Safety Car-nage: When Pace Cars Act Out Their Jealousy

Motor racing: for the drivers who line up on the grid it’s all about the potential glory. Finishing a clean race at the head of the pack is the ultimate goal.

Of course there’s also plenty of scope for things to go wrong. It can be downright dangerous, and sometimes just plain embarrassing, like this little clip from last weekends WTCC round in Pau, France.

After a minor crash left a competitor stranded on the track, the Safety Car was called out to slow down the racers until the obstruction was cleared. Simple in principle, but not so it practice.

The Chevrolet Cruze Safety Car (the European version of the Holden Cruze) arrives on track just as race leader Franz Engstler happened to occupy the same piece of track at the same time.

Point the finger all you like at the Safety Car driver’s inability to keep to the exit lane, or the speed Engstler’s BMW 320si is carrying under SC conditions, but at the end of the day it’s simply a great piece of motor racing theatre.

Conspiracy theorists may also like to note that thanks to the kamikaze Cruze, Engstler was forced to retire from the race, which was eventually won by Alain Menu. Menu’s ride? Why, a Chevrolet Cruze of course.