Nurburgring
Here’s everything you need to know about the tragic deaths of two Goodyear testers at the Nurburgring circuit in Germany
On Wednesday (08/09/2023), a tragic incident occurred at the Nürburgring resulting in the loss of two test drivers’ lives. The Nürburgring spokesperson verified the occurrence of the accident, stating that it involved a vehicle engaged in test drives within the Tiergarten segment.
The police also corroborated the incident, informing the media about the fatal accident involving two individuals. Witnesses noted that the accident took place in the Antoniusbuche section, situated at the conclusion of the Döttingerhöhe stretch where vehicles attain their highest speeds.
The vehicle rolled over multiple times. Despite prompt rescue efforts, both occupants tragically lost their lives at the accident site. Additionally, several rescue workers and police personnel were also injured, with two helicopters being deployed for assistance.
Subsequently, the Nürburgring was closed, leading to the cancellation of Wednesday’s tourist drives. Moreover, the industry pool companies decided to suspend any further test drives for Thursday.
Reportedly, the vehicle involved was identified as a yellow Porsche 911 Carrera S from the 991 series, engaged in tire testing on the track. Goodyear, the tire manufacturer, verified that the unfortunate victims were their employees, aged 39 and 44.
These individuals had planned to conduct a four-day testing session at the Nürburgring. Goodyear expressed their grief in a statement, conveying their profound sorrow over the loss of two employees based in Luxembourg due to a car accident that occurred on August 9 during testing in Germany.
Details regarding the identity of the accident victims and the specific circumstances of the incident remain undisclosed. The police have commenced an investigation into the fatalities, with the public prosecutor’s office in Koblenz tasked with determining the sequence of events leading to the accident.
Kirsten Mietasch, the public prosecutor, stated that the focus of their inquiry is to establish, through a death investigation, whether external factors contributed to the fatal accident. Presently, there is a lack of definitive information regarding the accident’s cause. Nonetheless, there are no indications suggesting a medical emergency as the cause.
At this point, the ongoing investigation into the deaths is categorized as a death investigation rather than a criminal inquiry. As a result, there isn’t an initial suspicion of criminal activity. The purpose of this death investigation is to establish whether any initial suspicion of wrongdoing exists. Automobile manufacturers and suppliers routinely conduct vehicle testing at the Nürburgring’s closed track.
The Nürburgring spokesperson clarified that these participating companies employ skilled and experienced test drivers who possess exceptional control over vehicles, pushing them to their limits while being highly familiar with the Nürburgring Nordschleife track. This unfortunate incident has been met with condolences from the motorsport community, expressing their sympathy for the families of those who lost their lives.
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