When you’re out there flying from one corner to another during the practice run for a World Rally Championship stage, the last thing you want to see is a tractor pulling out right in your path.
This is precisely what happened to WRC driver Thierry Neuville earlier this month. It all took place during the preparations for the German rally stage. Neuville was manhandling his Hyundai i20 racecar when a tractor came out of a field.
The agricultural machine was trying to get on the road just after a corner and the scenery made this a bit of a blind bend. Neuville slammed on the brakes as soon as he noticed the tractor entering the road.
This not only turned everything from potential catastrophe to near miss, but also gave everybody a good idea of just how good rally cars are when it comes to killing speed.
While the racing driver’s behaviour was pretty much part of his profession, it is the rather swift reaction of the man in the tractor that comes as a bit of a surprise. Sure, it would’ve been a better idea not to step onto the road in the first place, but the guy managed to put the machine into reverse and pulls back onto the field quickly.
We’re not sure his reaction would’ve been enough to save the day on its own though. As if anybody needed further proof of just how serious the situation was, the desperate attempts of two spectators to warn the rally driver come to confirm this.
In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist. Full profile
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