Racer Killed In Swiss Hillclimb Just Two Months After Richard Hammond’s Crash
It’s a bad time to be involved in the Swiss hillclimb scene, as this death marks the third high profile incident in the past few months, with Richard Hammond’s crash while filming The Grand Tour arguably being the one familiar to most readers.
Martin Wittwer, 33, was killed in his final run when the Peugeot 205 he was driving crashed, sneding it over the guard rail and into the trees. The remainder of the event, which was held at the Bergrennen Oberhallau, was cancelled following the accident.
CREDIT: Motorsport.com
Motorsports are dangerous to begin with, but hillclimb courses are not purpose built for racing, instead popping up wherever the organizers choose to hold the event, and usually without runoff areas and SAFER barriers.
In addition to Richard Hammond and Martin Wittwer, Chris Steiner was also involved in a crash during the Bergrennen Reitnau, in which he sustained serious leg injuries.
Three major crashes in roughly three months? I think it’s time to revisit hillclimb safety standards.
