Club Arnage

Thank god he got out an walk away I felt sick!!!!

Agreed....but I'm waiting to hear what in hell he was thinking.... ??? ??? ???

Made me feel the same, one of those that left you under no illusions, a right old p**sser by any standards  :o

(http://www.lemainelibre.fr/photos/2011/06/11/110611162300934_94_000_apx_850_w_mainelibre_.jpg)

T'was a rather large shunt - not seen it other than youtube but was it fast car/slow car or trying too hard and forgetting the other 23 hours?

Official notification on FB / Twitter. He's unharmed. One of the photographers behind the armco has a broken.... phone. Excellent news.

Mother of a shunt, but agree with JC, what the hell was Allan thinking?  Pretty serious brain cramp, from a very experienced driver.  But this isn't the first time we've seen Allan have a brain fart, remember the Petit a few years ago when he stuffed the car on the sighting lap.  Unfortunately this Audi isn't going any further, bet Herr Ulrich is not amused.
Fax

Wow :o :o :o :o :o, just seen the reply on Eurosport web site, as fax says, what was he doing with that overtake.

I see in the shot Toby has posted below that part of the funfair has moved

thank he's ok and glad that stray wheel off the R18 that nearly hit that photographer didn't as that could have been nasty.

....and then there was Rocky's nasty crash.  I felt sick and disbelief on both of them when I saw the disintegration happening before my eyes.  Thank God nobody died or appeared to be seriously injured though I understand that Rockenfeller is still in the hospital.   Anyone hear an update on his condition?   ....and then the sole survivor marched right on through and took the victory right out of the jaws of the Puggies...  what guts and fortitude to do that after what they saw happen to the other two Audis.  Got to hand it to the new guys.

...and the number 73 Corvette did a great job of hanging in there and bringing home the bacon.  Congrats to them, too bad Johnny O wasn't one of the drivers.

I heard on commentary that Rocky was on his way back to the track for the end of the race. McNish was also released from hospital. Two others remained in hospital, none serious thankfully.

When you watch the McNish incident again, look just how damn lucky the press and marshals were - carbon fibre and a wheel all over the place, and the car only just about stopping on the armco. Could've been much more serious. There's a photographer near the bottom of the shot standing there with his camera stand slung over his arm. He barely moved through the whole incident. Lost a photo opportunity, and could so easily have been his life, thanks to slow reactions.

A hush descended over the whole circuit untill everyone saw him walk out the wreckage, one very lucky man, as was Rocky.

Just think there were about 10 photographers together, in the picture above is DSC's own "Pedro" May, his lense was broken, and if you watch the TV footage, he bloody pegged it and dove against the wall to escape the car. Just think what would've happened if the Audi hadn't twisted on its nose to return trackside.

"There but for the Grace of God" and all that. Everyone was lucky over the weekend.

I am suddenly quite glad that the ACO went wild with those catch fences

I guess flying CF could whip a head off like a shot

An utterly amazing event captured perfectly, but blimey I'm glad I missed it

So glad McN walked away too, real scary racing

Me too. We were down at the bottom of the hill at the start of the Esses. Was just putting my camera away, heard the collective intake of breath all around and looked up to see McNish already halfway across the gravel. Didn't even realise which car it was by then. Got the camera back out and used the long lens to keep all around me informed that he'd got out of the car ok. Didn't take away the nausea though, realising I thought I'd just seen one of my fave drivers perish  :(

thank god mcnish is ok and thank god everyone else is ok. pure luck that a photographer or marshal wasnt killed

(http://strassenversion.net/gif/mcnishcrash.gif)
(http://i.imgur.com/KY7B9.jpg)

Have a look at this guy in the loop that gooduck has put up. Is he Mr Cool or what?
H

It was in fact a Woman and she is deaf!!! What the hell do they think accrediting a deaf photographer! As is quite evident she had no idea what was going on!

Watched the start down on the Porsche curves, must of been on about lap 5 McNish swept round on the inside of one of the Ferrari's. Sorry cannot remember what one ????. But he nearly lost it there and the car was very twitchy at one point , lucky to hold it i reckon. Thing is at the time i thought McNish was being very aggressive and did suggest to a friend that he may end up having a Mansell moment.I just thank the lord no-one got injured or hurt.   

When you watch the loop, the car is clearly over the barrier but is then pulled back. It could have been a lot lot worse. The Audi crashes reminded me of the old F1 ground effect cars in the way that once the 'seal' was broken, they would just catapult off. Still find it unbelievable that both drivers climbed form their cars unaided and walked away.

Sitting in the grandstand and seeing the crash on the screen, my first thought, I have to confess, was not for McNish. It was for my daughter who was on duty marshaling at that post. All of a sudden things fall into very clear perspective. She was at the other end of the post as it happens but none of our colleagues (we both mashal at Nogaro) who were the majority of the team on duty there were injured at all, but probably required clean underwear. This weekend, something completely different for us...FIA European Truck GP!! More bloody diesels!

bacon sarnies and mugs of tea oh farty one.see you in september for historic gps