This weekend, the 7th of 10 VLN races scheduled for 2016 took place at the famous Nurburgring track. The 6-hour long ADAC event was grueling for everybody, but two drivers in particular had crashes they won't forget too soon.
First, let's look at the acid green Audi TT RS. It would be a lovely car, even if it belonged to the previous generation. With a 2.5-liter turbo engine powering all four wheels all the time, you might think that it's safe. It even has a massive rear wing and other aero elements to increase downforce. But there's no such thing as safe racing.
The driver of the TT RS was trying to overtake an orange BMW on the inside, just before a long left-hander. He intentionally went on the grass with the left side, but that cause the car to lose traction. Before he got a chance to act, it had already crashed hard into the safety barrier on the other side of the track.
Remember, this is an old and complex circuit, so there aren't any significant speed traps. All that's standing between you and hitting a huge tree is that metal barrier. Yet the Nurburgring is more popular than it's ever been. The TT hits it at an angle and almost tips over.
Speaking of the wall and the trees behind it, the driver of this Hyundai Veloster race car couldn't even consider himself as lucky as the Audi TT RS. We don't have details or a video of the crash itself, but the aftermath tells a gruesome story.
The accident seems to have involved a black E36 BMW M3. As for the Veloster, it must have tumbled in the air before the wall. This is usually how cars go over and end up in the trees. The damage is not the worst we've seen, but we doubt the Veloster will race again this year.
The driver of the TT RS was trying to overtake an orange BMW on the inside, just before a long left-hander. He intentionally went on the grass with the left side, but that cause the car to lose traction. Before he got a chance to act, it had already crashed hard into the safety barrier on the other side of the track.
Remember, this is an old and complex circuit, so there aren't any significant speed traps. All that's standing between you and hitting a huge tree is that metal barrier. Yet the Nurburgring is more popular than it's ever been. The TT hits it at an angle and almost tips over.
Speaking of the wall and the trees behind it, the driver of this Hyundai Veloster race car couldn't even consider himself as lucky as the Audi TT RS. We don't have details or a video of the crash itself, but the aftermath tells a gruesome story.
The accident seems to have involved a black E36 BMW M3. As for the Veloster, it must have tumbled in the air before the wall. This is usually how cars go over and end up in the trees. The damage is not the worst we've seen, but we doubt the Veloster will race again this year.