V8 Supercars star James Courtney has spoken about his fortunate escape from dying when his Ford Mustang went up in flames and was engulfed by a fireball at previous year’s Australian Formulation 1 Grand Prix.
Flames grew to become visible on the Tickford Racing entry’s entrance left wheel as Courtney rounded the closing two turns at Albert Park.
The 42-year-aged produced it back again just in time, as the vehicle was engulfed by a huge fire as he arrived at the pits, with dense black smoke billowing from his Mustang.
‘It definitely wasn’t my favorite time that I have ever had in a race auto,’ Courtney advised News Corp.
‘I suppose the worst component of it is, no one particular would like to be burned alive.
V8 Supercars star James Courtney (pictured with spouse Tegan Woodford) has spoken about his brush with demise at last year’s GP
‘With an accident – simply because it all occurs so rapidly – you really don’t definitely imagine about it right up until afterwards, you are more attempting to retain manage of it (the car or truck) I guess.
‘But with hearth … I am not certain what would be even worse becoming eaten by a shark or burning alive.
‘It definitely was not enjoyable and it was probably just one of the scarier periods I have been in a vehicle for the reason that it is really so uncontrollable and viewing how major it was it possibly freaked me out a little bit after I stopped.
‘I suppose I only realised how huge the fire was when I slowed down in the pit lane …. it appeared really wild.’
As the pit crew rushed to his enable with hearth extinguishers, Courtney managed to swiftly get out of the motor vehicle in time.
‘In the final little bit, I could not really see and I just recall as I came into pit lane, there was that a great deal smoke in the there I remember thinking this is going to be my last breath so consider a fantastic one,’ the 2010 Supercars winner claimed.
‘I held my breath and then when I stopped I hit the fire bomb (activator) to set it off due to the fact that usually takes all the oxygen out of the air and I failed to want to hit that when I was driving all over.
‘I recall as I was obtaining out, since I couldn’t see, I was tangled in the web that we have beside us …. as you push the button to launch the net it is intended to spring back or occur down but because I was trying to get out I feel, it would not occur open up so you worry a very little and I just don’t forget nearly ripping it out trying to get it open.
James Courtney’s Ford Mustang caught fireplace at Albert Park past year, shortly soon after he returned to the pit lane for the reason that he smelled smoke
Courtney explained the encounter is just one of the scariest times he’s ever had in a car
‘My eyes were being burning and my throat and nose due to the fact I imagine I inhaled so much of the fire extinguisher accidentally seeking to get out.
‘In the conclude, I obtained out and wasn’t hurt.’