Hayden Paddon's Monte Carlo Accident: A dent into the start of a promising future

The 2017 World Rally Championship, all the excitement over the new rules, new cars, the return of Toyota. With so much to look on, all of it now have seems faded away with a crash right at the first stage of Rally Monte Carlo that claimed the life of a fan.

This was the first death in the WRC for more than a decade since the death of Jorg Bastuck, co-driver to Aaron Burkart that was struck by another vehicle while changing a tire during the 2006 Rally of Catalunya.

In recent years, safety has been improved not only to the drivers participating in the events but to hundreds and thousands of fans cheering to the drivers sending the beast into the wild. Although much more safer than what we saw in the 80’s with Group B cars out in all force with fans on the edge of the road just to see the spectacles, rally until this days still holds many unknown that can put drivers and fans in jeopardy.

What scares me that this accident occurs only two weeks to a near fatal accident at this year Dakar Rally. Former WRC Champion Carlos Sainz driving the Peugeot 3008DKR was within 3 miles to the finish of the Jujuy-Tupiza stage when he entered a right hander with too much speed causing his car to roll down the hills and narrowly missing two spectators who was directly on the path of the crash. The two spectators managed to film their close escape and we can just see how close it was.

Not only that, this was the second time in two years the Rally Monte Carlo involves another incident with fans. Last year Jari-Matti Latvala who was still driving for Volkswagen (now for Toyota) hit a fan after he overshoot a corner and his window’s view was blocked because of dirts on the windscreen. Causing the Finn who was trying desperately to come back on the roads and then hit the spectators and received a fine by the rally organizers.

Not only these two incidents but there are countless other rally crashes that involves fans. With rally events nowadays, there are safe zones for rally goers to watch. But then, there are some fans who are just going the limits. Ignoring rules and signs just to get a better view of the rally in action.

In the accident that involving Paddon and the fan late last night. A lot of factors contribute to the accident with some that we will hope to see changes in the future.

The accident occurred near the end of the stage. Hayden was approaching a Left-1 corner usually taken in 2nd or 3rd gear. In the video of the crash, we can see Hayden approaching the corner with a bit too much speed and hit ice on the inside causing him to lose control of the car and hit the banking, rolling the Hyundai onto its side.

Based on the picture above, we can see the fan involving was near the banking. In the onboard video, there is a blue light which early reports indicating that the fan was setting up a GoPro to catch the action. With reports said that other fans who was up the banking and near the corner advice that fan to move away.

The fan involving had a perfect spot to catch the rally action and capturing the beautiful moments of rallying. Unfortunately, his ideas sent him into the dangerous spot, he had nowhere to escape. Basically, he just set a trap for himself. There is no other place that it as dangerous as that. The car will always shoot to the outside of the turn. In the blink of an eye, the car hit him and he was shot up the banking. The fan was injured and passed out, he was later rushed into the hospital but later passed away due to his injuries.

With the Hyundai’s fast velocity and a dangerous banking means there was literally little chance that the fan will survive. Yes, like all other rally fans who want to capture the moment, getting closer in the action means they have to take much more risk, risking their own safety and their own lives.

In this case, I’m hoping in the future and that signs and alerts would be put in areas to inform more and more fans of the dangerous aspect of rallying. Let’s hope that this incident will change more to the safety of the sport. And more fans would be more careful on where to watch in the aftermath of the event.

No one would ever thought of this even happening. Like me, many other fans really looking forward to this year championship, bringing back the fun and excitement of rallying. A brand new era, a new year of exciting motorsport and we left off with a dent that would overshadowed the entire season. A promising start being ruined by an accident that could have been prevented.

I would like to send my condolences to the family of the fan who just passed away but also sending my best wishes to Hayden Paddon and his co driver Jonathan Kennard and hoping they would return for the next round.

Although rally is dangerous, let’s not forget that rally is about the spirit of motorsport. Accidents happen, but we must always learn from it and make rallying more safer in the future to all fans and drivers participating.

(NOTE: I WILL NOT PUT ANY VIDEO RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT IN RESPECT OF EVERYONE PARTICIPATING IN THE EVENT)