Pole-sitting BMW out of Bathurst 12 hour after 'ferocious' crash
The Bathurst 12 hour has been marred by a "ferocious" crash for the pole-sitting BMW, which was lucky to not climb over the concrete wall.
Having led the opening hour of the race, which started well before dawn at Mount Panorama, Belgian GT3 gun Charles Weerts was running third when he tried to pass the slower Ginetta of Colin White around the outside at the entry to the Cutting.
Weerts appeared to misjudge the move and clipped the front of the slower car, which spun the BMW backwards into the outside wall.
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In scary scenes, the rear of Weerts' car climbed and then skidded along the top of the concrete wall for a considerable distance.
Charles Weerts' BMW skidded along the top of the wall at the entry to the Cutting after contact with a slower car. Fox Sports
"One of the key contending cars ... they've been electrifying all weekend," commentator Richard Craill said.
"A ferocious impact – riding the wall like a stunt bike."
The crash – which was the heaviest to that point of the race – took out the cables servicing two TV cameras and brought out the safety car for the fourth time.
Highly regarded endurance racing commentator John Hindhaugh described Weerts' move as "low-percentage".
The pole-sitting BMW with Charles Weerts at the wheel was involved in a heavy crash at the Bathurst 12 hour, and was taken back to the pits on the back of a tow truck. Fox Sports
"Where's (White) going to go? He's up against the wall on the left. Unless Scotty beams him up, that Ginetta isn't going anywhere," he said in reference to the famous Star Trek line.
Former Supercars champion Garth Tander was also critical of the Belgian's move.
"The Ginetta signalled its intentions early – it was staying to the inside," he said.
"The smallest of contacts tripped the BMW up, and he was so lucky it rode the top of the concrete fence and not up and over."
A slew of Supercars stars including Broc Feeney, Will Brown, Craig Lowndes, Jamie Whincup and Chaz Mostert among others are in action in the Bathurst 12 hour.
