When you think of Formula One disaster, the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix (a.k.a. The Horror Weekend) is the first thing that comes to most F1 fans’ minds. What could be worse than two fatalities and a frightening accident in practice? Although this weekend gets the most publicity, it really isn’t the darkest day in Formula One history. If you want to know the worst weekend, you would need to go back to the 1960 Belgian Grand Prix. This weekend would claim the lives to two drivers and injure another two.
During practice for the race, Stirling Moss was hospitalized after being hurled from the car in an accident. Moss was hospitalized with two broke legs. This wouldn’t be the only accident that day. Later in practice, Mike Taylor suffered a career end accident when his car endured a steering failure. The car was sent sailing into the trees alongside the track. Both drivers would survive to live another day.
The real tragedy would strike during the race. On the 19th of the race, Chris Bristow was racing alongside a Ferrari. He lost control of the car on the entrance to the turn. His car struck an embankment and he was ejected from the car and into fencing where he was decapitated.
Another fatality would occur on the 24th lap, when Alan Stacey was struck in the face with a bird. His car left the track and crashed through the fencing that Bristow had landed in. The car came to rest in a field. It was unclear whether the impact with the bird was the cause of death, but nevertheless, he did not survive the accident.
The rest of the race was uneventful. Jack Brabham led the entire race, finishing with a one second lead.
Although the 1994 was tragic, it does not compare to the many accidents in the weekend of the 1960 Belgian Grand Prix.
