Squint a little and it could be Lauda at the Nürburgring all over again, and like that day in '76, only the intervention of fellow racers prevented a Roger Williamson like tragedy in front of the main grandstands.
Brno, Czech Republic, Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo race. Giorgio Bartocci loses control of his Lambo coming onto the front straight and slams right on the end of the pit wall. The car disintegrates and catches on fire.
What happens next is something that should never happen at any race: nothing.
Safety personnel wonder aimlessly around the car with pathetically underpowered extinguishers. Seemingly clueless to the fact a man was inside the car, they seem preoccupied with extinguishing the flames on the asphalt. Eventually you see two frantic men jump into action and finally extract the driver. They were Fabio Babini, his co-driver and a Pirelli test engineer, wearing his driving suit tied around his waist and Manfred Fitzgerald from Lamborghini in shirtsleeves who finally rips the door off the car and drags Bartocci to safety.
It's clear from the video track personnel was clueless in even the most basic of rescue procedures and some had non working fire extinguishers. This happened at an FIA sanctioned event and I would hope calls for a full investigation by a body which prides itself on safety.
The driver is still in intensive care, off a respirator and awake. He suffered broken ribs and a broken leg and has 2nd degree burns on 40% of his body, but happy to be alive!
Omnicorse.it has an interview with Babini about the incident, in Italian but I can translate it later if anyone wants...
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