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There was a similar therad on this July. No idea how you insert a link so I've copied it!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aysedasi
In my early visits to Le Mans there were massive accidents on the Mulsanne. Jo Gartner lost his life there in 86. It was the installation of triple layer armco that probably saved Win Percy's life when his Jaguar flew the following year. In 1990, Jonathan Palmer had a similar acvident in a Joest Porsche when something broke - which I think was probably an element in all three of these accidents (Gartner's being gearbox related and (I assume) Percy's relating to a tyre deflation). And yet I've heard much more from drivers about how they preferred the circuit before the advent of the chicanes (and indeed, additions like the Dunlop Chicane as well). There have always been drivers like Schlesser who professed to hate the place, but generally came back all the same. Personally, I remain to be convinced that the installation of the chicanes was safety motivated and that Badger is right. Balestre and Ecclestone were desperate at the time to force the ACO to toe the line and refusal to comply with FISA mandate would have meant the loss of the world championship round status for Le Mans. A shame the ACO couldn't have read in their crystal balls that Balestre and Ecclestone would shortly destroy that as well.....
Poster by LJ79
Palmer crashed between the chicanes in 90.
Gartner was accelerating just after the right kink after the conifers that leads on to Mulsanne proper.
On the Mulsanne proper Andruet had a big shunt in 85 in a WM as did Dudley Wood in the JFR 956, both nr the kink. Andruet unhurt, Wood broken leg
Sheldon and Olsen had "that" shunt in 84. Sheldon burnt, Olsen ok. (A marshall was killed by debris)
Plus the Nielsen flip and the other close ones, Percy 87, Schlesser 86, Niedwiedz 88. One of the Joest cars had a massive blow out too in 89.
So - deaths on Mulsanne "proper" in modern(ish) era = 0. Even Lafosse's death in 81 was at the start of the straight too.
BTW - this is not to make light of the Gartner / Lafosse / marsall death (Jacky Loiseau IIRC) but provides stats to back you up Ayse
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