Macau Gets Messy with 16-Car Pileup

The Macau Grand Prix is always good for an accident or two or 16—you may remember Audi’s race ending crash last year—and this year’s event didn’t disappoint.

It didn’t take long for things to get messy on the tight road circuit. On the opening lap of the qualifying race a 16-car pileup caused the race to be suspended.

Things kicked off when Daniel Juncadella hit a wall on the exit of Police bend, one of the tightest parts of the already tight circuit.

The following car of Raffaele Marciello was able to avoid the carnage, but Laurens Vanthoor, who was in the upside-down Audi that ended the race last year, could not avoid Juncadella and together they blocked up the road pretty much completely.

“I couldn’t see him [Juncadella] at first. Then I saw the car standing still,” Vanthoor told Motorsport. “I tried to brake but it was just understeering and I couldn’t do anything. There’s room for one car there and you’re blind.”

Fourteen more cars would eventually crash into the corner creating a concertina effect that caused Formula E champion, Lucas di Grassi’s Audi R8 to end up on top of a BMW after being hit from behind.

“I don’t remember in my career having 12 drivers discussing a shunt. It was a big one,” di Grassi told Autosport. “But in that corner, on the first lap, with the cars this wide – it is very difficult for people to avoid.”

Naturally, the race was red flagged, and the surprisingly quick cleanup took place—I guess they’ve gotten good at clearing up accidents. The race restarted later that day with former-Audi DTM driver Edoardo Mortara taking the win. With the pole position in hand, he would eventually go on to win Sunday’s Grand Prix, too.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported as a result of the pileup that all but four of the competing cars were involved in, though rider Daniel Hegarty sadly passed away after hitting a barrier earlier in the weekend.

[source: Motorsport]

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