Rally racing has to be one of the most exciting forms of motorsports ever to exist, but it’s also one of the most dangerous. Not even including the teamwork that must exist between driver and co-driver, ever-changing variables such as the weather, course conditions and the integrity of the car all determine the safety and success of the competing teams.
During the Rally Haute-Senne in Belgium last month, driver Ludovic Laffineur and co-driver Dominique Verdiere learning firsthand how quickly things can get out of control when the brakes on their Peugeot 205 rally car fail. Going full throttle along a flat, straight road at high speeds, Laffineur prepares for an upcoming turn by downshifting and applying the brakes.
As you can see in the video, the brake pedal goes to the floor and despite Laffineur’s repeated pumping of the brake pedal, the car barrels full speed into the massive hay bales lining the side of the road. The impact is so brutal that the car gets airborne for almost two seconds before crashing into a stone embankment. After all is said and done, the racers appear to be badly shaken (understandably so) but not severely injured.
When it comes to rally car crashes, this is definitely among the more spectacular, and we’re glad both men were able to walk away from the crash to race another day. Their Peugeot, on the other hand, is likely headed for a Belgian scrap heap.
Google News