The Fastlane Motorsports Forum

I don't want to turn this into a video topic exactly, but knowing Ian-S was around when a couple of famous incidents happened, it would be interesting to hear some stories.

Brands Hatch, 1996: I was 9 years old, and standing on the inside of the track when the big famous pileup happened. I couldn't see it properly because so many people were in the way, but I got between some legs and caught the end of it. I remember 'bits of polystyrene' bouncing up the track, I remember hearing all the "ooohs" when Menu spun, I grabbed my grandad's camera and took photos... Cue my lifelong interests in crashes


I was also at Brands Hatch the day old Top Gear put Tiff Needell in a Nissan and did a BTCC feature. I don't remember anything of the filming, nothing different happened to a normal BTCC weekend, but Nigel Mansell was racing in the Mondeo and had an accident with Needell coming out of Druids. I got my camera out of the bag and took a photo of the aftermath, not quick enough to catch the crash itself. I seem to remember Mansell crying like a baby about it afterwards. The pits walkabout for lunchtime was great though, I got a dozen autographs, including Needell's and Mansell's. Tiff was sitting on the roof of his car signing race programmes, Mansell was there but he asked his cronies to keep us mortals away from his car, and got them to give out pre-signed cards. I remember when the walkabout opened, literally everyone ran for Mansell's car, but my heroes at the time were the BTCC racers so I sent my grandad to get me one. Anyway, I still have both of those autographs today.

I was there when Kimi Raikkonen won the 2004, 2005 and 2007 Belgian GP.

Also, this happened right in front of me

I was at this:

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/36662/1/jo ... nment.html

Not seeing any video or photos. I seem to remember than ran EuroBOSS that day - loads of F1 cars around

Antonov wrote:I was there when Kimi Raikkonen won the 2004, 2005 and 2007 Belgian GP.

actually, screw that, I was there when Vettel took his maiden f1 victory.

Looking the other way, of course...

did you participate in the race also? What a classic.

looking at the replay, he was so lucky not to go over the tyres and god knows in to what...
note his legs moving about. Shock?

I was there when Michael Schumacher spun during the 2003 European GP and was pushed back into the race. They were racing for 3rd and he ended up in an unsafe position on track. And the race was in Germany.

Ah. The race where Räikkönen lost his first championship (and more deserving one).

I have always like the track though - even when the stadium was introduced for 2002.

Also the race where Coulthard got a brake test.

DoubleFart wrote:I was at this:

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/36662/1/jo ... nment.html

Not seeing any video or photos. I seem to remember than ran EuroBOSS that day - loads of F1 cars around

I was at that too. Frentzen set the National Circuit unofficial lap record that day.

I was there for this...
this...
this...
this...
this...
this...
and this...

sebbbl wrote:I was there when Michael Schumacher spun during the 2003 European GP and was pushed back into the race. They were racing for 3rd and he ended up in an unsafe position on track. And the race was in Germany.

Which lead to Ross Brawn's infamous comment "he's not a classy driver", referring to Montoya.

that's pathetic.

kals wrote:

DoubleFart wrote:I was at this:

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/36662/1/jo ... nment.html

Not seeing any video or photos. I seem to remember than ran EuroBOSS that day - loads of F1 cars around

I was at that too. Frentzen set the National Circuit unofficial lap record that day.

I was only 10 or 11, so I don't remember a great deal. I do remember the noise though

sebbbl wrote:I was there when Michael Schumacher spun during the 2003 European GP and was pushed back into the race. They were racing for 3rd and he ended up in an unsafe position on track. And the race was in Germany.

I remember watching that one live on TV. It was questionable how "unsafe" his position was and we thought Schumi deserved to be disqualified for a push start. BUT this was back in the days when the FIA would turn a blind eye to everything Schumacher and Ferrari did. Let's not forget his clash with Montoya at Sepang. Montoya was on the outside trying a bold move, Schumacher understeered into him and knocked off JPM's front wing. Who got penalised? Yup, JPM.

Antonov wrote:looking at the replay, he was so lucky not to go over the tyres and god knows in to what...
note his legs moving about. Shock?

Nah, just checking they were all still working I think! I remember thinking of Hakkinen '95 when the car took off and hit the tyres while off the ground.

I was there at Paddock Bend (Brands Hatch) in 1976 for the British GP..... when the incident with James Hunt crashing out, the race being stopped and restarting happened, as featured in the Rush movie.

I am sure I have written in greater detail of the weekend elsewhere in the forum, but I am sure I will have a copy somewhere in the files for my still a 'gunner happen' project 'book of my motor sport memories'

It (the book) will happen one day, but I will look for the draft copy relating to the Brands weekend weekend, and post it here.