Anybody seen the CSL on fire at Estoril Classic?

[Wes]

Saw a video of a black Group 5 style CSL go up in flames after a rear end from a Capri. Anybody got the film? Sympathies to the owners.
Saw on my work phone so was unable to post here.
*that's another story.

 

[bdigel]

seen still photos but no video , is there a link to the video

 

[junkyardhero]

I can see an absolute ass ton of fuel on the ground and it looks like it got under the capri and just lit off.

why there was another car pitted anywhere near it is baffling.

 

[JamesE30]

AViT! Motorsport on Instagram: "Scary incident at Estoril today in one of the other races. Thankfully everyone ok! . . . . . . . . . . #Motorsport #Racing #Estoril #EstorilClassics #BMW #Capri #FordCapri #Fire #PitLane #Crash"

91 likes, 11 comments - avitmotorsport on October 8, 2023: "Scary incident at Estoril today in one of the other races. Thankfully everyone ok! . . . . . . ...."

www.instagram.com

Very sad for all involved. Can’t believe no one was more active to clear and secure the area with that massive amount of fuel spilling on the ground.

 

[boonies]

seems Like pit lane safety was…not. What a shame.

 

[junkyardhero]

holy F... after seeing the facebook video. wow. wow.

amazing that it appears as everybody escaped harm.

but how in the what are there SO many people just there?!?? there's tighter race control at podunk dirt tracks than what's going on here. I keep looking at this like the zapruder film and am shocked with the details.

 

[Markos]

OMG Wow! From the rear perspective this looks a whole lot worse. I didn’t realize the e9 was rear ended. I didn’t know that the older gentleman almost had his legs crushed, but was engulfed in flames.

I have zero real experience with racing. Only drawing as a (limited) spectator of professional racing, this pit scene seemed terribly unsafe. I have so many questions about what transpired. For once, I’ll just wait for people with real experience to comment.

 

[junkyardhero]

OMG Wow! From the rear perspective this looks a whole lot worse. I didn’t realize the e9 was rear ended. I didn’t know that the older gentleman almost had his legs crushed, but was engulfed in flames.

I have zero real experience with racing. Only drawing as a (limited) spectator of professional racing, this pit scene seemed terribly unsafe. I have so many questions about what transpired. For once, I’ll just wait for people with real experience to comment.

I worked in and around race cars and professional racing; I have so many questions too.

mainly, why was fuel pouring everywhere? is there not a fuel cell? and if there was not a fuel cell, why is there no structure built around the standard tank to prevent something like this? or, did it just shear the pump lines? if that's the case, where's the kill switch and why didn't somebody immediately hit it?

I'm guessing homeboy in the capri cooked his brakes, thus the trouble stopping. but he was still hustling down the lane-- especially if he knew his brakes were crap.

but the biggest to me is the boondoggle of what's going on with all the people just chilling out like it's cars and coffee or something in an active pit. every track I've ever been to if you stepped foot on to active and you weren't crew or safety they would throw your ass out on your ear-- they wouldn't care if you owned the car, a small country or were the brother, wife, best friend of so and so.

 

[boonies]

My initial thought was the Capri was without brakes, so what happened to engine braking? No one behind him, so if you see you aren't going to stop in time pull back out onto the pit lane instead of taking out another car in the pits...crazy

 

[craterface]

Holy crap. The second video is MUCH worse than the first. The CSL did not have a fuel cell?! If it did, could a fuel cell fail that badly? That is nuts.

 

[Markos]

Holy crap. The second video is MUCH worse than the first. The CSL did not have a fuel cell?! If it did, could a fuel cell fail that badly? That is nuts.

I obviously have no idea. One thought however is that a standard fuel cell is modified to have through-the-boot filler necks. That’s a good 18” extension. If the boot lid moved as the tail end is crushed, it’s a fair amount of leverage on the neck.

It’s also worth highlighting that the e9 has absolutely ZERO protection in the rear. The shock towers are essentially the end of the car. Everything beyond that point is just thin panels welded together. That changed with 1974 US cars, but not this car or any other in Europe for that matter.

The image above confirms that there is a fuel cell of some sort in the car, based on the filler necks. I actually looked for pics of this car’s rear setup but didn’t find any. Here are some example designs:

 

[rsporsche]

Omg. This is incredible. Thanks for posting the 2nd video showing the capri slamming the back. Wow is all I can say. Was wondering the same about the fuel cell

 

[adawil2002]

2nd video explains everything in horrific clarity. Given the velocity of the collision the fuel cell didn't stand a chance!

The Capri driver had to know well before the hood crumpling CSL impact their brakes had faded close to zero on the track.
Makes one wonder about the skill of the Capri driver. Would seem the correct protocol would be stay to the left in pit lane until the car fully stops & try to stay out of harms way.


Part of the Street Survival curriculum offered through the BMW CCA Foundation, SCCA & PCA is exactly this scenario. During the acceleration zero warning Right or Left evasive turn exercise. The students are taught how to maintain control at speed while their instructor says L or R, reacting in under a second to stop in a designated area without hitting any cones.

It's an excellent skill to have & I have used this in real life several times. Most notably on a Connecticut Historical Automobile Society Tour (C.H.A.S.) on back roads through CT, RI & MA in 1996. We in Rhode Island, 2nd in line driving our 1933 Packard Twelve Convertible Coupe Roadster behind a 1965 Convertible Mustang through a construction zone leaving Newport. A flag lady walked onto the road with their stop sign, the Mustang screeched to a stop nearly hitting the flagger! Seeing this, I hit the brakes hard while turning left, all 4 tires squealing & stopping even with the people in the Mustang. I said, matter of factly "Well, that was close." Then I smiled & waved the horrified flag lady. Now stopping that Packard even to the Mustang owners, meant our front bumper was 3 feet beyond theirs. There was a collective sigh of relief from everyone on the tour who saw everything.

 

[JFENG]

Makes one wonder about the skill of the Capri driver

A case of either deep brain fade or deep stupidity.

“could a fuel cell fail that badly? “
Pics don’t show if there is a safety cage around the bottom/sides of the cell. If not, it’s just the sheet metal of the box (20ga steel or 16ga for Aluminum), and an internal bladder. A good hit might tear the sheet metal and puncture the bladder, or crush the box and eject fuel from the vent/valve.

IMHO, a safer race car build should include a “cage” around the fuel cell or locate the cell within some part the main safety cage. My fuel cell is in my trunk surrounded by a tubular steel cage that is strong enough to lift the car, but not quite as stout as the cage around my seat. It might have been able to maintain fuel cell integrity in video.

 

[aguirola]

Massive stupidity is clearly seen. There is an ocean of fuel spilling out and people just sit there? Why?
It never ceases to amaze. The lack of fire prevention, is fantastic.
The fellow with the Capri is the biggest idiot, who gave him a racing license, AAA?

Regards, Alberto