Abstract

Even though racing car accidents happen often during races, it is very rare that they are the subject of forensic analysis (RA analysis).

One such accident occurred in July 2022, during the International Endurance race of the CEZ – Endurance Cup at the Grobnik racetrack, under the auspices of the FIA. On the lap 9, the Porsche 911 GT3 CUP racing car went off the track in the turn #17, and crashed into the safety barrier. The driver was not injured but one of the corner-marshals suffered fatal injuries in the accident.

Due to such circumstances Forensic Science Centre “Ivan Vučetić” in Zagreb, Croatia received a request to analyse this case in order to demonstrate all relevant facts related to this event based on data related to the vehicle and the track (released specially for this purpose), detailed description of the injuries and a cause-and-effect relationship with the dynamics of the accident were available upon forensic medical examination as well as videos from the track and from the cockpit of the Porsche racing car .

This RA analysis had several goals. First - to analyse the movement of the car immediately before the crash and during the crash as well as the impact severity. Second - to analyse all available driving parameters by using telemetry data visible at the vehicle on-board camera screen. Third - to estimate position of the corner-marshal in the moment of impact and possible cause of his lethal injuries. Fourth – to determine a possible reason why the driver had lost control over the car prior the accident in the lap #9.

The crucial question, that needed to be answered in this case, were related to the organizational and safety requirements which the organizer of the race had to fulfil in order to hold the race (based on the FIA regulation [1]), as well as the behaviour of the marshals (in each corner during training, qualification and races must be three marshals) immediately before and during the event.

In the paper, the analysis of video recordings was carried out in order to determine all important parameters for determining the cause of the accident and casualty.