Everybody remembers that horrifying crash at Le Mans back in 1999. For the first time, we hear it from Peter Dumbreck's point of view as he revisits the part of the track where it happened 20 years later
Lucky is an understatement... I remember well how my dad said that the driver is either dead or paralyzed right after the accident, flying at 200 mph and ending up almost half a football field away from the road ....
Probably the fast flip generated so much g force that Peter was out of it as soon as the car made the first flip. So understandable that he remembers the beginning of the airborne but not the rest of it.
When you have big accidents where your head gets whipped around, it disrupts your ability to form long term memories. He would have remembered that experience for maybe thirty seconds after it happened, after that it's like he was describing today. Niki Lauda also had a similar experience talking about the infamous crash that gave him his characteristic scars, it's called Traumatic Brain Injury, or TBI.
@@air8orne734 “Have you disbelieved in He Who created you from dust and then from a sperm-drop and then proportionned you [as] a man ? But as for me, He is Allah, my Lord, and i do not associate with my Lord anyone”
I have twice witnessed what I can only describe as miracles at Le Mans. The second was when McNish crashed in 2011 and sprayed a car's worth of shrapnel into a crowd of photographers without so much as injuring a single one. This was the first.
I remember watching that live. God was definitely his co-pilot that day. Literally a pilot. Still amazing to watch how far he flew. If those trees had been the size they are today he probably would have been killed.
_Me at thumbnail and title before watching_ : *"Omg we get to hear what he felt flying through the air in every detail and about what it was like with that crash landing..* _Me during video while questions being answered_ : *"You gotta be sh!%%in me..."*
I still can't believe they sent the remaining Mercedes cars out to race with instructions to keep clear of other cars, after Mark Webber had flipped. It is a miracle no-one was killed. Also can't believe Mark Webber got back in the car after his first flip.
Because they didn't even believe Mark the first time as it wasn't captured on camera, and then after the second one (which only had a few still photographs taken mid flight) Mercedes finally believed him but still tried to blame Mark for it, saying he was driving it wrong or something, and stuck their heads in the sand pretending the car was still safe
Apparently the local gendarmerie had to breathlayse Dumbreck after the accident because it took place on a part of the track that was a French public road
Big thanks to Peter, Louise, and Allan. It's nice to see the human side of such a spectacular event in Le Mans history. Nothing sensational. Just, what was it like? I would also like to see these same three take a walk past the Dunlop bridge into the esses and talk about Allan's equally spectacular Audi crash. Just friends, talking about what it was like. Both crashes were miraculous in that nobody was seriously hurt or killed, but what's the non-spectacular, human version of what that was like? I know, it's a lot to ask, and these guys have given so much to racing already.
Also changed some rules regarding the cars' measurements e.g reduced overhang so that wheel base is wider so that on the bumpier sections it's much more stable and doesn't wobble the chassis causing this kind of horrific incident.
That was the Mulsanne hump, where Webber took his 2nd flight, they flattened it for 2001 Then they flattened the hump where Webber's first flight and Dumbreck took place for 2005, alongside a repave of the whole Mulsanne to Arnage sector.
Aaaah Peter, no matter what happened back then (I've watched it LIVE by the way) you drove a great looking car competed against other great looking cars. They don't look that awesome anymore. They may be more stable and secure but they don't look beautiful from outside :(
Looking back on all the drivers we can't talk to about their experiences because they're gone, I for one get a chill up my spine seeing Dumbreck on that piece of ground again. The image of that car taking flight will forever be etched in my memory. I was 15 or 16 when that crash happened, and was seeing my first full coverage of Le Mans ever. (Speedvision in the US was giving us our first full live coverage ever) I remember being absolutely sure I'd witnessed a man lose his life at my first Le Mans experience. When they showed him being put into ambulance and he was clearly awake and alert, I was absolutely in shock anyone could have survived what amounts to a small plane crash in a wooded area. Still unreal to this day when I see the footage.
I am not a doctor, but I assume the reason he doesn't remember the crash was because he passed out /blacked out pretty much instantly due to the immense G forces created when the car tools off and began to rotate... In the initial stages of the car taking off he would have been pushed forward in his seat very violently... I don't know if the blood would have been drained or forced into his brain, but I do know that a person can lose consciousness at "only" 5 G or thereabouts... And pretty much EVERY crash has 5 G of force...all cars are designed to either crush at certain points, or break at certain points on the chassis so that the energy of the crash is dissipated... The car (or the barrier, or the trees in this case) absorbs the sudden impact so instead of getting like a 50G instant "spike" of deceleration in a tenth of a second, the impact is prolonged and the driver will experience /just guessing) around 10G but it's spread over 5/10ths of a second (a half second - 5/10=1/2) and that's what saves the drivers from almost certain death.
I was there at Le Mans that year. Saw it on the screens. Merc would have used computer design by then, so how the hell could they have not been aware of this fundamental design flaw?? Fancy having to brief drivers “not to get too close behind other cars”! It’s only a 24hr 300+ lap race ffs.
It is interestimg how the car not only flipped, but turned around facine the opposite direction. If that had not happened, he could well have been seriously injured or killed. The rear of the car took the brunt of the crash, as he was travelling backward. He was saved by this, as travelling forward, there was not much to protect him. God was looking out for him! He flipped that car around.
I love how Lousie is surprised by all the details that she didn't know, meanwhile Alan is just making jokes and Peter doesn't really know what happened
" alllots of things turned my way that day " thats the limit & the point you get over it... what a lucky Man !!! ... ( from groundeffeckt & a bump" .. can remember on Tv !!!! What Legends those Racedrivers ! Pure Power !!! no Limits... yes&no..but...that Power!!!
Such an amazing video! Still remember my shock when seeing this while following it on Eurosport at my grandparents. Laying down in their bed in their 1-room apartment. And suddenly this happened and I went straight up standing, nearly small jumping hardly believing what I just whitnessed... And now watching this also tells that it was about the same for the driver, Peter, not really understanding what really happened. Now also knowing they removed some trees in that particular area right before the race also makes it even more amazing and a thought of "what if?" Without those trees been cut down earlier that year, this might've been fatal.
But what is this for a fucking malfunction of a car. He is saying it: how can i overtake someone if I'am not allowed to get close to the car in front of me.
Mark Webber flipped the #4 Mercedes CLR during qualifying and final practice for the race. Then Peter Dumbreck flipped the #5 Mercedes CLR during the actual race.
The location on where he landed is not far enough where also Jo Bonnier was killed during a race in 1972 after fleeing off as well cause of hitting a Ferrari at the back.
Pretty much the same place but the big trees were still there in 1972 and shredded JoBo's Lola. Also Mike Rockenfeller had a huge accident there in 2011. In both cases a privateer Ferrari was involved