Dangerous towing at Spa and Nurburgring

[compte deGraves]

At the Oldtimers this year a seasoned competitor told me that he was little short of terrified when being towed in off the Nordschleife behind an X5 on a short lead. He thought the tow driver was trying to set a new lap record. A few years ago there was an incident at Spa when a Formula Junior turned over when being towed too quickly and the driver was quite badly injured. Everybody knows that you can see very little from the cockpit of a racing car when being a tow truck and yet incidents continue to occur.

Should the FIA circulate all circuit owners and event organisers and ask them to instruct the tow truck drivers to be more careful before someone is really badly injured?

[Peter Mallett]

Good point. They do tend to forget that cold racing brakes are next to useless. If I'm being towed (sadly I've had the experience at Spa) I keep my foot on the brake pedal so the pads are kept to a reasonable temprature.

[terence]

Not too sure of the details but I heard of a car being yanked out of the gravel at the Nurburgring last weekend,it was being pulled by the roll cage ,dug in and rolled with the beltless driver inside!!

[compte deGraves]

If only upon the above observations, it is perfectly clear that organisers and track managers need to be made aware of these concerns. That will help make their insurers sit up and take notice!

[GORDON STREETER]

I've been towed at Spa at a fair rate of knots a couple of times and I must admit its a bit unnerving. Because you sit low in the car its difficult (or impossible)to see a short rope , and I once ran it over damaging the front panel and wing. If you have a vacuum servo you have no chance ! I also witnessed a car at Brands being towed backwards by its roll hoop that incurred substantial damage crashing into the armco on the start grid. And that was only at a "slowish" speed !

[Adam43]

I too have been towed at Spa and broke the rope! Although it wasn't at a daft speed and besides I got back to the pits and we managed to change the fuel pump and finish the race.

[Eddy V]

The problem with Spa and the Ring is that they are long circuits, so organising clubs want to clear the track asap. One of the reason they order the tow drivers to speed things up.
Now if those people only knew what they were doing it wouldn't be half bad, but they don't.
I have had many angry words with the Spa towers, but with no or hardly any avail. They just won't see it or couldn't care less as they have "the track" behind them.

I've seen my share of mishaps of cars being towed far too fast, even the odd car falling off a tow truck and many more things.
So, a little tip: when pulling off at Spa, always tell the marshals that you need a full lift because of a suspension / steering problem.

Or, try to get the car to the pit if it is still drivable. You'd be amazed how many drivers pull off and after the end of practice or race, they get in and drive back.

[midgetman]

I was towed back from Caroussel. We have to run standard brakes, trying to stop a Midget and a Frontera on 7" discs and poxy drums from 80mph was w-i-l-d!

It was h-u-g-e fun, luckily I was suited, helmeted and belted.

[GORDON STREETER]

Just to put this in some sort of perspective, I am used to towing and "being towed most days of the week, having worked in the motor trade for the last 45 years so not an absolute novice at it ! I am aware that they want to clear the track as quick as possible but some of the towing vehicles are things like performance scubies and some of the drivers are a bit OTT.

[rogerwills]

Careful what you wish for! In this insane world of health and safety, someone will decide that towing cars is far too dangerous and we will see red flags and safety cars while a team of licensed tow personnel are deployed, one to do the job and 10 to oversee and provide risk management!

[zefarelly]

I've been towed at a fair rate at Spa back in 04, I have to say its far preferable to having your car slinged and picked up by a team of gorillas . . .I've seen a few bent roofs on cars from that practice.

[delta]

When ever i get towed i allways tell the driver that " I will follow them" allways gets a laugh. I did have 2 laps towed around Monaco this year bit of pratice for 2010.

[terence]

Most people put fuel in.

[Andrea Lazzari]

I've been towed at the last OGP at Nurburgring.
After a nice battle with Roger (I've sent you a pm), during the last lap of Race 2 the differential of my Lotus Cortina decided to leave me.
It's true, the tow guys drive quite quickly, but they advice you about the risk and ask you if you wish to be towed (at least in Germany) or not.
They ask you to please keep foot on the brake pad to keep the rope in tension and take care to push quickly if required.
So, from my point of view no problem, but maybe from a formula cockpit...

[Peter Mallett]

Welcome Andrea.

[JimW]

Those tow bars used by RAC/AA in the UK might be worth considering. Not rope but a metal bar between the tow vehicle and the towing eye.

Jim

[Andrea Lazzari]

It's a pleasure being here, thank you Peter.

[compte deGraves]

Jim's suggestion is very very sensible. It could cure a lot of the problems in one fell swoop. If circuits like Spa and the Nordschleife continue to tow like lunatics with competitors sitting "blind" in single seaters behind them someone is going to get very badly hurt and sooner or later someone is going to sue the pants off them. Let them not say that they have not been warned!

[Eddy V]

Dunno really, you'd be amazed what they manage at Spa.

On a serious note: not one marshal at Spa (bar me obviously) tells a driver to put his helmet on and fasten his seatbelts before being towed away.
And you'd be amazed how many drivers think that's not even needed. Had another guy last Sunday at Brands who looked at me as if I'd asked for the impossible.

[GORDON STREETER]

Towing bars "can" cause more problems if the car being towed tries to overtake the tow car, I have seen a BMW wrecked and loads of damage to the Disco that was towing it, so a rope is the lesser of the two evils !

[compte deGraves]

What was the mobile disco doing on the race track? Please forgive if I have misunderstood but my english ees not as good as it should be.

[rogerwills]

Originally Posted by Andrea Lazzari

I've been towed at the last OGP at Nurburgring.
After a nice battle with Roger (I've sent you a pm), during the last lap of Race 2 the differential of my Lotus Cortina decided to leave me.
It's true, the tow guys drive quite quickly, but they advice you about the risk and ask you if you wish to be towed (at least in Germany) or not.
They ask you to please keep foot on the brake pad to keep the rope in tension and take care to push quickly if required.
So, from my point of view no problem, but maybe from a formula cockpit...

Andrea, struggling with PM on my holidays but will respond shortly, sorry!

I did have a good time chasing you at the Ring. Unfortunately I had just finished the sports car race and was getting some water when I noticed the HTGT grid start behind the safety car! So didn't do well in race 1 but got close to catching you before your diff went pop! What a pity as you weren't far from the end.

Will respond in the near future.

[zefarelly]

Mr Drabble is dangerous towing at Spa

so dangerous he got his PPU stuck in the tunnel one year

[terence]

Theres worse things to get intunnels lad.
Has anyone heard what the Porsche was doing on track,two un-helmeted people on board and storming past some of the race cars,on the grass at the 500k?