Racing suspended at Nurburgring after fatality

By AFP | 30 March 2015


BERLIN: Racing for certain classes has been suspended at the Nurburgring circuit until further notice following the death of a spectator during an endurance event, it was announced on Sunday.

A spectator was killed and several others were injured after being struck by a car racing in the first event of the VLN Endurance Championship on Nurburgring’s notorious Nordschleife circuit on Saturday.

The Nissan GTR car being driven by Britain’s Jann Mardenborough, 23, who escaped unhurt, came off the track and flew over the security barrier before landing upside down in an area reserved for spectators. Several fans were hurt with one later dying at the track’s medical centre and an unspecified number of injured were taken to hospital.

On Sunday, the German Motorsports Association (DMSB) announced they had suspended the circuit’s racing licence for a number of categories, including endurance events like Saturday’s, until an investigation has been completed and safety improvements have been made.

“The safety of the participants, and especially the spectators, must be of top priority,” said DMSB general secretary Christian Schacht.

“Therefore we must analyse the details of what happened, advise on necessary consequences and then implement them.

“Only then will vehicles of a similar spec to those involved in the accident be allowed back on the Nordschleife.”
Investigators have confiscated Mardenborough’s car, which will be examined by an expert in the coming days.

“Our aim is to allow safe motor sports to continue on the Nordschleife for participants and spectators,” added Schacht.



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