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French Formula 3 champion in 1988 and Formula 3000 champion in 1990, Erik Comas flipped over his Ligier-Lamborghini at the German GP at Hockenheim in 1991.

During a four year career in F1 Erik scored seven points, with a best result of 5th at the French GP in 1992.

[jeremycrpntr]

Originally Posted by AlvinKarpis ↗

Even more rare footage from 2nd angle along with aftermath footage of a clearly shaken up Gilles

You know you have hit hard when you gotta check ur teeth cuz they hurt! lol He gets out of the crash wagon and checks his teeth with his thumb.

[Eisenberg]

Originally Posted by AlvinKarpis ↗

Here is a nice compilation of the 1973 Indy 500 set to some music that I enjoy and feel fits the mood of the tragedy

Burzum? nice

surely fits the mood of the images. And thanks for the awesome thread to all posters!

[AlvinKarpis]

Yet another ultra rare clip of a Gilles Villeneuve crash

This time its at Zandvoort in 1981

[The Dark]

Villeneuve's Imola crash was at the same corner that Ratzenberger died in 1994. I could be slightly off, but I believe it was named "Villeneuve" after his death.

Again, using memory the Gerald Donaldson bio of Villeneuve (top book, recommend it thoroughly) speaks at some length of this crash.

Obviously caused by a puncture, the impact was so huge that although conscious, GV had temporarily lost vision, he said he waved his arms because he had no idea where he was, or even if he was in the car and he didn't want anyone to hit him.

Excellent pics too WL, he was truly an icon. I hope that one day the resurgence in "Motor Racing Films" inspired by Senna, allows someone to make a Gilles & Didier story of the Ferrari team in 1982.

[The Dark]

Little fun titbit about GV at Zandvoort - again from the biography.

The Ferrari shitbox had been given an upgrade for the race, prior to the start the team manager spoke to both drivers and told them of the importance of bringing the car home, collecting as much data as possible. Off they go from the start, huge dust cloud........ GV walks in. The manager could only laugh.

Would have been funny if GV had said, "upgrades are ok, changes direction abruptly though and suffered from unexpected lift... by the way, it's still a shitbox!"

[AlvinKarpis]

There cant be anymore rare footage of yet another Gilles crash right?

Thats what most of you are thinking

However I have more....

Gilles Villeneuve Long Beach 1978

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The wreckage of rally and hillclimber, Fabio Danti's Osella-BMW after leaving the road and hitting a tree during the Caprino-Spiazzi hillclimb in 2000. Tragically the very popular Italian lost his life in this heavy crash at well over 100mph.

[windowlicker]

Merle Bettenhausen, the second oldest member of the Bettenhausen racing family and the son of Tony Bettenhausen at the Michigan International Speedway 1972 in a King-Offy.

This was Merle's first USAC race on a paved track after two races on the loose in 1970 and a career based in midgets. On lap three his car spun...

'I'm not sensitive about it, if you ask me what I think caused the accident, I'd say it was a combination of my inexperience, my first Indy type car race, and too fast a track. My car was not set up properly either, but that's something I'd rather not go into.
Anyway, I was just coming around the second corner and completing the third lap when I apparently lost control and hit the guard rail. My car caught fire and hit the wall. I was in the car one minute and fifteen seconds and tried getting out while it was still in motion, but it hit the wall again. That's when my arm was severed. I don't remember losing it. What I was concerned about was the fire.'

'The car finally stopped and the fire team got me out. My arm was gone. I was conscious through it all, and I remember going to the infield hospital and them working on me. Even though I knew I had lost my arm and was burned badly, it felt good to be out of the car. I remember them cutting off my fireproof long underwear. I was lying there only in my jockey shorts, and I though to myself, okay, that's neat. Then they began cutting off my jockey shorts. That upset me. It seemed like there were hundreds of people running around, nurses, doctors, everyone. Why were they cutting off my shorts? They weren't on fire.'

Merle also suffered nasty facial burns when his face shield ripped away. It was an instinctive reaction to the flames that made him attempt to get out of the car but his arm connected with a support on the guard rail instantly amputating his right arm.

After a year of operations and a false limb with a hook being fitted Merle made his comeback to midgets, winning his first race back.

'At first, when I came back, it felt a little funny. I really didn't know what it would be like driving one-handed. It turned out much more comfortable than I anticipated. I found out I was doing 90 percent of my driving left handed.'

This is the only photo I've ever seen of the crash...

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Nice photo of Melre's brother Gary....