And now for something morbid, or nearly: Can anybody tell me where the horrific accident happened? In what turn? Not to feed the trainwreck watching part of my soul, I'm actually putting together a little Nuerburgring documentary for myself.
Thanks, much appreciated. I actually have the scene burnt into my brain, so I kinda know what the turns looked like (hard right hander followed by an immediate 90 degree lefthander in which he lost control).
I found a link to a track map, most of the corners are named so that should help. http://www.seight.com/ring2004.html
Lemke: I have "The Art and Science of Grand Prix Driving" and "My Years with Ferrari" by Lauda. The first has only a short interview section on the accident, the second devotes more space to it. I know he did at least one other book. Edit: Go to alibris.com, or half.com, or other used book sites. They have lots of copies of his books.
The book he wrote himself is "Meine Story", I bought the english version from Motorbooks International (the publishers) back in the 80's. Imperial83, what was amazing is that he was in a GP car just a few weeks weeks after recieving his last rites. He says the folks in the racing business thought his early return "lacked dignity" and Ferrari was in total confusion when he showed up.
What gets me the most is how people that are supposed to be marshalls and safety crew are jumping around instead of helping him out. Things have changed for the better in that respect.
Wasn't this the same season that he refused to race in Japan(I think), jeopardising his chances of the world title, because the conditions were atrocious and he said it wasn't worth risking his life for? Enzo was furious but clearly the accident had a lasting effect on his outlook as a racing driver
Same season. Heavy rain in Fuji gave Hunt the chance to clinch the title. Lauda got it back in the Ferrari the following year and then left S/F.
Interesting to see the car explode on impact the way it did. Today that impact would have caused little more than a slight body and suspension damage. Was it not James Hunt who came to Lauda's rescue, pulling him from the car while the marshalls stood idly by? Always a red button issue criticizing marshalls I know... BHW
According to an article i just read, it was 3 drivers that got Lauda out of the car, Arturo Merzario, Guy Edwards, and Brett Lunger.
Definitely not. He raced on to win the race and eventually the title. The team told him of what happened. However according to him he had no idea until later that day. Who knows.
Actually I believe it was Kesselchen (right after Bergwerk): Based on 10.6 km and the way it looks on the tape.
This is possible. Bergwerk has always stuck in my mind because that is what the commentator on my video archive says.
Most kids have baseball or football heroes growing up, mine was Niki Lauda, even before his accident. Before the days of TV broadcast of F1 races in the States, I used to glue myself to the radio to see if the sports report mentioned anything of that weekend's race, then I used to have my grandfather help me read through Autosprint magazine. I can still remember hearing about Lauda's crash on the radio, and not knowing whether he would live or die. That photo of him flying through the Pflugpaltz on the morning of that that fateful day gets my hair standing up everytime I see it! It just says so much about what F1 used to be... When I visited the Ferrari store across the street from the factory a few years ago I purchsed a poster of that photo. After carrying it all the way back home, I opened it up only to find that the tube had been mislabeled! I had a poster of Jody at Monaco! I was furious! Two other tragic accidents (among the many in F1) also come to mind, Bandini's in '67 and Williams' in '73; the latter being very difficult to watch.
