6hrs of Spa Francorchamps - 2011

[tatounet]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

There are some very good pics there Tatounet. We didn't see you this year.

We crossed at the end of the race ... you responded to my thumbs up in the F1 pitlane

[Malcolm Smith]

My first visit to Spa - hopefully not the last !
I had expected a wonderful weekend, but it completely surpassed all my expectations.

The Gilmartin Capri with which I travelled was running 15th in Masters Top Hat, but radiator failure with two laps to go dropped it to 33rd. It ran faultlessly in Barry's race and lapped faster than any of three previous visits to Spa.

Great to meet Mike Bell, Tim Falce, Peter Mallet and Cliff Ryan.

Thanks also to Grant P for photo advice (I will have to invest in a better camera before my next visit). A few snaps attached.

[SZRacer]

Someone just pointed me towards this youtube clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLjjrchE12Q

Ouch!

BTW, working on a mini write-up of 'my' races (albeit not a prestigious as the 'main event'...next year, next year!).

Good to chew the fat with JR, and said hello to Mike Bell..

Originally Posted by rikwatson

Was in the right place at the right time to catch an incident between the #48 Schryver Elan and the #82 Vetter Alfa Romeo.

A bit hairy but everyone walked away ok thankfully.

[Moosehead]

The Alfa stood up pretty well I thought. Pity it didn't slide some more before tipping over as once it was up on the tyre wall there appeared to be far less damaged caused.

[Cliff Ryan]

The video above answered how the Alfa ended up against the barrier underneath the Radillion Cafe, which caused the safety car - ouch, but I understand that the driver was ok.

The subsequent pile up at the top of Radillion under the safety car was one of the most unpleasant sights I have had to to witness. Mike and I could see it all unfolding from the shopping centre grandstand - we were both standing up shouting at the drivers coming down into Eau Rouge, as we could see the cars stopped on the track at the top of the hill. Not a pleasant sight seeing cars lock up and stop suddenly against the back of other cars - again I believe that remarkably nobody was hurt although it resulted in four cars being withdrawn, including the No1 E Type.

That and the aforementioned numpty who parked at the top of our paddock emptying the contents of his camper van were the only bad bits of a great weekend.

[zefarelly]

how did te Alfa end up doing that? I didn't think they where fast enough to loose it

as someone else mentioned, the outside paddock is by far the best all round.

[Peter Mallett]

I think we arrive at the video somewhat later than the start. Looks to me like he turned into Eau Rouge (left) across the front of the Marcos. Then it was straight to the scene of the accident.

As far as speed is concerned, it's more about dynamics. If he was doing 100mph when he turned in then it wouldn't take much to tip him into a roll up the hill.

Great shame because they are pretty little cars.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Cliff Ryan

The video above answered how the Alfa ended up against the barrier underneath the Radillion Cafe, which caused the safety car - ouch, but I understand that the driver was ok.

The subsequent pile up at the top of Radillion under the safety car was one of the most unpleasant sights I have had to to witness. Mike and I could see it all unfolding from the shopping centre grandstand - we were both standing up shouting at the drivers coming down into Eau Rouge, as we could see the cars stopped on the track at the top of the hill. Not a pleasant sight seeing cars lock up and stop suddenly against the back of other cars - again I believe that remarkably nobody was hurt although it resulted in four cars being withdrawn, including the No1 E Type.

That and the aforementioned numpty who parked at the top of our paddock emptying the contents of his camper van were the only bad bits of a great weekend.

Sounds like something similar to the event at the WTCC meeting a Pau in, iirc, 2009 when the Safety car was despatched rather late (apparently) and parked up in the middle of the track just after the pit exit which, for those who have been to Pau will understand, is not the best idea in the world.

Don't suppose any of the race control team were operating at both events were they?

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by zefarelly

how did te Alfa end up doing that? I didn't think they where fast enough to loose it

I believe it had contact with another car- looks like a red Elan in the clip? (Not the Tice Marcos- that was caught in the subsequent incident.)

Bit scary that it rolled though- Combination of narrow track / high CoG and sticky tyres?

[johngee]

Originally Posted by grantp

Don't suppose any of the race control team were operating at both events were they?

I wasn't there this year (perhaps fortunately but not from my point of view!) but the race control team at Spa is a very experienced RACB team who 'do' the F1 and other international meetings. There would have been no commonality with the team at Pau.

[Al Weyman]

Maybe some of these incidents would be better red flagged and reformed, I have had nagging doubts about the safety car concept to be honest. At least if its a red flag incident all the flags go out and everyne knows the score, maybe some different sort of ettiquete for safty car incidents should be explored. May be as soon as the SC signal goes out cars should be limited down to pitlane speeds and the safety car down to 30 till everyone catches up. Must be a better way of doing this to avoid this sort of incident.

[Peter Mallett]

Al,

Red flags don't solve it. I know you disagree with anything that asks the race driver to take some care. There were a few drivers who were hell bent on getting on the back of the queue and they caused an accident. It only took one of them to plant the foot and they all went for it.

Stopping the race would have had no benefit other than to take up more track time, and you of all people complain when that is taken from you.

John,

You were missed. From our POV it was a great race and indeed with some significant cars running in the supports, was an even better weekend.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by johngee

I wasn't there this year (perhaps fortunately but not from my point of view!) but the race control team at Spa is a very experienced RACB team who 'do' the F1 and other international meetings. There would have been no commonality with the team at Pau.

John, I should probably have added a smiley face to my post and as I was not there either and reports from those involved, if there have been any, seem to have passed me by. So I have little idea of what really happened. However when I saw comments (above) about cars being stopped on track at a place where visibility is compromised one starts to wonder what could possibly have happened to instigate such a decision.

No doubt a video will pop up on YouTube at some point to clarify or mystify.

[johngee]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

John,

You were missed. From our POV it was a great race and indeed with some significant cars running in the supports, was an even better weekend.

I was gutted not to be there Peter, particularly not to see your fabulous result. Well done to you and the team. Next year's 360 will have a suitable accolade in the pre race publicity along the lines of "fresh from his outstanding drive at Spa etc etc."

[johngee]

Originally Posted by grantp

John, I should probably have added a smiley face to my post and as I was not there either and reports from those involved, if there have been any, seem to have passed me by. So I have little idea of what really happened. However when I saw comments (above) about cars being stopped on track at a place where visibility is compromised one starts to wonder what could possibly have happened to instigate such a decision.

No doubt a video will pop up on YouTube at some point to clarify or mystify.

Not having been there, it would be quite improper really for me to comment further but, on the face of it, something must have gone wrong to lead to the situation of 'cars being stationary on a live circuit'. I'll say no more than that!

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by grantp

cars being stopped on track at a place where visibility is compromised

Only being able to witness from trackside, my take is that SC slowed further along the Kemmel straight, and this resulted in a motorway type of concertina effect where the 'ripple' gets more pronounced until cars are actually stopped. Unfortunately this occured at the top of the blind brow which made the situation worse. The cars involved were a long way back from the SC.

The field had been circulating behind SC for several laps while the Alfa was removed, the leader had finally been picked up and SC was due to come in. All very unfortunate and although SC has come in for some criticism in the press, onus must surely rest on individual drivers to keep an eye on what is happening ahead?

Mr Smith- Careful, Peter will need to get a larger crash helmet!

There were a lot of excellent performances from 360 participants at Spa- in 6hrs and other races. Obviously a select bunch

[john ruston]

Safety car incident.More or less same thing happened five years ago.Cars were parked on track for over a hour when big smash under yellows.

The Elva had a brake problem on warming up lap so the boys started 55 minutes into the race and finished having used it as a test run.
In the could have ,should have and B/S race the car would have come about fifth thru eighth.We will never know.In the real world it started in 105 place on leaders lap 30 something and finished seventieth

The Alfa had transmission troubles(another legacy of being pushed off rally stage of Tour Britannia) so was parked.No fun going round Spa in a car so much slower than leading cars.Michael Birch is brave but not stupidly brave.
Decided that unless you can qualify a car 3 12 or better there are safer races to enter.It's not fare on fast cars and leads to incidents.

[terence]

Originally Posted by johngee

Not having been there, it would be quite improper really for me to comment further but, on the face of it, something must have gone wrong to lead to the situation of 'cars being stationary on a live circuit'. I'll say no more than that!

Could it have been a simple case of Le Raidion being a blind crest,drivers were not slowing enough considering that the Yellows/SC Boards were being shown

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by terence bower

Could it have been a simple case of Le Raidion being a blind crest,drivers were not slowing enough considering that the Yellows/SC Boards were being shown

I could be (probably am) wrong but I heard that the SC boards and flags were in but the safety car was still out.

[SAMD]

Originally Posted by terence bower

Could it have been a simple case of drivers not slowing enough

Heaven forbid!
The wee Giulia reminds me of an incident in my past, I must have been about 18 and driving a big winged Anglia with 7 & 8in banded steels. Purple with a Gold flash. My best friend had bought one of those Giulias, a 1300cc one for a tenner and we went in my Anglia to tow it home one Sat morning. We took the back roads but had to pass through Lisburn (now a city) My old Anglia (with its 1600E crossflow) started to boil when we got caught up in Traffic in the center, and James had the presence of mind to pull the Giulia into gear and started it up, unfortunately the tow rope broke at that point where it attached to the Giulia. So as we climbed up past the market house there had to be a large Policeman appear on points duty. As the steam started to rise from the front of the Angle box the policeman pointed out the rope trailing behind and insisted that I stop and remove it. So I turned the key to the off position (as you would) and put the car in 1st gear (as the handbrake was non existant) and climbed out. The engine meanwhile decided it was hot enough to run without the ignition system and launched the car forward, not far, but enough to make me jump back in. The policeman kindly gathered up the rope and put it in the boot for me. So I then attemped to restart the Anglia - no chance! So the big policeman ended up heaving the Anglia up the hill and around the corner, with poor James trying to look innocent in the Giulia - following behind.

Incidently I notice Wikipedia says the 1300s were 4 speed but there must have been a batch came into NI that were 5 Speed 'cos we had about 4 of them in total and they were all 5 speed 1300s Alloy Twin Cam, twin 40s (from memory)

[Eddy V]

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

I could be (probably am) wrong but I heard that the SC boards and flags were in but the safety car was still out.

Not that wrong Tim, there was something very wrong with the guy doing the radio inside de SC. Probably deaf.

It was good to see all the guys I managed to see, albeit sometimes a bit late. Too much to do, too little time.
My free weekend was cut short on the Sunday, when I was called into duty because some observer's mother in law (or something similar) was very badly ill. Oh well, I did a it a bit in Goodwood style, not being dressed in orange.

Luckily I had Jeremy supplying me with tea, as my usual tea van was missing from Spa.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Eddy V

Luckily I had Jeremy supplying me with tea, as my usual tea van was missing from Spa.

Glad to hear you managed to obtain tea from somewhere Eddy.

I think we need to take action to ensure that the regular tea van is available next year. Not quite sure what that action might be though. Perhaps a special guest entry for a Galaxie?

[Eddy V]

No no, not possible. I saw that thing totally sideways a year or two back, blocking sort of the whole track and forming a huge traffic jam.
Loads of free quassans maybe?

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Eddy V

No no, not possible. I saw that thing totally sideways a year or two back, blocking sort of the whole track and forming a huge traffic jam.
Loads of free quassans maybe?

I didn't think it needed to be sideways to block the track.

But, irrespective of physical size, the sound and vibration it creates in the paddock as it warms up for first practice is the most glorious alarm clock a circuit could wish to have!

Hangovers vibrated away in minutes! Fantastic.

[terence]

Originally Posted by Eddy V

Not that wrong Tim, there was something very wrong with the guy doing the radio inside de SC. Probably deaf.

It was good to see all the guys I managed to see, albeit sometimes a bit late. Too much to do, too little time.
My free weekend was cut short on the Sunday, when I was called into duty because some observer's mother in law (or something similar) was very badly ill. Oh well, I did a it a bit in Goodwood style, not being dressed in orange.

Luckily I had Jeremy supplying me with tea, as my usual tea van was missing from Spa.

Hmmmm,yet another case of' Belgian Whispers' then Eddy.