Huge Crash at Spa Francorchamps

[@SiskaLeen]

@dood70 If you take into account that this Leon is a standard road car without added roll cage or anything, I'd say they are really safe! To take an impact like that without any injuries to the crew inside... The car wasn't even totalled. Got repaired and is now back in service. Btw, mistakes were made by race control and most of all the driver of the Lambo, not by the SC driver.

[@ERIC44424]

I'd like to know what racing category are these cars, or the name of the orange/green car leading at 0:00, i cannot identify it because of the heavy modifications it has. I know this video is 10 years old and nobody comments in it since 2013, but i have to try... If anyone results to see this and tell me what car is it i could not be more thankful.

[@ERIC44424]

Nevermind i found it, if anyone wants to know its a Marcos Mantara LM600

[@stones1752]

It happened at Blanchimon, one of the fastest corners of the track. It's the left turn before the former "bus-stop" chicane.

[@Quintinohthree]

@MrCyberzozo It´s the Dutch Supercar Challenge. Basically a VLN with fewer classes (4) and shorter races (+/-1 hour plus mandatory pitstop) but with a bit faster cars such as these older GT2's but also small touring cars such as Renault Clio's. At most tracks they run two races per two classes, four in total, but at Spa they run all cars together, 3 times a year, +/- 80 cars at a time.

[@doodleco]

Actually, yellow is simply a caution to warn drivers of a car in a dangerous position. Because the SC made a mistake and picked up the wrong car, he waved the field through meaning that although they can not overtake, they can drive fairly quickly in order to get back into formation. Lastly, the cars were going slower than racing speed, the lambo slowed down a little too much making the other car brake but the brakes locked up, flipping the car over. It's a basic concept if you think about it.

[@SiskaLeen]

@Verschuere98 Not Cupra, regular Seat Leon 'Sports edition', but not Cupra. Only Cupra to feature on the Spa-Francorchamps official cars is Alfa, the Fast Medical Car, following the first lap of each race, stationed at La Source.

[@SiskaLeen]

@Cozta997 Standard 'official' safety and medical cars at Spa-Francorchamps are Seat Leon's. ;-) That doesn't change according to which series is racing, but some series do provide their own safety car, with or without crew.

[@stones1752]

It's the Marcos LM600. 620 HP, and the amazing sound of a Chevy V8 with only about 1 meter free exhaust on each side of the car.

[@SiskaLeen]

@makattak88 SC wasn't slowing down. The drivers just kept going full throttle knowing the SC was out. Blanchimont is a blind corner, so the Lambo going way too fast passed the SC before he even realised it, then breaked heavily to let him pass again, when the BMW arrived with less powerful brakes, again blind corner, so too late to react any other way and starting the entire crash. Very lucky nobody got injured.

[@OfficeLinebacker]

Did anyone not read the comment by jplefin? Upon review, it is true, the leader did indeed accelerate to avoid being intercepted (why, I don't know). If anything, the leader should have slowed to let the SC by. In any case, the practice of taking yellows to simply mean "no overtaking, stay in control of the car" is beyond ridiculous. I like the pit road speed limiter idea.

[@TheBob0312]

This is the Dutch Supercar Challenge. It's really a nice race class, although I don't watch it anymore.

[@StrikeEngine]

Officialdom is to blame if anyone. The BMW ran into the back of the Lambo after the lambo had slowed down on the racing line. The safety car was off the racing line, lights on. The marshalls in the shot had waved yellows and safety car boards out before this crash so the drivers should have been taking it easy. If they didnt know where the safety car was on the track then its race control's fault.

[@ants427]

I see so many of these types of accidents involving slower moving recovery/safty cars. the system we use in the Belgium Touring Cars is as soon as there is an incident on the track there is a purple flag with 60kmh limit and all drivers must obay, pit speed limiters are set at 60kmh and a flasing light on the cars signifies speed limit is on and must stay on untill flags are withdrawn, anyone who ignores this is black flagged. Much safer i think

[@Nicolasherdwick]

As far as I can see, this was at the Raidillon, the right turn starting directly at the end of Eau Rouge. Actually, had it been at Eau Rouge, the later drivers could have seen it from very far (going down the straight and seeing Eau Rouge clearly on the next hill) and braked in time, whereas in Raidillon they can see the danger only as they exit Eau Rouge at high speed, too late for an emergency stop. The forest and climb make Raidillon quite invisible until you're already in it.

[@PorscheDiddy]

Ow yeah, and in Brasil they never ever make any mistake during races..dream on. The Belcar in Belgium especially is of a very high standard, with a couple of FIA GT drivers as well, and cars you don't see in any other league in Europe. It's quite spectacular, and this stupid accident was an exception.

[@Nicolasherdwick]

I was wrong about where "Eau rouge" ends and "Raidillon" starts officially. Eau Rouge is only the first left turn at the bottom (wiki). The rest, the right uphill turn and the left turn over the top of the hill are all "Raidillon". This crash happened over the hill top of Raidillon, so later drivers didn't see it coming. In Eau Rouge or the uphill part of Raidillon, they'd have seen it from far. This happened at the worst place: fast and invisible. I hope I've got the names correct now.

[@PickledAxe]

The local clerk of the course (so not the guy the DSC brought along) wanted to wait as long as possible before deploying the SC. But he waited a few seconds to long... What amazes me is that the SC didn't have a roll cage. Every race car on the track needs to have one, but why not the SC? Luckily no one was seriously hurt, only their wallets.

[@flyer203]

@racered94 You mean the orange-green-blue showing at 0:41? I think its a Dodge Viper.

[@atjays]

Wow they're all really lucky. Why they were going that fast under a safety car period is beyond me, highly dangerous when you know there's safety/medical cars out on the circuit

[@inhuman216]

This is why in F1 they use Mclaren SLR or Mercedes SLS, really fast cars that can keep up with Formula 1 cars

[@PrincipeDiBelgico]

@dood70 What's the problem with Safety SEAT? the Safety car obviously is a SEAT LEON?

[@gweggorz]

That was just horrible. All those cars were smashed up because the officials in the *danger car* made the mistake. That Lambo does have good brakes though...

[@505197]

@cgrassham He's not going 150 when it coasts out on the track in harms way, he isn't going 5 miles per hour and should have clamped it down. If he had done so the burning car would have protected him but as it was he never touches the brake and just lets it keep rolling. Anyone with sense would have been looking up track in fear of gettn run over, not rolling out into the middle of it to get reamed in the side. I don't blame him for loosing it, it's the 5 mph roll when he never brakes.

[@nannaf666]

hey, what series was this? any known drivers?

[@Blast-Forward]

@garciaram: Actually yes, but he stopped in the wrong place, he should have known, that the following drivers can't see him in time. Would you park your car on a highway directly behind a corner?

[@PickledAxe]

Dutch Supercar Challenge, but the Lambo which caused the mahem was a guest driver (from the GT Open if I remember correctly).

[@davedpg1]

wonder if the safety car kept his job

[@abl892]

I don't think that was his fault. There was major miscommunication.

[@MioMiow]

@flyer203 actually, its a marcos, you hear the commentater say "the (gustos?) marcos comes round the bend.."

[@reptongeek]

There is in my opinion the only way to avoid incidents like this. It's to deploy the Safety Car when the leader is coming onto the pit straight

[@Sugarkryptonite]

Yea lol was wondering what you were talking about saying Raidillon. This is on the opposite side of the track. :D

[@SiskaLeen]

@DynamicShadows206 You're about the only one here to judge this correctly. Yes, it was bad timing from race control sending out the safety car a few seconds too late to pick up the leader, but that had nothing to do with the accident, happening almost a lap later. Truth is this series is... well, let's call it accident prone to remain polite. ;-)

[@dtmfan]

No idea, what races you usally watch, but 1) the safety car driver picked up the WRONG leader, then 2) the race controle took wrong decisions to try to pick up the right leader, then 3) the safety car was almost buggering off into the safety areas, instead of driving in the middle of the track - what SCs usally do ! The yellow flags are only a little detail in this case, as the SC is the major key !

[@SiskaLeen]

@BraceZenith It was full course yellow with SC at that time, as can be seen in the video.

[@doodleco]

He needed to wave the whole field through due to a mistake. (he picked up the wrong car, he was supposed to be in front of the leader). Although I will admit, it was a bit too slow and there were probably some tellings off but then again, the SC is in control and all other cars must abide by what it does.

[@jaguar123987x]

@flyer203 It's a possibility that it may be a Spyker Squadron but I'm not sure, it's similar to Spyker, at least that's my guess, it sure ain't a Viper.

[@SiskaLeen]

@505197 News flash: race cars don't mix with wet grass. You should try it sometime. ;-) He did everything he could and helped out the other drivers after the crash.

[@Sugarkryptonite]

Not too sure about that. If it was over the hill I don't think they would have been able to see any cars above Eau Rouge.

[@SlotraceDK]

Don't they have any intercom???

[@panik808]

@garciaram i totally agree with you. Everyone should have reduced their speed since the SC was out and flags were being waved.

[@Thorsten1995]

which racing series is this? ohh damn safety car!

[@poljat]

What year?

[@PickledAxe]

Not all over the world unfortunately. North west Europe mostly.

[@Nicolasherdwick]

Now that you say so, yes. So I was wrong again in my previous post... I thought it happened at the end of Raidillon because I saw footage of the finish line just before the crash, but this is at Blanchimont indeed. Which makes my previous post a bit outdated. :-)

[@SiskaLeen]

Timing was unfortunate. SC got sent out by race control just a second too late, but that doesn't even matter. Fact is commentator is from Dutch Supercar Challenge and these guys are notorious for causing big wrecks. Full course yellow and SC signs were out for almost a lap at this point and these guys are still doing almost 200km/h???!! The drivers are at fault here and they don't even realize it judging by comments. Nice intervening on accidents when drivers don't even slow down...

[@Sadokist]

That safety car driver better have been fired. I would have kept going and the field pass me accordingly. Also, team radios should have been doing a better job.

[@Zoomer30]

And just to be clear, the "safety" car driver was shot after this race (my god). The case will be in court for years.

[@callypee]

what type of racing is this??

[@krallopian]

@Merto6 Yeah I don't get what everyone's saying, it clearly shows the lambo pass the sc, and then the bmw hits the right rear end of the lambo, and then the sc... bmw's fault to fly up behind safety car IMO.

[@Leathon]

Woah I cant Imagine what the bill will be for all of that!

[@PorscheDiddy]

Those are the risks that come with the sport.. F1 has become as safe as it can get, but that means boring as well. Leagues like Belcar are much more interesting and spectacular, though very safe. I live about 80kms from Francorchamps and 10 kms from Zolder, I've seen lots of races but not many serious accidents. The fatal Gilles Villeneuve crash in Zolder was one of the stupidiest and most 'unnecessary' accidents EVER.

[@mikeyh55]

@loi22 I think its a Marcos LM600. Really sweet

[@BreastsNaked]

Why is Christian Horner commentating on this?!

[@loi22]

the orange car at the beginning is the flattest thing ive ever seen!!!!

[@Iodine24]

no spotters?

[@flyer203]

@R35Man Didn't pay much attention to the commentater...Now I see the video again it doesn't even come close to a Viper if you see it by front.Thanks for correcting me people.

[@paulboggan]

if a race driver did that action he would be banned for life...that has to be the worst bit of officialdom ive ever seen in the sport...that beats even the wtcc incident at pau.... slowing down in a middle of a fast corner??? stupidity beyond belief.

[@calumsensible]

Its funny, I could swear yellow flags meant "Slow down, be prepared to STOP"

[@SuperColossal33]

these guys not have radios or something?

[@gotindrachenhart]

"or maybe it's a danger car" LOL Think if I was the buy in the BMW, first thing after my head cleared, I'd get out and go punch the safety driver in the face :)

[@lexicon5]

@Landorghini Obviously working for a race team and knowing how a race is operated are two different things. Do they or do they not display a SC sign at each flagging station when a SC is deployed? They have it out at the next station that was flying a yellow as well. It was a full course yellow. The SC driver only does what race control tells them to. Every driver has a radio. The idiot that hit the SC was 700 yards back and the SC lights were blinking and yet he chose to continue at speed.

[@JBofBrisbane]

1. The cameras almost completely missed it. 2. What were the flag marshalls one station back doing - having a cup of tea?

[@EestlaneEstonian]

well, a new, stock gallardo costs around $200 000. so i think the crash took 1-2 millions...

[@YixelGaming]

:O wow why is it when a crash like that happens the cameras are always in the wrong place. glad no one was seriously hurt. bet the safty car driver wont be driving a safty car for a little while

[@racered94]

@flyer203 im pretty sure its not a viper but it looks pretty cool i think he called an "sumthin" marcos

[@70monkey]

BMW driver forgetting there are other cars on the road? Wow. Bet his indicators don't get much use either . . . . .

[@kinch_evl]

If the SC is used correctly, then no cage is required. But as you can see the all-powerful stewards are human, so it appears the SC needs to be human-proof. OR, just a thought... What if the SC was remotely-controlled or GPS-guided?

[@GwenCoonen]

also the yellow flag was constantly being used...that bmw was actually in error or his team was ...Spa has some of the best trained official-trackmarshals in the world ...

[@Bmants]

No Radio?

[@XcopeS]

@dabest2500 Oh yeah, I think he tried to go between the 2, but when he started braking the car understeered more than he thought it would. I didn't see it clearly, but this is my best guess. Or he just didn't see the Lambo until it was too late, I can't say for sure.

[@KartCMP1]

this has nothing to do with the safety car. The fault was made by the lambo that slammed the brakes to not pass the pace car. The following bmw crashed into the lambo and the bmw went on to crash into the pace car. It doesn't seem like it, but the pace car is driving as fast it possibly can... There is no penalty for passing the pace car so I don't understand why the lambo was in such a hurry to stop.. he should have cruised by and slowed down further ahead.

[@350zvince]

the problem was that the lambo was a driver with little experience. He shouldn`t brake at all (lights off on sc)

[@isanub]

its not the safetycar's fault, the bmw had way to much speed for that line thru the corner.

[@waty0usay1]

this was the racecar drivers fault, he clearly saw the safety car in front of him and obviously he didnt even care about slowing down at first.

[@ExoticSpotting]

If a product is advertised on KZbin, I won't buy it.

[@umpalumpa2oo7]

oil?

[@Sugarkryptonite]

Lucky this wasn't at Eau Rouge!

[@XcopeS]

@dabest2500 Which one?

[@inhuman216]

@Hadouification that can keep up on formula 1 cars during safety period, and also that the driver of the safety car is usually a dtm professional. common sense.

[@dood70]

I'm sorry... did the commentator say "Safety SEAT"?!?!?! Ahh... There's your problem...

[@sesselfurzer2000]

Yellow Flag is yellow flag and I thought these race cars do have radio so usually the driver of the BMW should have known that the safety car is out...

[@aldrichbikes]

why the safey car was driving so slow along outside path?

[@Hadouification]

@inhuman216 Do you really believe the SLR or the SLS could keep up with an F1 car? Seriously? They use the SLR because of a contract FOA has with mercedes and because the SLR is able to drive at a pace where the tyres of the Formula One cars will stay at a moderate temperature. There is no way the SLR could keep up with an F1 car.

[@SmallBlogV8]

Of course the Gallardo's on fire. That's the only thing it does when it isn't going fast.

[@racered94]

what was that bright orange car

[@MDDeGrande1994]

marcos mantis lm600

[@ERIC44424]

MDDeGrande1994 Thank you a lot

[@XcopeS]

@dabest2500 When the safety car is deployed, shoulndn't there be yellow flags on the track? He was going too fast under the flags.

[@boeli1]

Dit is niet de Brit car maar de DSC, alleen er zijn rijders die meedoen met de Britcar en die zijn gewend met 2 saftycars en in de DSC is het er maar 1 vandaar de verwarring en de crash!!

[@mrzipdisk]

I'd be surprised if the Lambo WASN'T on fire!

[@Nicolasherdwick]

Erm, make that "left turn". Or "other right turn", if you prefer. ;-)

[@KostoMax97]

This is not safety car it's unsafety car...

[@dude2106]

ouch!! that's some expensive shit getting smashed up there : ) !

[@GoFeri]

If there's a caution, slow the fuck down. A lot of drivers in Europe don't get the idea.

[@PickledAxe]

The SC drive at reasonable high speed on a race track, some times near the limits of the car, so there is always a danger. What about a high speed puncture? I can't see why every car on track needs a FIA certified roll cage, except for the officials cars. Every car needs to be human proof. Maybe in the future, a remote controlled SC would work, but on the other hand, how often does this happen?

[@niconaz]

why the safety car was going so slowly??? the driver must be suspended for life!!!!

[@tabletka666]

Its because the driver of the safety car was Belgian... what a surprise...

[@imthejoker4u2]

Thats some un-safety car there

[@CedricWautersCWS]

@copperkipper1 No it's a Marcos Mantis ;)

[@amokachi31]

I really didnt get why its a mistake of safety car driver?

[@3dDuke]

HAHAHAHA oh my god what the fuck was the safetycar guy thinking?

[@93nikolas93]

@SiskaLeen treu that.u can see the yellow flags allready before the crash.meaning tht the drivers should be cautious allready.obviously they trying to race and make up time but we can not forget tht these yellow flags are there to protect theyre lives and the marchalls lifes..

[@F-Man]

Methinks the safetycar driver is unemployed.