DC: I just missed nutter

Dicing with death: a spectator runs on the track

14 April 2012

David Coulthard today revealed how close he came to smashing into the Silverstone protester as motorsport's governing body launched a full security investigation into the British Grand Prix.

On lap 12 his McLaren was part of a closely bunched field which came hurtling out of Chapel corner. As he rounded the bend Coulthard poured on the gas to attack the fastest part of the circuit, down Hangar Straight. Hard on the tail of Olivier Panis, the Scot dived out to overtake the Toyota at 175mph - and that was the moment he saw someone on the track immediately in his path, less than one second from impact.

He said: "The team told me over the radio that there was some nutter on the track but they weren't specific where. So when I suddenly saw him it was shocking. He's so lucky he wasn't hit. I missed him by 10 feet at 175mph.

"There is no question what would have happened had I hit him. Something terrible like this happened 20-odd years back at the South African Grand Prix, when a car hit a marshal at speed. Both of them died. It was sickening just to think of it."

Coulthard was referring to an incident at Kayalami in 1977. A quarter of the way through that race Jacques Lafitte's Ligier seemed on the brink of catching fire in the pitlane and a 19-year-old marshal carrying a fire extinguisher ran across the track to help. Either the young marshal did not see 37-year-old British driver Tom Pryce or he misjudged the pace of his oncoming Ford. In any case, the marshal-ran directly into Pryce's path. The collision killed them both.

"'I don't know if the marshals should have seen him scaling the fence," Coulthard added. "It's very low there. Normally there's an eightfoot safety fence, but not there. You can argue there ought to be a fence all the way around but there have to be breaks for marshals and safety vehicles. You can't make a prison with us inside it." Rubens Barrichello won yesterday's race but the repercussions from the near-fatality are dominating the aftermath and track officials have launched an investigation. Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone said: "The safety people will have a look at it. It means that the security wasn't good."

Jenson Button, who finished eighth, said: "There were no warning flags. Suddenly there was this person there. It was a very scary feeling. I actually looked right into his eyes which was really weird."

It was the second time that Ferrari's Barrichello has won a race in which an interloper endangered himself and others. But at Hockenheim three years ago the man in question - a disgruntled ex- Mercedes employee - wandered only on to the grass verge. On both occasions Barrichello failed to spot the man.

Those much further down the order were most imperilled yesterday. Cristiano Da Matta and Coulthard were 15th and 17th respectively when they saw the man moments from impact.

The incident could scarcely have come at a worse time for Silverstone in its war with Ecclestone. He instantly derided the circuit's security as "not up to it". It barely helped that he declared it "a completely separate issue" from the bitter battle over funding for improvements at the former World War Two airfield.

The race promoters could be excused for wondering if the British Grand Prix is cursed.

Were it not for that moment of madness, yesterday's absorbing event would have been remembered as a glorious contest, wonderful testament to a great circuit.

No sooner had the race started than Coulthard's head restraint came loose. He drove for a short while literally with one hand, holding the restraint in place with the other, until it began flapping into his car's airbox. He tore the restraint loose and hurled it overboard before pitting for repairs. Meantime, Ralf Schumacher came by and collected all the debris in his Williams, ruining his race.

By then, weirdly, Jarno Trulli was leading. A few laps later Barrichello had the crowd on its feet for a brilliant pass round Kimi Raikkonen when the madman came on the track, bringing out the safety car and rewriting everyone's race strategy.

Everyone had the same idea at the same time, causing 13 cars to create a traffic jam in the pits as they dived in for fuel and turning the race on its head. It was so busy that even Michael Schumacher was forced to queue humbly behind Barrichello at the pumps.

Da Matta emerged in front and stayed there for 16 laps. On lap 40 Juan Pablo Montoya became the fifth different race leader. Then Raikkonen, who had led before, prevailed again. But errors, along with a dashing display from Barrichello, relegated the Finn to third.

"It's a fantastic feeling after hearing 'Michael this and Michael that' all the time," grinned the Brazilian.

Raikkonen, finishing between Montoya and Michael Schumacher, at least closed the gap on the championship leader by a point.

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DC: I just missed nutter

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