Historic racers in Brands crashes
Brazilian racer Carlos Monteverde remained in hospital when Autosport went to press, but Briton Jonathan Mitchell escaped injury following separate incidents that punctuated last weekend’s Masters Historic Festival at Brands Hatch.
Monteverde sustained a fractured sternum and broken ribs when his Ferrari 512M – a toolroom copy of
Jose Juncadella’s 1971 Escuderia Montjuich car – went straight on at Graham Hill Bend, during qualifying for the Masters Historic Sports Car race on Saturday.
The yellow car rode the steep grassy incline and impacted the barrier close to the paddock access tunnel. Monteverde, who tried to climb out, was treated by marshals and medics, then at the medical centre, before being evacuated to London’s Kings College Hospital by helicopter.
“We don’t know what caused it at this stage, but [Motorsport UK] scrutineers went over the car with a fine-toothed comb and the brakes were working,” said preparer Gary Pearson – who had qualified the
Ferrari seventh before handing over to Monteverde – on Monday evening. “It was reported that a puff of grey smoke was seen before it left the track.
“Carlos called me this afternoon, in pain from his chest, which hit the steering wheel. He was in surprisingly good spirits and was anticipating an MRI scan [to ascertain whether further injuries had been sustained]. Amazingly, the car is not that badly damaged. The chassis stood up remarkably well.”
Chevron B19 driver Mitchell’s escape was miraculous. He was running fourth on lap 12 of Sunday’s race when track camera footage shows the red car spearing left across the gravel trap approaching the fast right-hander Hawthorns – taken in fourth gear – on the Grand Prix circuit, being launched by the barrier and rolling into the trees.
“Jonathan walked away without a scratch – I was incredibly relieved when I saw him appear, standing,” said preparer Luke Stevens of Team LEOS.
“We believe from footage that the right-rear tyre had deflated, thus the [unloaded] left front locked as he hit the brakes, preventing the car from turning. The Chevron is not pretty – it needs a chassis – but stood up spectacularly well, considering it was upside down into the trees.”