(Lead photo: PB 2828 Racing) A car fire of any type isn’t anything to trifle with. Electrical, fuel, burning plastic…it doesn’t matter. Once the car is on fire, two things should be paramount: The safety of everyone in and around the car, and doing whatever it takes to stop the fire from spreading. If caught quick enough and dealt with properly, you can throw the car on the trailer, lick your wounds, clean up the chemicals and repair for another day of racing. If you don’t…well, that’s that, then.
The car is the PB 2828 Racing BMW M3 GTR, and the driver is Bas Schouten. After having a sensational qualifying run at Circuit Zolder in Belgium, the day began to unravel quickly. Here is what happened, according to the team’s Facebook page:
After that incredible qualification, it went completely wrong with a start from the pits due to late arrival of our new tires, a collision with another car followed by a drive through penalty. And as if was not enough during that drive through penalty, the exhaust temperature got too high (caused by pit limiter) and set fire to the bottom of the car.Bas Schouten, the teammate of Philippe Bonneel this weekend, was just able to park the car in front of the marshals. He got help from our chief mechanic Sven Berghs to extinguish the fire. Together they managed to put the fire out themselves and avoided the total destruction of the car in the fire.
Due to the severe damage, we were not able to compete the second round on Sunday.
Car has a sequensial gearbox but shifts itself? Really lame! He couldn’t even shut the car off!
Hey,
Bas Schouten thanks to God who spared the life of yours. Furthermore, doesn\’t hurt you and the car with this incredible flame. We trust you will even now be with us driving after this occurrence. You can overlook that episode and can welcome yourself for another begin.