1109 wrecked at Melbourne F1 GP

[Russ Noble]

Let's face it, race cars do get damaged. That's the nature of the beast.

It's a pity when it happens to a rare original car but the guys that own these things usually (but not always) have plenty of money so it's usually not really a problem.

It is good that they allow their cars to be demonstrated at racing speeds, I would hate to see these things become garage queens.... rather defeats the original purpose. I say good on Rob Sherard for allowing his car to be used this way, it's just a pity that it suffered damage.

Vern Schuppan is a very experienced and competent driver who's been around for years. His ability is unquestioned. Something has caught him out. In the same situation with a lesser driver the car may have sustained even greater damage, so don't knock the driver without knowing the facts.

Although of course it's always interesting to know the reasons why, particularly with such a public incident, really, what happened is nobody's business other than the owner's, unless of course the stewards get involved.

Just my opinion...

Cheers

 

[Ross Nicol]

Ok the flame wars have started.These are the facts as I know it. These historic cars were doing Demonstration laps around the Albert Park circuit.They were not!!!!!! racing.Demonstration laps are usually carried out at a fairly slow speed and cars have a lot of track between them and the cars in front and behind. With this in mind it is highly unlikely GT40 #1109 struck or was struck by another car. Single car accidents whether on the road or track are generally caused by the driver,Brake and suspension failures are rare IMO.Ok Tim if Vern Schuppan is such a good driver how come he lapped Phillip Island in 1109, 10 seconds a lap slower than the the driver the previous year and this year? I suppose it was the car.I have no doubt he was a good driver in his day but he's a has been and it shows.I see your having fun with my comment about me driving the car , well I made that comment from complete frustration at seeing a perfectly good car that performed brilliantly at Phillip Island a week earlier wrecked during a demonstration!!!!! at the Grand Prix.
Russ I'm sure R.S. the owner of #1109,Lola T70,Porsche 962 etc etc Has plenty of money to fix these cars, he is tied up with Virgin Airlines I believe, but even he would've expected an accident at Phillip Island when the car was racing, rather than at the Grand Prix during a demonstration.
Beat up on me if you must at least I'm out there doing it.By the way out of a few track incidents I've had, I have never been blamed by the stewards for any of them.Seems like I'm a target here for personal attack because I voice my opinion oh well so be it, at least I'm honest.
Ross
Ross

 

[Russ Noble]

Not beating up on you Ross!

It's a race car, these things happen for whatever reason. I just bridle a wee bit at the current PC ethos and mindset that someone has to be blamed for any accident or injury. That's what they are, accidents, they don't happen deliberately.

If, as you say, he was off the pace at Phillip Island by 10 seconds, and it was solely him and not the car, then if one must blame someone, to start with, I would blame the owner who, knowing that, put him in the car for the GP weekend.

Regardless of the official line, most 'demonstrations' are done at racing speed. Last week at Cromwell a guy was killed on a quadbike when a group of them were doing some 'demonstration' laps at the speedway meeting there. Shit happens!

It is difficult to compare times recorded on different days as you well know, climatic, traffic and track conditions can make a big difference. To make an informed judgement it is necessary to compare the times of other competitors at that same event and also to know if there were any issues with the car at that meeting. In all honesty if a hitherto good driver was getting past it, I would expect his times to be maybe a couple of seconds off the pace. That is massively slow. A ten second deficit is incomprehensible and points to some other factor.

IMHO.

Cheers

 

[Keith]

Crikey! Chill out Ross mate... don't you realise they're just joshing you because of the way you say things?

It sometimes comes out a bit pompous like, but we know you're not that at all...


It's just a bit of fun mate...


Give it 'em back proper! (but don't take it seriously)

 

Crikey! Chill out Ross mate... don't you realise they're just joshing you because of the way you say things?

It sometimes comes out a bit pompous like, but we know you're not that at all...


It's just a bit of fun mate...


Give it 'em back proper! (but don't take it seriously)

Ahhh Keith, YOU got it. Nice use of some Aussie slang BTW.

 

[Ross Nicol]

Good point guys I think I'll concentrate my energy on my own driving in future.
Thanks for understanding that I'm not a pompous a...hole.
Ross

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

You are leading with your chin Ross, but because I'm not a pompous A**hole either (I hope) I won't chime in with any Kiwi jokes...........

I promise.

P.S. I saw the car leaving the circuit on the back of a truck on the Saturday so I assume it happened then.

 

[Bill Hara]

Pete

It happened around 11.00am on the Friday, I was at the fence watching the cars go around, saw 1109 and thought I'd stay and watch it go around 1 more time, of course it never did...... I didn't find out until after I had shared that beer with you late on Friday...

Cheers

Bill.

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

I thought it was Saturday but I stand corrected, put it down to oldtimers disease.
I enjoyed the beer anyhow.

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

O.K. I just got a phone call from a friend who saw it. It happened on Friday in turn 3. He backed up Ross and said Schuppan had the "Red Mist" over his eyes and was over-driving the GT. He went into turn three way to hot and lost it taking another car with him.
Of course he could have had a throttle stick or a brake failure, but my friend said he was "Off the air" on previous laps.

 

[Keith]

Ahhh Keith, YOU got it. Nice use of some Aussie slang BTW.

It's the Law mate. It's only courtesy to speak in the right lingo when you're a guest....

 

[Tony I]

How bad is the damage?

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

How bad is the damage?

See post 4 page 1.

 

[Paolo-LoveGT40 Modelworks]

those are even cars...objects..toys, ok.
I was present at le mans when mr. Neway destroyed the 40, and loving so much the car...was a true pain for heart see such one SO damaged (a lot of pictures of that essex white destroyed in the forum).
The same for the red Ford gt press car destroyed in a so stupid way in Monza track(driven by a journalist).
Its another way gt40 reminds us she is still a true race car, and if the driver isnt enogh skilled, there can be a LOT of problems in managing such power,without any of modern driving aids.

As Enzo Ferrari said, I can never be a good pilot, cause I can never stand at the destroyed car
Cit:"non potrò mai essere un buon pilota, perchè voglio troppo bene alla macchina".

Its in the nature of racing...but is a real pain also just think at a wrecked gt40

 

[Mike Drew]

See post 4 page 1.

Uh...what the heck is that?

There's no photos of the damage posted anywhere in *this* thread. So is there another thread with the photos?

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Uh...what the heck is that?

There's no photos of the damage posted anywhere in *this* thread. So is there another thread with the photos?

If you read this thread clearly and slowly Ross posted pics and then had to delete them because of copyright. So he then described the damage. In the fourth post on page one. :dead: