APRIL 26, 2001

Alboreto's accident

THERE are few clues about what caused the accident which killed Michele Alboreto. The 44-year-old Italian racer died instantly when his Audi R8 sportscar went out of control on the final day of a three-day test at the Lausitzring in the eastern part of Germany.

The car was going down one of the straights when eyewitnesses report that it suddenly veered to the right. There are a variety of different versions of what happened after that. According to some sources the car took off and flew over a safety barrier and then somersaulted several times. Other stories say that the car was launched into a series of somersaults after it hit the barrier. Either way there was nothing that could be done for the driver. Medical assistance was on the scene in two minutes and a helicopter was there within five minutes of the crash.