Otakar Krámský's Fatal Crash @ Rechberg 2015 (Aftermath)
- 5 months ago
Czech racing legend Otakar Krámský lost his life in an accident in Rechberg, Austria. The tragedy happened during the first training run, around 11h45 on Saturday, 25 April 2015.
Less than 700 meters after the start, Krámský lost control of his Reynard K15 - Zytec when it had problems with rear wheels, along the straight towards the Puntigamer-Kurve, just in front of the VIP-Tribüne. The former Formula Nippon car went off the track at an estimate speed of over 200 km/h (124 mi/h) and crashed into trees adjacent to the road. The subsequent impact was fierce, its force unsurvivable. Despite their immediate intervention, the race's medical director Dr. Zotter and the emergency crews could do nothing to save his life.
One of the most iconic European hillclimb drivers and a keen engineer, Otakar Krámský was 55-year old. During his racing career which spanned almost three decades, he had many wins and successes. In the European Hillclimb Championship he won three times the Category I, driving a BMW M3 Group A in 1995, 1997 and 1998, finishing 2nd in 1996; he won five times the Czech Republic National Hillclimb Championship in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005. In 2002 he was vice-European Hillclimb Champion at the wheel of an Osella PA20 - BMW.
Following Krámský's accident the subsequent two practicing sessions of the day were canceled. But Sunday's race took place anyway "in the spirit of Otakar Krámský", as was the general opinion in the paddock. Winner of the hillclimb was Simone Faggioli in a Norma M20FC - ZyteK. This was the 43rd edition of the Großer Bergpreis von Österreich - Rechberg-Rennen, held on the 5.050-kilometer course from Tulwitz to Rechberg, in Styria, Austria.
This was a black weekend in European hillclimbing. The Irish driver Simon McKinley lost his life that very Saturday in an accident during an Irish Hillclimb Championship event at the Scalp Hill, County Clare, Ireland.
R.I.P
Less than 700 meters after the start, Krámský lost control of his Reynard K15 - Zytec when it had problems with rear wheels, along the straight towards the Puntigamer-Kurve, just in front of the VIP-Tribüne. The former Formula Nippon car went off the track at an estimate speed of over 200 km/h (124 mi/h) and crashed into trees adjacent to the road. The subsequent impact was fierce, its force unsurvivable. Despite their immediate intervention, the race's medical director Dr. Zotter and the emergency crews could do nothing to save his life.
One of the most iconic European hillclimb drivers and a keen engineer, Otakar Krámský was 55-year old. During his racing career which spanned almost three decades, he had many wins and successes. In the European Hillclimb Championship he won three times the Category I, driving a BMW M3 Group A in 1995, 1997 and 1998, finishing 2nd in 1996; he won five times the Czech Republic National Hillclimb Championship in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005. In 2002 he was vice-European Hillclimb Champion at the wheel of an Osella PA20 - BMW.
Following Krámský's accident the subsequent two practicing sessions of the day were canceled. But Sunday's race took place anyway "in the spirit of Otakar Krámský", as was the general opinion in the paddock. Winner of the hillclimb was Simone Faggioli in a Norma M20FC - ZyteK. This was the 43rd edition of the Großer Bergpreis von Österreich - Rechberg-Rennen, held on the 5.050-kilometer course from Tulwitz to Rechberg, in Styria, Austria.
This was a black weekend in European hillclimbing. The Irish driver Simon McKinley lost his life that very Saturday in an accident during an Irish Hillclimb Championship event at the Scalp Hill, County Clare, Ireland.
R.I.P