When(and who) was the last death in WRC(World Rally Championship)?

Cafe Society
1

I’ve only gotten into Rally racing over the past year or so and was curious when the last death was. Have there been many? Have people driven off those cliffs and plumeted to their deaths?

I’m just interested in how high-risk it is. Thanks.

2

Hmm… I’ll do this just the one time(probably). :slight_smile:

[bump]

3

Henri Toivonen at the 1986 Tour De Corse was the last death of a factory-supported driver in the WRC, IIRC.

Daniel Grataloup, a co-driver for Peugeot (Delecour) in WRC nearly passed away from his injuries in Australia 2000 but survived.

That said, there are a number of serious injuries and deaths in many national rally series annually.

It’s a pretty safe sport, but the distances out to the woods, and the minimum 1 minute before the first responder (next competitor) can get there certainly increases the risk.

  • Bjorn240
    Professional Co-Driver
4

Exciting hobby you got there, Bjorn! :slight_smile:

It’s also important to note that whilst the drivers are fairly safe, spectators DO get killed a lot. Well, relatively. I recall an instance last year in Belgium, when two spectators died after a Subaru Impreza left the course and plowed into the audience.

5

Coldfire is absolutely correct in saying that rally spectators risk injury and death. If you do spectate on rallies, please be sure to stand to the inside of turns (rather than the outside), and if possible, position yourself behind a sturdy tree. And try to remain sober and attentive. 1300 kg of car at 140km/h on a loose surface can come skittering at you pretty quickly.

I reckon that for the driver and co-driver, rallying is quite safe – a number of accidents, but very few serious injuries or deaths. Grataloups most serious injuries were caused by his having a pen in the side pocket of his driving suit.

My only really frightening moment in a rally was climbing out of a rolled car, only to see the following competitor taking the exact same line through the corner. In the car, it’s usually quite calm.

Warm regards,

  • Bjorn240
6

Just because the people who read this would appreciate it, I’d like to share this bit about Murray Walker, from here:

He got out fine, though. :smiley:

(Murray Walker is a former Formula One commentator from the UK, known for his gaffes.)

7

I worked as a volunteer marshal at a few rallies in the nothwestern U.S. (I was at the '86 Olympus Rally, the last event ever for Group B cars, those things were absolutely amazing.) At our training session we saw a tape of an accident at a previous rally. One car went off the road and got stuck. Some of the spectators crowded around to help, probably push them back on to the road, and the next car came along and went off in the same place. It wasn’t pretty.

The marshals were around to keep people as safe as we could, but if you’re gonna be around stuff like that you have to be smart and keep your eyes open.