Ferrari 458 GT3 driver escapes through windshield after horrific crash – Video
People say motorsport is not for the faint hearted! It hold true not only for the drivers competing but also for the spectators watching the action live on track and on television. By being a motorsport enthusiast I have witnessed several heart-wrenching on-track incidents and nail biting racing that would leave you wonder ‘what might have been?’ at the end of the day with regards to the race or championship outcome.
Any Formula One would remember the fatal incident occurred to Jules Bianchi at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix when his Marussia lost control in atrocious weather and ran straight into the transporting tractor. Crashes like these will put emphasise on the improvement in safety in racing which is already at a very advanced stage with continuous crash testing and stringent safety regulations. The open-cockpit design was heavily criticised in the aftermath of Jules’ fatal crash in F1; while some stood against it, others thought a closed cockpit system would spoil the DNA of the sport.
Whatever the FIA and other motorsport governing bodies around the world do to improve track and driver safety, we can’t get away with the fact that racing is dangerous and it always will be – Justin Wilson’s unbearable fatal IndyCar crash last year was another example. However, at the season-opener in Australia we had been reminded of the persistent steps taken towards achieving better safety as Fernando Alonso’s McLaren-Honda ran into the back of Esteban Gutierrez’s Haas and was hurtled into the barriers at an impact of over 40G.
With the car broken into pieces, the two-time F1 world champion walked away with minor rib fractures and bruising. Another spectacular accident caught on camera last weekend was at the Circuit Paul Armagnac in France when Sacha Bottemanne, a Ferrari 458 GT3 driver, contesting the GT Tour race slammed face-first into the barrier at nearly 230 kmph.
He had the inside line going into a corner when fighting for seventh position against a fellow GT3 driver but they touched briefly for a moment leading up to the crash. Sacha went sliding into the barriers after losing his car while trying to make the overtaking manoeuvre stick and slammed heavily against the walls.
The carbon-fibre bodywork was thrown into pieces and his 458 GT3’s front end had nothing but broken wheels as he ended up back into the track with the stricken car. Luckily for him, with all the latest improvements in cockpit protection, he climbed out of the smashed windshield and limped to the side of the track. He was approached by a marshal and gracefully he escaped with minor bruises.
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