Sergio Santander's Fatal Crash @ Las Vizcachas 1987
- 7 months ago
Notes:
Sergio Santander was killed in an accident which happened during the 8th round of the 1987 Chilean Formula 3 Championship, held in Las Vizcachas circuit at Puente Alto, near Santiago de Chile, on Saturday, 26 September 1987.
He was leading the series, having already won three events in the season, at the Base Aérea El Bosque and then two times at Las Vizcachas. Santander started from the 6th position in the grid, at the wheel of his yellow Juan Larroquette JL-04 - Renault #20, entered by team Whisky J&B-Licores Despouy. He was dicing against Gonzalo Alcalde in a Denim Berta - Renault for the third place. Santander tried to overtake his opponent along the main start/finish line at the end of 31st lap, but the two cars touched wheels as they passed the boxes and veered off track at an estimate speed of 190 km/h (118 mi/h) on the left side. Both vehicles violently crashed against the inner safety wall at the exit of the pitlane.
Both men were seriously injured. Sergio Santander who was trapped in the wreckage for about 35 minutes, passed away during the transport by helicopter to the Clínica Las Condes at Santiago de Chile. His mother Berta Benavente, his brother Ricardo, his sister Carolina and her sons Stefano and Isabella Cassinelli, were in the stands attending the race and witnessed the accident. His brother Felipe who also was a race car driver and at the time was competing in the United States, was not at the track.
Santiago de Chile born, Sergio Santander grew up and lived at Arica, Chile. He started his career as a child in go-kart races. At the age of 23 he had his debut in Fórmula Cuatro races, finishing 2nd in the series in 1978 and 1979, and finally winning the national title in 1981. He progressed to international events, competing in the Formula 2 Codasur in Brazil and Argentina and also entering the 12 Hours of Sebring. Santander was signed up as works driver for Renault Chile, winning the 1982 Potenciados 2000 championship in a Renault Fuego. When the new Fórmula Tres was introduced in Chile, Sergio Santander won a race in 1985, driving a VESA - Renault for team Akai-Loctite. He stopped his racing activity in 1986 and came back one year later, joining the Whisky J&B-Licores Despouy team, with the expert Martín Ferrer as team mate. They drove the 1.4-litre Renault engined JL-04 cars, built by Juan Larroquette, the first Formula 3 chassis manufacturer of Chile.
R.I.P
Sergio Santander was killed in an accident which happened during the 8th round of the 1987 Chilean Formula 3 Championship, held in Las Vizcachas circuit at Puente Alto, near Santiago de Chile, on Saturday, 26 September 1987.
He was leading the series, having already won three events in the season, at the Base Aérea El Bosque and then two times at Las Vizcachas. Santander started from the 6th position in the grid, at the wheel of his yellow Juan Larroquette JL-04 - Renault #20, entered by team Whisky J&B-Licores Despouy. He was dicing against Gonzalo Alcalde in a Denim Berta - Renault for the third place. Santander tried to overtake his opponent along the main start/finish line at the end of 31st lap, but the two cars touched wheels as they passed the boxes and veered off track at an estimate speed of 190 km/h (118 mi/h) on the left side. Both vehicles violently crashed against the inner safety wall at the exit of the pitlane.
Both men were seriously injured. Sergio Santander who was trapped in the wreckage for about 35 minutes, passed away during the transport by helicopter to the Clínica Las Condes at Santiago de Chile. His mother Berta Benavente, his brother Ricardo, his sister Carolina and her sons Stefano and Isabella Cassinelli, were in the stands attending the race and witnessed the accident. His brother Felipe who also was a race car driver and at the time was competing in the United States, was not at the track.
Santiago de Chile born, Sergio Santander grew up and lived at Arica, Chile. He started his career as a child in go-kart races. At the age of 23 he had his debut in Fórmula Cuatro races, finishing 2nd in the series in 1978 and 1979, and finally winning the national title in 1981. He progressed to international events, competing in the Formula 2 Codasur in Brazil and Argentina and also entering the 12 Hours of Sebring. Santander was signed up as works driver for Renault Chile, winning the 1982 Potenciados 2000 championship in a Renault Fuego. When the new Fórmula Tres was introduced in Chile, Sergio Santander won a race in 1985, driving a VESA - Renault for team Akai-Loctite. He stopped his racing activity in 1986 and came back one year later, joining the Whisky J&B-Licores Despouy team, with the expert Martín Ferrer as team mate. They drove the 1.4-litre Renault engined JL-04 cars, built by Juan Larroquette, the first Formula 3 chassis manufacturer of Chile.
R.I.P