Silverstone Accident

Recaro race seats and Schroth 6 point harness supplied by MSAR Safety kept us alive. Thanks guys.

John Thorne

Well, nearly 10 years in racing so it had to happen sometime, my first really big shunt - and I wasn't even driving at the time!

Off side corner took the brunt.	Overall 7.	Snapped wheel & snapped brake disc.
Front chassis totally destroyed.	All suspension components scrapped.	Rear Quarter.

While testing a new driver for next seasons CSL Cup, the combination of cold tyres and some oil down on the circuit meant we spun off at Abbey corner on Silverstone GP circuit. Unluckily enough we managed to avoid the tyre wall and slammed sideways into a concrete retaining wall at over 60mph, this was the result.

Overall shot of damage.	Footwell.	Front chassis.
Overall 5.	Remainder of wheel & tyre assembly.	Overall shot 2.

The driver was knocked unconscious and in the aftermath I looked over to see him slumped in the seat and thought “Oh God, he's dead”, I put my hand on his chest to check his breathing and when he moaned I thought “Oh thank God, he's alive." The marshalls were fantastic, they did their usual brilliant job, got me out, got the driver out and sent us down to the medical centre as quickly as they could.

The force was so great the passenger seat frames warped.	Warped transmission tunnel.	Snapped top mount.
Cockpit remained intact.	Cracked floor pan behind drivers seat.	Snapped chassis leg.

Prognosis looked OK for me but Roger was incoherent and both of us were rushed to Northampton General Hospital. A few hours later and Roger is on his way home with a mild concussion but I'm in a bit of trouble. Turns out I've broken my ribs on the right hand side and I'm peeing blood - not good. One overnight stay later and a full chest ultrasound confirm I've done my best to re-arrange my internal organs with the result of some internal bruising but nothing long term, I'm let home with the NHS version of horse tranqulisers and told to 'rest'. Ha.

The floor of the drivers side folded underneath itself.	Bent passenger sub frame.	Drivers footwell.
Wheel 2.	Passengers footwell intact.	Creased Firewall.

I see the car for the first time a few days later (there's only so much day time TV one can take before even pain forces you out) and I'm a little shocked, the impact was tremendous. The E46 chassis is strong in itself but we've managed to narrow the whole car by nearly a foot. Even the transmission tunnel and floor are buckled to the extent that they are folded over one another, it really is pretty shocking to see.

Overall 3.	Drivers floor 2.	Warped transmission tunnel.
Overall 4.	Drivers foot well in tact, with minor warping of pedal box.	Warped firewall.

We spend a long time developing our cages for all of our race cars and the same overall design is used on the Cup cars and the Vauxhalls and I have to say I'm glad we put so much effort into them, the passenger compartment is nearly unaffected, even the pedal area suffers almost zero intrusion and Roger and my injuries are purely due to the shock force itself. We triple brace the front suspension towers and brace these into a special dash bar which runs across the width of the car and even this has been compressed together by the impact – concrete walls don't give much.

Offside front wing.	Snapped brake disc.	Transmission Tunnel.
Roof and pillars totally in tact and un-moved.	Broken chassis.	Overall 8.
Front shot.	Footwell.

I can think of better ways to market a cage but no better way of testing one. The car's shell is destroyed but we can strip most of what is there and build a new car so its a testimony to the E46 shell as well. Tough cars these E46 M3's. Our safety was also ensured by our using top quality safety equipment. Recaro race seats and Schroth 6 point harness supplied by MSAR Safety kept us alive. Thanks guys.

Bent & destroyed competition shock unit.	Underside.	Crack behind drivers seat.
Passengers seat rail warped.	Nearside front leg moved 10mm.	Collapsed manifold primaries.
fside wheel arch.	Even the near-side chassis leg moved 10mm.

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Bell announces the launch of BELL STAR CLASSIC

The Bell Star Classic has the same shape as the famous Bell Star from the seventies but is produced to the latest safety standard (Snell SA2005) using the latest production techniques and high tech materials. This helmet is perfect for classic car enthusiasts and drivers of historic racing cars.

"A Star is (re)born."

The Bell Star helmet, launched in 1966, was the world's first full-face motorsports helmet. That Bell would introduce a quantum technological leap forward like the full-face had come to be expected. After all, Bell invented the motorsports helmet in 1954, significantly upgraded the design with the addition of expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam a couple years later and quickly earned the admiration and support of the world's top motorsport racers and enthusiasts. Many famous drivers such as Jacky Ickx, Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, Gilles Villeneuve and many others have all worn the Bell Star to protect their head in the seventies.

Fast-forward 40-odd years to 2009 and Bell is again launching a helmet called Star Classic to the delight of true classic car enthusiasts and historic car drivers. Reintroducing the same shape as the famous Bell Star from the seventies but produced to the latest safety standard (Snell SA2005) using the latest production techniques and high tech materials.

* Famous Bell Star design as worn by famous F1 drivers in the seventies
* High tech lightweight carbon-Kevlar® composite shell combined with multiple densities liner
* Snell SA 2005 homologation for highest level of safety.
* Available with Hans® "post" clips fitted as original equipment and FIA 8858 label.

Snell SA 2005 approved – FIA 8858 approved for use with Hans®

Sizes: SML – MED – LRG – XLG

Price £530.00 or with Hans Clips £610.00
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HANS device saves Hall in Nelson Rally

"That would have to be the best $1500 we have ever spent," was leading Nelson rally driver Kieran Hall's comment as he surveyed the remains of his Southfuels Subaru Impreza, after a 170kph crash saw his goal of becoming the 2009 New Zealand Rally Championship [NZRC] Rookie Champion dashed on the final stage of Day One of the Rally of Nelson last weekend - September 19 - 20.

Clipping a large hidden rock on the inside of a high-speed bend catapulted the car upside down and head-on into a bank on the opposite side of the road and it came to rest within 80 metres of the rock, making for an enormous rate of deceleration.

The fact that KIeran and Co-Driver Peter Hart were able to walk away from the wreck, and signal to following cars that they were ok, is testament to not only the structural integrity of their Southfuels Subaru, but also the HANS [Head And Neck Support] Devices they were wearing, which ensured the sudden stop did them no harm.

"The worst part was all the gravel and rubbish that caught me in the face as the car initially hit the bank with my side of the windscreen, but I reckon I wouldn't be here making these comments now if it hadn't been for the HANS Device, that's for sure...!", said Kieran.

"The car's a mess and our dreams' gone, but we are both ok, so we are Proof Positive that HANS are a 'Must' for our sport nowadays."

"So now we have to re-group and, following discussions with our Sponsors and Supporters, work out what we can do to salvage what we can from the car and decide what our best options are - to either reshell it or invest in a new one, so we can come back bigger and better than ever for the 2010 NZRC."

In the meantime Kieran will be concentrating on preparing for the Rally New Zealand Rising Stars International Award Final Shootout to be held in the Maramarua Forest, south of Auckland, over the weekend of November 21 and 22, having gained automatic qualification after last weekend.

The International Award winner - who will be selected from the three qualifiers - will win a prize package worth at least $50,000, which includes a financial contribution and professional mentoring, to use towards competing in an international rally in 2010.

"So we have plenty to do - and perhaps a bit more than we would have liked - but still have lots to look forward to in the next couple of months, as we put together year two of our four year programme to become NZ Rally Champions."

Original Article
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Lotus will return to F1 in 2010

Lotus are to return to Formula 1 next season for the first time since 1994.

The Malaysian-funded outfit have been awarded the final grid spot and join Campos GP, Manor and US F1 as one of four new teams for 2010.

The FIA has given current team BMW Sauber "14th place" for 2010, meaning they are now first reserves.

However, motorsport's governing body says it will "consult urgently" with the 10 existing teams to expand the grid from 13 to 14 teams for 2010.

"The FIA believes that a good case can be made for expanding the grid to 14 teams," read an FIA statement released on Tuesday.

"It will be consulting urgently with the existing teams regarding the introduction of an appropriate rule change to expand the grid to 28 cars in time for the first Grand Prix in 2010."

Lotus will be initially based at the RTN facility in Norfolk, UK, some 10 miles from the Lotus Cars factory. The 50,000 square foot facility was originally built by Toyota for its initial Formula 1 programme and then used by Bentley for its Le Mans programme.

The team's future design, R&D, manufacturing and technical centre will be built at Malaysia's Sepang International Circuit.

In its new incarnation the team is a partnership between the Malaysian Government and a consortium of Malaysian entrepreneurs.

It will be led by team principal Tony Fernandes, the founder of the Malaysian-based Tune Group, which owns the Air Asia airline.

Mike Gascoyne - who has 20 years experience in the sport after working with Jordan, Renault, Toyota, and most recently Force India - returns to F1 as the team's technical director.

Lotus has reached an engine supply deal with Cosworth.

"The team will announce its two drivers by October 31 2009. Currently six local and international drivers have been selected," said a statement from the Malaysian Government.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak added: "This is not only a dream, it is a reality. Malaysia is part of Formula 1 and we are determined to do our best to make our mark in this arena.

"I believe this is a meaningful development that will boost Malaysia's image."

Just three hours after the Lotus return was confirmed by the FIA on Tuesday, BMW Sauber revealed Swiss-based Qadbak Investments had agreed to buy its team.

The German car manufacturer, which took over Sauber in 2005, had said it would withdraw from F1 at the end of July, citing "current developments in motorsport" as the reason for their decision.

BMW was the second major manufacturer to announce it was leaving the sport after Honda's withdrawal eight months earlier.

But the FIA said it had received an "impressive application" from the team despite the uncertainties over its future ownership.

BMW Sauber's reserve slot means they can fill any vacancy that might occur between now and the start of the 2010 championship.

The organisation behind the new Lotus team have bought the rights to the name Team Lotus - which competed in F1 from 1958 through to 1994 - and have been awarded BMW's place, also pushing out Spanish outfit Epsilon Euskadi, following an intensive selection and due diligence process conducted by the FIA.

The team won seven constructors' crowns and six drivers' championships, including wins by Britons Jim Clark and Graham Hill, during their golden era in the 1960s and '70s.

Three-time world champion, the late Ayrton Senna, drove for Lotus for three seasons between 1985 and 1987 - although the team enjoyed limited success during that period.

Lotus withdrew from F1 in 1994 because of financial pressures but remains the fourth most successful constructor of all time.
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Stanley makes successful GT Debut

Jamie Stanley (sponsored by MSAR Safety) made a successful GT racing debut on 29th August contesting the Britcar four hour race in the Fox Motorsport Ferrari F430 GT3 run by the FF Corse Team.

The Foxint.com backed car qualified fifth overall and third in class with experienced GT racer Rob Barff at the wheel before handing over to Stanley to allow him to complete his qualifying laps.



Stanley started the race and was soon lying in fourth place and second in class until the leading class two car of Mick Mercer slowed and Stanley seized the place to elevate the FF Corse team to third overall and the leaders in class two.

Following a fuel stop under the safety car Stanley handed the car over to Barff who pushed hard and soon elevated the team back to the class lead and third overall. With one hour to go Barff handed the car back to Stanley and the team managed to hold their position until the final few minutes of the race where the team needed to make a final splash and dash fuel stop.

The result of the extra fuel stop meant the Foxint.com, FF Corse team crossed the line fifth overall and third in class. "If someone had said that I would pick up a trophy the first time I raced a Ferrari I'd have taken that let alone almost win our class" said Stanley.



"I think the weekend has been fantastic FF Corse have done a brilliant job with the car it has run faultlessly and thanks to FOXINT.COM hopefully we can build on this with further success" added Stanley.

Stanley will return to racing action himself in the Lotus On Track Elise Trophy when the series heads to Spa Francorchamps in October.

Images courtesy of Paul Cherry
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