Porsche Race Car Flies Into Grandstands at Portimao
Losing brakes on a straightaway is high on every track driver's list of worst nightmares for a reason. As Porsche Sprint Challenge Ibérica driver Alex Areia saw in a practice session at Portimão early Friday, the consequences of such an issue could be catastrophic.
#PSCI - @AIAPortimao felizmente o piloto, Arex Areia, sai incólume do aparatoso acidente desta manhã. pic.twitter.com/U36fksPjih
— SportMotores.com (@SportMotoresCom) April 14, 2023
Video originally shared online catches only the tail end of the crash, but Areia's 991.2-generation 911 GT3 Cup car is seen flying at full speed past a braking zone for a tight corner and into a gravel trap. It then skids along toward a tire barrier, hits that barrier, then somehow clears a protective fence to land backward in a section of the grandstands.
Fortunately, no spectators appeared to be nearby. The crash is just a few sections away from where the person filming the video is sitting with others, though, and the near-miss still ends with a car landing squarely over where many people would be sitting during a well-attended race.
Foi muito bravo, fiquei sem travões no fim da reta, virei praticamente um passageiro.. felizmente não estava ninguém naquela zona da bancada e consegui sair ileso do acidente, graças ao nível de segurança daquele carro, keep strong💪🏼💪🏼 https://t.co/H5MWdAZulr
— Alex Areia (@OneManShowz) April 14, 2023
Areia shared on Twitter shortly after the crash that he is unhurt and confirmed that no spectators were in the area. He also added that the crash came after he lost braking power, leaving him "practically a passenger" as the car sprinted toward the barrier.
The Algarve International Circuit, more commonly known as Portimão, is hosting the FIA World Endurance Championship this weekend. The track also hosts a MotoGP round and hosted Formula 1 races in 2020 and 2021.
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