Is it a bird, is it a plane? No it’s a vintage race car.
Last week we brought you a bad day at the office for one Chevy test driver, who managed to crash test the latest Camaro as well as race test it.
Well this week it’s another bad day at the office, but this time it’s the recovery crew at the Monaco circuit that could be waking up to a P45.
The Historic Grand Prix of Monaco is in its 19th year now and always falls two weeks before the most prestigious track on the F1 schedule plays host to the real thing. The aim is for spectators to travel back in time, with the entrants comprising of an array of historic race cars from down the years.
However, it was the vintage cars that were at fault during last week’s event, but rather the expert crew trained in clearing the circuit in the event of an accident.
The race was already under a full-course yellow flag with the safety car out on the track after a McLaren M23 looped it out and collided with a barrier at Mirabeau.
What happened next was akin to a three stooges sketch.
As the crane hoisted the McLaren up into the sky, the Renault Megane safety car made its way back to the pit lane. But as you can see in the video as the battered race car sways over a rather tight piece of the circuit, it suddenly comes loose and plummets back to earth. It comes to rest gracefully slap bang in the centre of the circuit to the surprise of the track crew.
There is an attempt to clear the track by one committed lad, who removes the nose cone. As the news filters back through the safety car scrambles to make it out before the pack pass the pit lane.
Unfortunately, he isn’t quick enough and he joins the race about half way through, making for a bizarre spectacle as a modern French hatchback tries to mix it with a number of classic race cars before they reach the turn at Sainte Devote. Luckily the array of red flags and radio warnings slowed the pack substantially with one poor Avon putting the anchors on a little too quick being rear ended by a beauty of a Tyrell. So whilst each car managed to make their way past the incident relatively unscathed, it was without a doubt a complete shocker from the track team.
Hopefully they’ll spend the next five days brushing up before the real thing, just in case Grosjean feels like a big exit again this year.
On that note, the Grosjean will pay tribute to Jules Bianchi at this year’s Monaco Grand Prix, by wearing a specially designed helmet with graphics of the late French driver – nice touch.
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