Grand Prix Insider

15th of May - “During an attempt to qualify for the Indy 500, Gordon Smiley, a cocky young driver from Texas, was determined to break 200 mph or die trying. Several veteran drivers had warned him that he was in way over his head, driving all wrong for the Speedway. Smiley was a road racer and was used to counter-steering his car to avoid a crash if the rear wheels broke traction. While rushing to the car immediately after the impact, I noticed small splotches of a peculiar gray substance marking a trail on the asphalt leading up to the driver. When I reached the car, I was shocked to see that Smiley’s helmet was gone, along with the top of his skull. He had essentially been scalped by the debris fence. The material on the race track was most of his brain. His helmet, due to massive centrifugal force, was literally pulled from his head on impact…I rode to the care center with the body. On the way in I performed a cursory examination and realized that nearly every bone in his body was shattered. He had a gaping wound in his side that looked as if he had been attacked by a large shark. I had never seen such trauma.”

I came across this shocking statement of Dr. Steve Olvey, Indycar Medical Director between 1979 and 2003, about the fatal accident of Gordon Smiley on May 15, 1982. Reporting from this year’s Indy 500 I am thankful that safety has improved significantly such brutal fatalities a relict from the past.

15/5/1986, Elio de Angelis dies.

After rising to prominence in Formula 3, Elio de Angelis’ Formula 1 debut came with the Shadow team. He was picked up by Team Lotus for

His first first Grand Prix win came in Austria in 1982, beating Keke Rosberg in one of F1’s tightest finishes. In 1985 picked up another victory after Alain Prost was disqualified at Imola. In 1986 he moved to Brabham but the BMW-engined and radically low BT55 was a problematic car. It was while testing this in May at Paul Ricard that he was killed when a rear wing failed. To read bio published earlier in this blog, please click HERE.

15/5/1991, Friedrich Riess dies.

Riess’ only participation in a Fromula 1 Grand Prix came at the wheel of a Veritas-BMW in the 1952 German Grand Prix. Clearly his best year in motor racing as he also won the 24 hours of Le Mans, partnering Hermann Lang at the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz 300SL.

Born: 11th of July 1922 in Nürnberg, Germany;
Died: 15th of May 1991 in Samedan, SWitzerland, aged 68.

15/5/1943, Alan William Rollinson is born in Walsall, UK.

A frontrunner in Formula 3, Alan Rollinson got his one and only chance in Formula 1 with an appearance at the British GP in 1965 at the wheel of a Cooper T71/73 , entered by ex-GP Driver Bob Gerard. As with the given machinery and his - at the time - lack of experience didn’t translate in a decent run, it would remain his only participation in a Formula 1 grid. Otherwise he had a solid career in numerous other formulae, most notably, the European and British Formula 5000 championship.

15/5/1959, Luis Perez-Sala Valls-Taberner is born in Barcelona, Spain.

The always pleasant Spaniard came into Formula 1 as runner-up to Stefano Modena in the 1983 Formula 3000 Championship, driving for the Minardi Formula 1 squad for two seasons from the start of 1988. His best result is a sixth place in the 1989 British Grand Prix. Since leaving F1 he has been a regular in the Spanish touring car championship.

20/4/1946, Gordon Smiley is born in Omaha, USA.

Gordon Smiley, from Nebraska, was an accomplished racing driver, who won in sports cars and open wheel single seaters. At one time he held 25 lap records in SCCA competition, and in 1979 won the Aurora Formula 1 race at Silverstone. He qualified for two Indy 500s, 1980 and 1981, but was killed while trying qualify for a third in 1982.

Smiley had been strugggling with his March in qualifying. He was aiming for a 200 mph average lap speed, but had only been able to reach 196 mph. Then, on the second of his wam-up laps, the car suddenly oversteered as it entered Turn 3. Smiley seemed to overcorrect and hit the wall head-on. In one of the most violent racing accidents ever seen, Smiley’s helmet was torn off, and the cockpit crushed. The engine and rear wing were ripped off when the car flew into the catch fence. The March was totally destroyed, and Smiley was killed instantly.

Born: 20th of April 1946 in Omaha, USA;
Died: 15th of May 1982 in Indianapolis, USA, aged 36 years