Alan Stacey & Chris Bristow's Fatal Crash @ Spa-Francorchamps 1960 (Aftermath)
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2024-01-10
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The 1960 Grand Prix of Belgium, held at Spa-Francorchamps on 19 June of that year, was marred by a number of accidents that resulted in the deaths of two men.
Two British Formula 1 drivers were killed in separate crashes, and two more seriously injured. First Stirling Moss had a huge practice accident due to suspension failure on his Rob Walker's Lotus 18 - Climax at Burnenville, being ejected from the cockpit and breaking legs, nose and back; shortly later Michael Taylor in another Lotus 18 - Climax suffered horrendous and career-ending injuries, when it plunged into the trees after its steering column broke near Stavelot.
A dark cloud descended over the circuit on Saturday evening, but worse was yet to come. On Sunday, on 20th lap of the race Britain's rising star Chris Bristow and local hero Willy Mairesse, possibly touched wheels on the approach to one of the fastest corners on the track at Burnenville, beyond the spot where Moss had crashed in practice. Bristow lost control of his meadow-green Cooper which left the road, crashed against a 1.2-meter high embankment and rolled over several times. The driver was hurled into the barbed wire, suffering injures in the process, from which he died almost instantly.
Five laps later in close proximity of Burneville Alan Stacey, who was running in 6th place, crashed at a speed of about 220 km/h, and was flung from his works Lotus 18 - Climax when it hit a bank. It is believed that a bird smashed into his helmet, which temporarily blinded him, and which caused his car to crash off the track. Stacey was flung from the car when it hit a bank. It is still uncertain whether Stacey was killed instantly or died in the crash that followed. Considering that at the time cars regularly raced through wooded areas and open countryside, perhaps it wasn't that unlikely. In fact, the same thing happened to Jim Clark a few years later, on the descent to the Thillois Hairpin during practice for the 1966 French Grand Prix at Reims. He was seriously injured and withdrew from the event.
R.I.P
Two British Formula 1 drivers were killed in separate crashes, and two more seriously injured. First Stirling Moss had a huge practice accident due to suspension failure on his Rob Walker's Lotus 18 - Climax at Burnenville, being ejected from the cockpit and breaking legs, nose and back; shortly later Michael Taylor in another Lotus 18 - Climax suffered horrendous and career-ending injuries, when it plunged into the trees after its steering column broke near Stavelot.
A dark cloud descended over the circuit on Saturday evening, but worse was yet to come. On Sunday, on 20th lap of the race Britain's rising star Chris Bristow and local hero Willy Mairesse, possibly touched wheels on the approach to one of the fastest corners on the track at Burnenville, beyond the spot where Moss had crashed in practice. Bristow lost control of his meadow-green Cooper which left the road, crashed against a 1.2-meter high embankment and rolled over several times. The driver was hurled into the barbed wire, suffering injures in the process, from which he died almost instantly.
Five laps later in close proximity of Burneville Alan Stacey, who was running in 6th place, crashed at a speed of about 220 km/h, and was flung from his works Lotus 18 - Climax when it hit a bank. It is believed that a bird smashed into his helmet, which temporarily blinded him, and which caused his car to crash off the track. Stacey was flung from the car when it hit a bank. It is still uncertain whether Stacey was killed instantly or died in the crash that followed. Considering that at the time cars regularly raced through wooded areas and open countryside, perhaps it wasn't that unlikely. In fact, the same thing happened to Jim Clark a few years later, on the descent to the Thillois Hairpin during practice for the 1966 French Grand Prix at Reims. He was seriously injured and withdrew from the event.
R.I.P
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