Try Not to Wince at This Horrible Crash at Spa as Drivers Ignore Double-Yellow Flags

Race car drivers are always in a hurry, but to throw caution to the wind on race day? That’s downright reckless. And, yet, that is exactly what several drivers did this weekend during an endurance race at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. On Saturday evening, just after the four-hour mark of the Crowdstrike 24 Hours of Spa, Christian Hook’s No. 333 Ferrari 296 GT3 made contact with Nicolas Baert’s No. 12 Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 EVO. The incident left both vehicles wounded and stalled.  Baert managed to pull off onto the infield grass, but Hook was stranded in the middle of the course—literally in the middle. A double-yellow caution was flagged almost immediately. In video footage, you can see the digital caution flags as well as a race official frantically waving at passing drivers who were supposed to slow down to the same speed, drive in a single file, and not overtake.   But for reasons that can only amount to sheer stupidity, none of the drivers tapped the brakes. One by one, at least a dozen GT World Challenge Europe drivers flew past their stranded German colleague until Adrian D’Silva’s No. 61 Porsche 911 GT3 R collided with the left rear of Hook’s Ferrari.  Then came the boom. The violent hit from D’Silva sent the No. 333 Ferrari into a spin. A fire had already begun in the Ferrari’s left rear, but its ensuing crash into the retaining wall created an explosive burst of flames. SRO Motorsports Group All three cars were retired from the race. The drivers are reported to be in OK condition.  Motorsport is a high-risk competitive sport. Crashes are likely, injuries are possible, and death is a reality. The multi-colored racing flag system mitigates these and complements the ever-growing list of safety features and procedures. This particular incident could’ve been much more gruesome, but thankfully, the drivers didn’t suffer any serious injuries. However, there is no excuse for not heeding the caution warnings. Severe penalties should be handed down to every single driver who didn’t follow protocol. Otherwise, incidents like this will continue to happen, and they might not always end up “OK.”