese club with a score of 3:4. The next day, the Torino team took off from Lisbon in a three-engine Fiat G.212CP. There were 18 players, crew, club leaders and journalists on board, totaling 31 people.
The plane made an intermediate stop in Barcelona for refueling, where the Torino players met with fellow rivals from Milan. The Milanese were transferring to a flight to Madrid and were the last to see the Turintians alive. At about five o'clock in the evening, when there was very little left to the city of Turin, the plane fell into a zone of increased nebula, due to which the pilot lost his orientation in space. The plane hit the fence of the Superga Basilica built on the hill with its left wing, it turned around and crashed into the ground at high speed. All passengers on board were killed. It was not without a happy accident for one of the players - Lauro Toma stayed at home and did not fly to the match with Benfica due to injury.
Players "Torino" posthumously became the champions of Italy.
Air Force, 1950
January 7, 1950 created by Vasily Stalin hockey team The Air Force crashed near Koltsovo airport near Sverdlovsk. In difficult weather conditions (blizzard, strong wind) the plane crashed. On board were 11 hockey players, a doctor and a masseur of the Air Force team, who were heading to Chelyabinsk for a match with the local Dzerzhinets, as well as 6 crew members. All 19 people died. By a lucky chance, the future captain of the USSR national football and hockey teams Vsevolod Bobrov was late for this plane. Versions of this delay are different: evil tongues said that great athlete he drank too much, and Bobrov himself nodded at his brother, who had set the alarm clock incorrectly.
Manchester United, 1958
On February 6, 1958, not only England, but the whole world was shocked by the tragedy that happened to one of the best teams in the world - Manchester United, nicknamed "Busby babies". Football players, coaches, several fans and journalists were returning from a European Cup match in Belgrade. A British European Airways aircraft was refueling in Munich.
Pilots James Thain and Kenneth Rayment made two takeoff attempts, but canceled both due to increased vibrations. Not wanting to be too behind schedule, Captain Thain refused to stay overnight in Munich, opting to make a third takeoff attempt. She turned out to be fatal. The plane broke through the fence at the end of the runway and crashed into a residential building. In this disaster, 23 people out of 44 on board were killed. The wounded were taken to the Munich hospital.
By the way, 22-year-old Whelan Liam, climbing the gangway before taking off, pointed out to his comrades the heavy snowfall and said: “We will probably die, but I am ready for this.” And Bobby Charlton, who survived this disaster, became the world champion after 8 years. 10 years after the disaster, Thain was fully justified.
USA national team figure skating, 1961
February 15, 1961 "Boeing 707" airline Sabena, flying from JFK airport in New York, crashed while landing in the Belgian capital Brussels. All 72 people died, as well as one person on the ground. Among the dead was the US Figure Skating Team (34 athletes) on their way to the World Championships in Prague. This plane crash caused the World Figure Skating Championships to be canceled as a sign of mourning for the dead.
Pakhtakor, 1979
This is one of the biggest disasters in aviation history. That day at 13.35 in the sky in the area Dneprodzerzhinsk At an altitude of 8400 meters, two Aeroflot Tu-134A collided, killing all 178 people on them.
Among the dead were 17 members of the Uzbek football club Pakhtakor, including 14 players, an administrator, a second coach and a doctor. The team flew from Tashkent to Minsk. After the plane crash, the club's squad was reinforced by players from other teams. Also, by the decision of the USSR Football Federation, Pakhtakor was guaranteed a place in major league regardless of the final result.
Holland national football team, 1989
On June 7, 1989, a Surinam Airways DC-8-62 crashed while landing in the Paramaribo area. 176 people died in the incident, 11 people survived. Among the dead were 14 Dutch football players of Surinamese origin, a coach, and the mother and sister of one of the athletes. They flew to Suriname for a three-club tournament. The plane took off from Amsterdam on June 6 at 23.25 local time. During the four hours of the flight, there were no emergency situations on board. During the landing approach, the pilot team received a weather report on favorable weather conditions at the airport of arrival. When landing, the pilots made a mistake, as a result of which, at a height of 25 meters, the right wing of the aircraft caught on a tree.
By the way, many Dutch players were not allowed to fly due to preparations for upcoming season. Among the survivors are Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard, Aron Winter, Brian Roy and some others.
Zambia national football team, 1993
April 27, 1993, 500 meters from the coast of the city of Libreville, the capital of Gabon, the plane crashed. Most of the Zambia national football team was on board, bound for qualifying match 1994 World Cup against Senegal. The crash killed all 30 people on board (crew, 18 players, coach and staff). As a result, the weakened team took only second place in group 2 final stage qualifying matches.
During the first stop in Brazzaville, problems were discovered with the left engine, but the pilot decided to continue the flight. A few minutes after taking off from Libreville, the left engine caught fire and stopped. The pilot stopped the right engine, the plane finally lost thrust and fell into the water about 500 meters from the coast.
Lokomotiv, 2011
Exactly two years ago there was a terrible tragedy. Hockey team "Lokomotiv" from Yaroslavl flew from the airport "Tunoshna" to Minsk, where they were supposed to play with the local "Dynamo". The Yak-42 plane crashed after flying only 2.5 kilometers after takeoff. According to another version, the plane did not have enough runway. There were 45 people on board the liner: 37 passengers (crew and escort) and 8 crew members. 43 people died on the spot.
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Lokomotiv hockey players who died in a plane crash [by name]. On September 7, the Yaroslavl hockey team Lokomotiv got into a plane crash. The Yak-42 plane, on which the Yaroslavl hockey players flew to Minsk, where they were supposed to play with the local Dynamo, fell from a height of 500 meters immediately after takeoff. There were 45 people on board, 37 of them were hockey players.Antonina PANOVA
The whole country prayed for the health of hockey player Alexander Galimov, but a miracle did not happen, on September 12 he died at the Vishnevsky Institute of Surgery. Only flight engineer Alexander Sizov was able to survive this terrible disaster. By chance, two people were not on board, who were supposed to go to Minsk along with everyone else. Forward Maxim Zyuzyakin and goalkeeping coach Jorma Valtonen were left in Yaroslavl to work with the youth team.
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Reconstruction of the crash of the Yak-42 aircraft. On September 7, the Yaroslavl hockey team Lokomotiv got into a plane crash. The Yak-42 plane, on which the Yaroslavl hockey players flew to Minsk, where they were supposed to play with the local Dynamo, fell from a height of 500 meters immediately after takeoff. There were 45 people on board, 37 of them were hockey players.
5 more major disasters:
Hockey
On April 1, 1970, an Aeroflot An-24B crashed in the Novosibirsk region, killing 45 people, including a junior hockey team that flew to the game of the Golden Puck tournament.
Basketball
On August 24, 2008, a Boeing 737-219 Advanced of ITEK AIR crashed. Among the passengers was the youth basketball team of Kyrgyzstan, heading to Tehran to participate in competitions. Ten team members died, seven survived.
Rugby
October 13, 1972 the aircraft "Fairchild Hiller FH-227 » The Uruguayan Air Force, flying Montevideo - Santiago de Chile, crashed into a mountain slope in the Chilean Andes at an altitude of 4000 meters. There were 45 passengers on board, including the Old Christians Club rugby team from Montevideo (Uruguay). Most of the passengers died. There was no food on board. As a result, 16 people survived, rescued on December 26. One of the documented cases of cannibalism in the modern world. The events are also featured in the movie Alive (1993).
American football
On November 14, 1970, at Tri State Airport in Ceredo, a Flight 932 mountain collision kills 75 people, including 37 members of the Marshall University team.
Motorsport
The death of the Embassy Hill Racing Formula One team - On November 29, 1975, Graham Hill's Embassy Hill Racing team, returning from the circuit Paul Ricard, France, in a six-seat Piper Aztec aircraft, crashed in England while trying to make an emergency landing in conditions heavy fog. Almost the entire crew died in this plane crash. Graham Hill himself was at the helm, along with him on the plane were Tony Bryze, a promising British racer, team manager Ray Brimble, mechanics Tony Alcock and Terry Richards, and designer Andy Smelman.
