Note: I originally wrote this blog on September 2nd, 2019 shortly after the report of Anthione Hubert’s death at Spa Francorchamps. I didn’t want to post such a melancholy post so early in RacingForBeginners’ arrival to the internet. Instead, I wanted to focus on some important topics that would be more relevant to a new reader to the blog. However, the following blog is still important and relevant to all experience levels of motorsports. Please, drive carefully, be safe and have fun.
When I’m writing this, it comes after the weekend at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in 2019 and the death of Anthione Hubert. A twenty-two-year-old Frenchman, who like many before him, was a talented young man who had the talent to get into Formula 1 and was taken away from the sport too soon. He died from his injuries sustained in the accident at Eau Rouge just before the Kemmel Straight. By the time you read this, there should be plenty of articles on the incident and there’s no need for me to write any farther on the specific accident. I had a response on Facebook shortly after seeing the F2 accident and this is what I posted:
This is truly sad for the sport. It’s a reminder of the inherent dangers of motorsport. There’s an excitement when I see Senna out on the race track but then I’m reminded of how my son, got his name from the legend, Ayrton Senna. Racing is dangerous and needs to be taken seriously.
When Mark Lovell and Roger Freeman died from their accident at the Oregon Trail, I tried not to dwell on it during the race, as I didn’t want the same fate, when we were on stage. It wasn’t until later when I watch the highlights of the rally, alone, did all my emotions come to the surface.
Senna has had a big accident in karting and with comms on, I heard him cry. That still plays in my head and scares me to death, however, at the end of the day he absolutely loves racing and is so happy when I talk to him over the comms. RIP Anthoine Hubert, we will remember you for you doing what you loved.
What I said was not wrong. As time goes on and as the sport advances in speed, the technology of the cars and the additional stresses put on the body (physical and mental), there is a “possibility” that someone could get injured or die as a result. The human body can only take so much before it breaks.
The purpose of this post is not to scare, intimidate or detour you from the sport. The purpose of this post is more focused on the safety procedures before, during and after an accident and the safety equipment needed to ensure the best possible outcome.
Before, I talked about Senna’s accident. He was trying out a new kart that was bigger, more horsepower and was on the border of being the right size of piloting that kart. Earlier that day, he had set the track record for with the junior kart for that track. With his confidence up, he felt he was ready for the higher level kart. He drove out and his first couple laps were good. They were clean but a little bit off. Then he miscalculated the timing of a corner and went full speed, head-on into a building support pole (that was protected by tires). “Senna, are you okay?!?!” I said through the microphone for our SENA communication system. All I heard was crying and the only thing he said was, “ow”. My heart skipped several beats and I was able to tell the track workers that he was hurt and then I asked him if he could pull into the pits. I approached him and before moving him from the kart, I asked him if he was okay. He had calmed down a little bit and said that he didn’t want to drive anymore. I quickly remembered my first aid skills and went through all the precautions for head and neck injuries. After a short while removed his helmet and then did more assessments. We were done for the day. His neck and shoulders were sore for a couple of days. [Note: The facility did warn us of the dangers and they did absolutely nothing wrong before, during and after the accident. This was 100% our responsibility.] Having said all of this, if it wasn’t for his safety gear, things could have had a completely different outcome. His helmet, neck brace, and chest protector did their job and Senna has since been back to racing and in the karts in which he had this accident
Shortly after Anthione Hubert’s accident, Lewis Hamilton was quoted as saying, “If a single one of you watching and enjoying this sport think for a second what we do is safe, you’re hugely mistaken. All these drivers put their life on the line when they hit the track and people need to appreciate that in a serious way because it is not appreciated enough. Not from the fans nor some of the people actually working in the sport.”
(Source from, https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/49537765?fbclid=IwAR1Z3obtDoG86HJV6GixxE6VQNPBheJkfKO3u76h8ruXkrrBfdxfrQfueTw)
It can happen that quick! Mark Lovell is a good example. The flip side is you can fall in the shower or off a ladder and be killed too. Those that do will never know the rush of “gambling” behind the wheel of a race car. If I did die behind the wheel of a race car I would die a happy man.
I an sure glad Senna is ok! It had to be a scary experience at his age.
When I flipped my 1/4 Midget at Alpenrose Dairy as a kid it was scary but I learned from that experience and it never happened again.