Quote:
Originally Posted by Coach Ep
To be fair the car was crashed into the pit wall in the warm up session, just a couple of hours before the start of the race and with the mechanics managing to rebuild it so quickly it could take the start, it was suspected something was not attached or fixed properly, causing an oil line to burst or come apart and set the car on fire. It stopped just after the second chicane on the Mulsanne straight, drivers right at marshals post 63 who tried to put the fire out. Problem was the electrics were still on leaving the fuel pump to do it's job - and with the car rapidly being engulfed with flames there was hardly a chance for the marshals to get close to the car and put it out - one even tried to 'smack off' the kill switch with his knife - which broke the blade! At least the driver made it out safely (young Kristian Kolby if I am correct).
Must have been 15-20 minutes or so into the race, causing the Safety Car to make an early appearance and showing again the fragility of the Caddilacs as the undertray of one of the SC's came off and went for a flight - again! (the scene already being witnessed earlier in the week when they made several showings before and between practice sessions).  |
Coach Ep,
Thats great info, I was not aware of this part of the story. I had noticed that shots of the car post fire had some markings in slightly altered postitions compared to qualifing, that explains it. Please tell us more about this warm up accident, the repairs needed and this undertray thing.
Thanks, Jim