Martin Raymond's Fatal Crash @ Brands Hatch 1980 (Aftermath)
- 7 months ago
The race started with much banging and bumping between the competitors, and Raymond would not be able to avoid that - as, on the very first laps, Lombardi's Osella collided with his Chevron as the Italian attempted an overtake at the start/finish straight. The impact was rather serious and, whilst somehow Raymond's machine escaped unscathed, the Osella stopped at the pits for extensive repairs at its rear end that include a whole new deck. And the two machines would see each other once more later in the day - this time with tragic consequences.
Martin Raymond, driving wonderfully, passed Alain de Cadenet's self-built ford Cosworth DFV-engined prototype and Edgar Dören's Porsche 935 K3, rising to sixth place. As Patrick Nève's BMW M1 was punted off by Carlo Facetti, Facetti himself was touched and sent off course when race leader Reinhold Jöst in his Porsche 908/03 Turbo came to overlap him, and Raymond benefitted from these attritions. Another gain was made when Riccardo Patrese stopped his works Lancia Beta Montecarlo Turbo at the pits for refueling, and then Siegfried Brunn had to hit the boxes to repair a snapped clutch in his venerable, 1972 Porsche 908/03. All this placed Raymond and his nimble 2-litre Chevron in an outstanding second place.
By then, almost two hours into the race, it was time for Raymond to make his own refueling stop. To gain time, no driver change was made, so Charnell remained at the pits. Despite such a strategy, though, Patrese recouped second place. Raymond did not give up, and left in pursuit of the Martini-sponsored Lancia. The dispute drew the attention of the spectators at Brands Hatch, and Raymond was able to stay close to Patrese for forty minutes. But on lap 103 the Chevron spun dangerously and at high speed between Westfield and Dingle Dell. It is suspected that a broken gearbox may have led to the incident.
The Chevron laid, dangerously, right on the racing line, so a group of marshals pushed it off the circuit. Raymond left the cockpit and began to work on the car at the run-off area of Dingle Dell, despite requests by the marshals for him to leave the area. The officials continue to wave yellow flags for minutes.
Several minutes later driver Marco Rocca making his debut as co-driver to Lombardi in the Alpilatte Osella PA8-BMW, arrived at the Dingle Dell bend slowing down to be lapped by Facetti's Lancia Beta Montecarlo Turbo. Paul Edwards who closely followed Facetti in a Porsche 911 Carrera RSR, didn't realize Rocca had slowed down and crashed into the Osella at about 180 km/h (112 mi/h). The two cars somersaulted, Rocca hit the embankment sustaining feet injuries and Edwards' Porsche without control violently hit the parked Chevron and Martin Raymond behind it, who was killed on the spot, being crushed by the two cars. Edwards suffered a broken arm.
R.I.P
Martin Raymond, driving wonderfully, passed Alain de Cadenet's self-built ford Cosworth DFV-engined prototype and Edgar Dören's Porsche 935 K3, rising to sixth place. As Patrick Nève's BMW M1 was punted off by Carlo Facetti, Facetti himself was touched and sent off course when race leader Reinhold Jöst in his Porsche 908/03 Turbo came to overlap him, and Raymond benefitted from these attritions. Another gain was made when Riccardo Patrese stopped his works Lancia Beta Montecarlo Turbo at the pits for refueling, and then Siegfried Brunn had to hit the boxes to repair a snapped clutch in his venerable, 1972 Porsche 908/03. All this placed Raymond and his nimble 2-litre Chevron in an outstanding second place.
By then, almost two hours into the race, it was time for Raymond to make his own refueling stop. To gain time, no driver change was made, so Charnell remained at the pits. Despite such a strategy, though, Patrese recouped second place. Raymond did not give up, and left in pursuit of the Martini-sponsored Lancia. The dispute drew the attention of the spectators at Brands Hatch, and Raymond was able to stay close to Patrese for forty minutes. But on lap 103 the Chevron spun dangerously and at high speed between Westfield and Dingle Dell. It is suspected that a broken gearbox may have led to the incident.
The Chevron laid, dangerously, right on the racing line, so a group of marshals pushed it off the circuit. Raymond left the cockpit and began to work on the car at the run-off area of Dingle Dell, despite requests by the marshals for him to leave the area. The officials continue to wave yellow flags for minutes.
Several minutes later driver Marco Rocca making his debut as co-driver to Lombardi in the Alpilatte Osella PA8-BMW, arrived at the Dingle Dell bend slowing down to be lapped by Facetti's Lancia Beta Montecarlo Turbo. Paul Edwards who closely followed Facetti in a Porsche 911 Carrera RSR, didn't realize Rocca had slowed down and crashed into the Osella at about 180 km/h (112 mi/h). The two cars somersaulted, Rocca hit the embankment sustaining feet injuries and Edwards' Porsche without control violently hit the parked Chevron and Martin Raymond behind it, who was killed on the spot, being crushed by the two cars. Edwards suffered a broken arm.
R.I.P