User:Foxerman/Death of Ronnie Peterson

On the afternoon of 10th of September 1978, Swedish Formula One driver Ronnie Peterson crashed at the start of the 1978 Italian Grand Prix. Peterson was taken to hospital but on the morning of September 11th 1978, Peterson died.

Background
In 1978, Peterson left Tyrrell after one season and returned to Team Lotus where he was signed as number two driver as they had Italian-American Mario Andretti as their number one driver. Peterson was fed up with how he is treated in Team Lotus due to him being irritated since he knew that he was given race tyres for practice, a heavier Lotus 79 to drive and less attention from Lotus mechanics as it was ordered from Lotus boss Colin Chapman. Peterson won twice during 1978 at the South African Grand Prix using the older Lotus 78 and in Austria using the 79. A week before the Italian Grand Prix, Peterson signed a contract to drive for McLaren for 1979 as their lead driver but keeps this secret.

Build Up
Peterson goes out on the track at the start of Friday's opening practice and the Ford Cosworth DFV engine in the 79 blows up after a few laps. Peterson uses the older 78 in the afternoon practice session, he sets his time (1.38,256) and hopes to improve it on Saturday. The 79 was ready for Saturday morning and the problems continue with faulty breaks and problems with the clutch. Peterson doesn't drive much and can't improve his time from Friday and start fifth on the grid. Peterson is upset and does not want to talk to anyone.

During the half hour warm up on Sunday Morning, the lid of the break fluid container pops off. With no breaks, Ronnie crashes at the Variante della Roggia at 150kph. The 79 is demolished and Ronnie complaints about sore legs, but does not seem too bothered. Peterson’s manager Staffan Svenby asks Colin Chapman if it's OK for Peterson to use Andretti's spare car (The team built four Lotus 79s, but Mario crashed one in the Austrian GP and wasn't rebuilt in time for the Italian GP), but Chapman says no and gives Ronnie an ultimatum, Sign for Lotus for the next season, you can have the 79 but Peterson refused and raced the 78 because this was down to Andretti was promised a contract guaranteeing him the position as lead driver.

Start and Crash
The race was started at 3:30pm CET and at the end of the lap, the front cars stopped and race starter Gianni Restilli was overenthusiastic and started the race with the green light whilst cars at the rear were still rolling when the green light came on. This resulted in cars in the back getting a jump on those at the front, and an accordion effect as the cars approached the first chicane, bunching them tightly together. The front four cars of Andretti, Gilles Villeneuve's Ferrari, Jean-Pierre Jabouille's Renault and Niki Lauda's Brabham, were far enough ahead to avoid any dramas, but Peterson had a poor start from fifth and was immediately passed by Alan Jones's Williams, Jacques Laffite's Ligier and John Watson's Brabham.

Jody Scheckter's Wolf starting 10th and Riccardo Patrese's Arrows starting 12th both moved to the right across the line that separated the Grand Prix front straight from the approach to the old Monza banking. While Scheckter's Wolf was able to rejoin the track well ahead of the bunching pack, Patrese moved back in just ahead of James Hunt's Mclaren, who feinted left and collided with Peterson and he went into the barriers hard at a 90 degree angle, The front of the car is demolished from the impact with the barrier, and the car is furthermore demolished when, blinded by the smoke it's hit by Vittorio Brambilla's Surtees and Peterson's Lotus bounced back into the middle of the track collecting Carlos Reutemann's Ferrari, both Shadow cars of Clay Regazzoni and Hans-Joachim Stuck, both Tyrrell cars of Patrick Depailler and Didier Pironi, Derek Daly's Ensign and Brett Lunger's McLaren as a result.

Peterson was trapped in the burning wreck, but Hunt, Regazzoni and Depailler managed to free him before he received more than minor burns, while track marshals were extinguishing the car. He was dragged free and laid in the middle of the track fully conscious, but with severe leg injuries and his helmet was cracked from flying debris. In a later interview, Hunt said he stopped Peterson from looking at his legs to avoid him getting distress.

Medical Transportation
Professor Sid Watkins was hired by Formula One Constructors' Association boss Bernie Ecclestone since the middle of 1978 by the drivers as a consulting GP surgeon. At the start he was very close to the race control tower. Immediately after the accident he tries to get to the scene of the accident but the Italian police and Carabinieri block access to the crash site and formed tight lines along the track and stop everyone trying to get to the accident. since he doesn't work directly for the racetrack he tries getting in is prevented from getting there by Italian police and Carabinieri. One of the Italian officials tries to explain the situation in order to help Sid get to Ronnie and Vittorio but no success. During the recovery, Surtees mechanic Peter Briggs and was hit in the back of his head with a Baton and other people were hit with with Riflestocks. James Hunt walks back to the pit and bumps into Professor Watkins and explains Ronnie is injured, but that an ambulance and a doctor have arrived. Professor Watkins then decides to get to the medical centre, a 3 minutes walk from Race Control through the pit area. At Monza's medical center, The injuries are obvious both legs more or less crushed, chest and shoulders superficially burned. Ronnie is rolled out on the stretcher, put into the Helicopter and flown to Ospedale Maggiore in Niguarda. Ex F1 driver Loris Kessel went with Peterson to the hospital.

Aftermath
James Hunt was later awarded the gold plaque of Kungliga Automobil Klubben (the Royal Automobile Club of Sweden) for his efforts in saving Ronnie from the flames.