In a horrifying incident at the Nürburgring Nordschleife, Andy Gehrmann, a 49-year-old Dutchman from Heerlen, lost his life tragically at the on-site medical center. The incident unfolded during the aftermath of the ADAC Westfalenfahrt, the inaugural round of the 2015 VLN Nürburgring Endurance Championship, on Saturday, March 28, 2015.
The Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 #23, piloted by Jann Mardenborough-Kuzuki Hoshino and positioned first, took a devastating turn. Racing at an estimated velocity of 200 kilometers per hour (125 miles per hour) along the Flugplatz segment of the track, the vehicle collided with barriers and flipped over the fence into the spectator area. The impact resulted in ten spectators being injured, one of whom, Andy Gehrmann, succumbed to the injuries.
The incident, occurring less than an hour after the race’s commencement, prompted an immediate halt to the scheduled four-hour race. Emergency personnel rushed to the scene, but the race was not resumed. This marked the first fatality involving spectators in the history of a VLN Endurance Championship competition.
Jann Mardenborough, a 23-year-old British racing driver and Nissan GT Academy works driver, was one of two individuals transported to the hospital with minor injuries, including fractured bones and wounds. Ten others received treatment at the track. The accident drew parallels to historical incidents, notably the 1999 Le Mans crash involving Mark Webber and Peter Dumbreck’s Mercedes-Benz CLR, where the vehicle gained flight at Flugplatz.
Mardenborough, a rising racing talent raised in Cardiff, Wales, had emerged victorious in the GT3 Series and participated in the FIA World Endurance Championship. The incident, occurring near the location of a notorious jump crest, raises questions about track safety and echoes memories of past racing tragedies. As investigations unfold, the motorsports community mourns the loss of Andy Gehrmann and reflects on the risks inherent in the pursuit of speed.
Categories: News
Source: vothisaucamau.edu.vn
