STEWART HIT BY MARKER

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31275, 23 January 1967, Page 15

STEWART HIT BY MARKER

Tyres and drums were not satisfactory circuit markers, and some other method of marking curves should b e investigated, J. Stewart (B.R.M. V 8) said after his retirement from the Lady Wigram Trophy race on Saturday.

A marker made of car tyres, clipped by the Lotus of J. Clark, flew up and hit Stewart’s car during the early part of the race, breaking the windscreen, instrument panel and an oil

I'ine and putting him out of the race.

Stewart took the incident quite philosophically: “It’s just one of those things, it couldn’t be helped,” he said. The tyre hit him and took paint off his helmet, and hot oil sprayed in his face from the broken pipe, but he was wearing a face-mask and was not hurt.

The incident showed that a bad accident could be caused by flying markers—“a bit lower and it would have taken my head off”—and he thought some other method of marking curves should be found.

“The oil drums used in some places are even worse, I hate to think what would happen if someone really hit one of these. It could cause a serious accident.

“I realise the problem the organisers have on this temporary circuit, but safety is the major consideration.”

The incident also showed the great importance of wearing the correct protective clothing when racing, Stewart said. The hot oil—“which can inflict one of the worst type of burns”— sprayed over his face and goggles, and if he had not been wearing a face-mask he would have been injured. He was sorry about the incident because the car was going very well: “I believe it could have gone faster than we were going, and it would, have made the race a good dice.”

All the main-race car drivers wore proper overalls during practice on Friday and the race on Saturday, but some of the single-seater drivers in the sports and specials event drove in shirt-sleeves.