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Returning To The Scene - Gilmour And Sofi Back At Albert Park After Massive 2005 Crash |
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Monday, 12 March 2007 |
THE TWO participants involved in one of the biggest crashes in Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 history will return to compete at the scene of their accident at the Formula 1 ING Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne this weekend.
Sydneysider Mat Sofi and Queenslander Chris Gilmour were the two unfortunate drivers mixed up in a massive crash during the non-championship event at the 2005 Grand Prix at Albert Park.
Both drivers have since raced with success in the Gold Star
championship – Gilmour finished fourth overall last season whilst Sofi
was a standout at 2007s opening round at Eastern Creek six weeks ago -
but neither raced at the Grand Prix event last year, meaning this
year’s return will be the first time they will be able to confront
their demons and return to the scene of the incident.
Two years ago, dark skies just before the start of the third race of
the weekend, on Saturday evening, saw teams and drivers rolling the
dice when it came to choosing the correct Kumho tyre on which to start
the race.
With the crowded pit lane ensuring that no tyre changes would be
possible mid-race, the crucial decision would mean the difference
between a potential race win, or chaos as cars skated around the
slippery street circuit on dry-weather tyres.
Just as the cars formed up on the starting grid, with a nation-wide TV
audience watching on the Ten Network, a typical Melbourne downpour
enveloped the Melbourne circuit causing chaos for the competitors
already on track.
Whilst most of the field started on wet tyres, Chris Gilmour had
gambled with a slick tyre choice and was forced to coast around to the
pits whilst staying out of harms way.
Gilmour, 23, takes up the story.
“We were the only car on slicks and when I pulled up on pit straight it started pouring down,” he explained.
“I started slowly and decided to come back to the pits because I knew my race was over.
“I was cruising around at about 100kph in 3rd gear, when the back of
the car just snapped out from under me at turn eleven. I spun through
about 270 degrees and stopped, with the car stalled.
“I looked to my right and saw three cars coming, they all got around
but through their spray I saw another car coming. I thought ‘Oh oh’ and
that’s when Mat Sofi basically ran through me.” He said.
The impact from Sofi’s car was hard enough to punch a hole in the
Carbon-fibre tub of Gilmour’s Dallara, the hit causing the suspension
components to impact on an internal bulkhead in the cockpit.
The force of the hit fractured Gilmour’s Tibia and Fibula bones in his
Right leg – the first time anyone had sustained an injury of the type
since Formula 3 was introduced to Australia in 1999, showing the
impeccable safety record the category has sustained.
After starting the race from the Pits, Mat Sofi explained that the wet
conditions made it nearly impossible to see anything clearly in front
of his Dallara.
“We started from pit lane because we were having clutch dramas but by
about turn three I had made about 10 positions. In front of me I could
see the rain lights of three or four cars in front of me, but that was
it,” Sofi said.
“Coming onto the back stretch of the Albert Park circuit visibility is
pretty limited, especially with the rain and the spray from the other
cars, so instead of being an idiot I thought that I should back off in
case one of the guys in front had an off.
“Just as I thought that the three rain lights turned to two and there
was Chris in all his glory sitting across the track. There was
absolutely no where for me to go.
“There was no room for me to go left or right, so unfortunately I T-boned him as square as you could get.” He said.
Whilst the Sydneysider escaped the accident with nothing more than a
stiff neck, he said that his first thoughts were of the safety of his
fellow competitor.
”I jumped out of my car and the main concern was making sure Chris was
OK, because he was obviously still sitting in the car.” Mat said.
Despite the crash, both drivers can’t contain their enthusiasm when it
comes to returning to the 5.2km Albert Park circuit this weekend.
“It was a freak accident. These cars are really tough and incredibly
safe,” Gilmour, driver of the #17 SnatchIT.com.au Dallara F304 Spiess,
said today.
“I can’t wait to go back, to be honest. It’s been four months since I’ve driven so I can’t wait.
“This will be the first time that I go to a race meeting to actually
enjoy it totally. There will be no pressure, so I’ll be able to enjoy
racing in front of a big crowd and I think we will have a good result.
“I’m as eager to drive as I ever have been – there are no nerves or anything – I just want to get on track.” He said.
Sofi, 19, was impressive in his Total Developments / R-Tek F3 Dallara
F304 Mugen Honda at Eastern Creek recently and said that there would be
plenty of local support for him at the Melbourne event.
“I can’t wait to go back – we’re going to have a lot of our sponsors
there in the stands cheering us on so I can’t wait to get the Total
Developments car out there and in action.
“We had the pace at Eastern Creek to run at the front so hopefully we
can carry that over to the Grand Prix, which will be the biggest event
I’ll ever have raced at, by far.”
The last word, however, was left to Gilmour.
“Mat needs to be warned,” he said.
”He won’t be able to hit me again because I aim to be miles in front of him!”
A 31-car field comprised of Australia’s best Open Wheel talent and some
of the fastest young International drivers around have entered for this
weekend’s non-championship Australian Formula 3 races at the ING
Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.
It will be the biggest and most competitive Formula 3 grid assembled in Australia.
The field will contest four races throughout the weekend, with opening practice kicking off proceedings early Thursday morning.
For more information head to www.formula3.com.au
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