Eleven years ago, Allan Simonsen passed away
On June 22, 2013, Denmark's Allan Simonsen died just minutes after the start of the Le Mans 24 Hours.
The impact was of rare violence. And it shocked many people. The public, the stewards, the viewers… Just eight minutes after the start of the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Aston Martin #95 went on to hit the tire barrier at the exit of Tertre Rouge.
On board, Allan Simonsen experienced 75G of lateral deceleration. Upon arrival, the extraction team found the Danish driver unconscious. Despite the extensive care given to him, the seven-time participant in the race passed away during transfer to the medical center.
The impact was so violent that for an hour, the marshals replaced the rails along the track. The trees, behind these metal barriers, also experienced the effects of the track exit. Given the location of the crash, many questions were raised. How did it end up here?
On a dashboard camera, we see him lose control of his GTE. Because of a light rain falling, the rumble strips were made very slippery. This is what sent the Aston Martin to that spot.
Many tributes were paid to the Dane after the announcement of his death. Allan Simonsen is the 21st man to lose his life on the Le Mans circuit. The first since Sébastien Enjolras in 1997.
