- Both drivers were able to miraculously escape their respective crashes
Mount Panorama turned into a scene of sheer carnage on Sunday as two terrifying crashes within minutes brought the Bathurst 12 Hour to a grinding halt and left fans fearing the worst for multiple drivers.
Supercars racer James Golding escaped a fireball crash before race leader Ralf Aron was blindsided at full speed in a restart smash that red flagged the race with three and a half hours left.
Golding’s #268 Audi burst into flames after he ran wide at the Metal Grate, spun into the wall and went airborne before stopping near John Hinxman Vista as stunned spectators watched.
‘You could see when he dropped into Reid Park he was a little bit wide and you can not get it back. Heavy, heavy impact,’ Garth Tander said in commentary.
Incredibly, Golding climbed from the wreckage under his own power and was later confirmed unhurt.
A downcast team owner Mark Rosser admitted: ‘The first thing is Jimmy is alright. He got out of the car so that’s the main thing. The car is probably toast.’
Supercars racer James Golding was able to walk away from this fiery crash at Mount Panorama
Johannes Zelger’s #79 Porsche and the #14 Aston Martin made contact at a blind spot
Race leader Ralf Aron crashed into the stationary Porsche leading to chaos on the mountain
But the drama was only just beginning. At the restart, chaos erupted near Forrest Elbow when Johannes Zelger’s #79 Porsche and the #14 Aston Martin were left slow in a blind spot, with Kai Allen making contact amid the confusion.
Moments later, Aron, leading the race in the #77 Mercedes, arrived at full speed with no warning. The impact was brutal.
The Mercedes smashed into the stationary Porsche, losing its bonnet and briefly catching fire as debris scattered across the circuit.
Both drivers scrambled free, with Aron climbing over a fence before resting on the grass. He was later transported to hospital for observation.
‘The good news is Ralf is stable,’ Shea Adam said on the broadcast.
‘He is being transported to a local hospital in Orange for further observation.’
A stunned Luca Stolz somehow threaded his way through the wreckage directly behind his Mercedes teammate without suffering damage.
Allen later described the restart as a ‘very weird situation.’
‘I accidentally hit him. Very unfortunate to see that massive crash. I hope everyone’s OK,’ he said.
The red flag was waved soon after as officials dealt with extensive debris and fluid on the track.