1997 Blackhelm Confederate Grand Prix: Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox Grand Prix race report
|Type = F1
|Previous_round =
|Next_round    =
|Details ref =
|Country = [[Blackhelm Confederacy]]
|Grand Prix = Blackhelm Confederate
|Date = June 22
|Year = 1997
|Race_No = 1
|Season_No =
|Official name =
|Location = [[Circus Augustus Angelbridge]], [[Redemption]], [[Blackhelm Confederacy]]
|Image = Imola_Circuit_1980-1995_Layout.png
|Course_mi = 3.144
|Course_km = 5.040
|Distance_laps = 58
|Distance_mi = 182.351
|Distance_km = 292.320
|Scheduled_laps = 61
|Scheduled_mi = 191.784
|Scheduled_km = 307.440
|Weather = Sunny
|Pole_Driver = [[Clayton Norris]]
|Pole_Team = [[Delaney]]
|Pole_Time =
|Pole_Country = {{flag|Aswick}}
|Fast_Driver =
|Fast_Team =
|Fast_Time =
|Fast_Lap =
|First_Driver =
|First_Team =
|First_Country =
|Second_Driver =
|Second_Team =
|Second_Country=
|Third_Driver =
|Third_Team =
|Third_Country =
|Lapchart = {{F1Laps1994|SMR}}
}}
{{Infobox Grand Prix race report
{{Infobox Grand Prix race report
| Type          = CUST
| Type          = CUST
| Description    =  
| Description    = <div style="text-align: center;">Race 7 of 16 in the [[1997 Astyrian Formula One Championship]]</div>
| Country        = [[Blackhelm Confederacy]]
| Country        = [[Blackhelm Confederacy]]
| Grand Prix    = Blackhelm Confederate
| Grand Prix    = Blackhelm Confederate
Line 51: Line 8:
| Year          = 1997
| Year          = 1997
| Image          = Imola_Circuit_1980-1995_Layout.png
| Image          = Imola_Circuit_1980-1995_Layout.png
| Official name  =  
| Official name  = Astyrian Formula 1 Grande Præmium de Confœderatus Blackhelm 1997
| Location      = [[Circus Augustus Angelbridge]], [[Redemption]], [[Blackhelm Confederacy]]
| Location      = [[Circus Augustus Angelbridge]], [[Redemption]], [[Blackhelm Confederacy]]
|Course_mi = 3.144
|Course_mi = 3.144
|Course_km = 5.040
|Course_km = 5.040
| Weather        =  
|Distance_laps = 32
|Distance_mi = 100.608
|Distance_km = 161.280
|Scheduled_laps = 61
|Scheduled_mi = 191.784
|Scheduled_km = 307.440
| Weather        = Sunny
| Attendance    =  
| Attendance    =  
| Pole_Driver    = Clayton Norris
| Pole_Driver    = Clayton Norris
| Pole_Country  = Aswick
| Pole_Country  = Aswick
| Pole_Team      = [[Delaney GP|Delaney]]
| Pole_Team      = [[Delaney GP|Delaney]]-Sorsa
| Pole_Time      =  
| Pole_Time      = 1:22.976
| Fast_Driver    =  
| Fast_Driver    =  
| Fast_Team      =  
| Fast_Team      =  
Line 68: Line 31:
| First_Driver  = Nico Paavola
| First_Driver  = Nico Paavola
| First_Country  = Valkea
| First_Country  = Valkea
| First_Team    = [[Delaney GP|Delaney]]
| First_Team    = [[Delaney GP|Delaney]]-Sorsa
| Second_Driver  = Alistair O'Donnell
| Second_Driver  = Alistair O'Donnell
| Second_Country = Aswick
| Second_Country = Aswick
| Second_Team    = [[MacGregor F1|MacGregor]]
| Second_Team    = [[MacGregor F1|MacGregor]]-FMK
| Third_Driver  = Jimmy Lunt
| Third_Driver  = Jimmy Lunt
| Third_Country  = Aswick
| Third_Country  = Aswick
| Third_Team    = [[MacGregor F1|MacGregor]]
| Third_Team    = [[MacGregor F1|MacGregor]]-FMK
| Lapchart      =  
| Lapchart      =  
}}
}}

Revision as of 11:36, 29 December 2022

1997 Blackhelm Confederate Grand Prix
Imola Circuit 1980-1995 Layout.png
Race details
Date 22 June 1997 (1997-06-22)
Official name Astyrian Formula 1 Grande Præmium de Confœderatus Blackhelm 1997
Location Circus Augustus Angelbridge, Redemption, Blackhelm Confederacy
Course Permanent racing facility
Course length 5.040 km (3.144 miles)
Distance 32 laps, 161.280 km (100.608 miles)
Scheduled distance 61 laps, 307.440 km (191.784 miles)
Weather Sunny
Pole position
Driver
  • Aswick Clayton Norris
Delaney-Sorsa
Time 1:22.976
Podium
First
  • Valkea Nico Paavola
Delaney-Sorsa
Second
  • Aswick Alistair O'Donnell
MacGregor-FMK
Third
  • Aswick Jimmy Lunt
MacGregor-FMK

The 1997 Blackhelm Confederate Grand Prix was an Astyrian Formula One motor race held on June 22, 1997, at the Circus Augusti Angelbridge in Redemption, Blackhelm Confederacy.

The race drew considerable media coverage due to it being the first major international sporting event in the newly established Blackhelm Confederacy. However, it became infamous throughout Astyrian motorsports due to a fatal accident involving 5-time AstyF1 champion Clayton Norris.

Background

The 1997 Confederate Grand Prix was held just weeks after the signing of the Paradise Accords, which officially brought the Blackhelm Confederacy into existence to serve as the successor state to the Empire of Exponent. The Grand Prix, which was the direct successor to the Hesperidesian Grand Prix, was kept in the city of Redemption, and city authorities were planning to host the competition as the Redemption Grand Prix in the event that the Parardise Accords could not be signed in time. The Circus Augustus Angelbridge, which had typically served as the home for the Hesperidesian Grand Prix, was selected to be home to the new Confederate event.

Qualifying

The qualifying events for the 1997 Blackhelm Confederate Grand Prix took place during the two days preceding the main event. Delaney driver Clayton Norris came out with the fastest overall qualifying time, followed by Alistair O'Donnell, Augustus Tertullius, Nico Paavola, Tom Campbell, Vasa Petrovic and Jimmy Lunt.

Race

During the 34th lap of the race, Clayton Norris went straight off the track and slammed into a concrete barrier. The exact reason for the crash remains a mystery to this day - some have theorized it was a suspension failure that caused him to lose control and go off the circuit, while others claim his car bottomed out due to the track's bumpy surface, causing him to lose grip momentarily.

Following the crash, the race was red-flagged as marshals rushed to retrieve his car and clean up the resulting debris. He was airlifted to the nearby Sancte Petrus Hospital. The grand prix was stopped early, meaning the results would be taken from those of Lap 32. Nico Paavola, Norris' teammate, was consequently declared the winner, finishing in front of Alistair O'Donnell by 17.2 seconds. Jimmy Lunt, who was another 26 seconds behind, finished 3rd. Every points-scoring driver during that race was awarded half points.

Post-race

Out of respect for Norris, no champagne was sprayed by the top three drivers. Norris was declared dead on arrival when he reached Sancte Petrus Hospital, although news of his death wasn't released until 7:42 pm. According to autopsy reports, he was killed instantly due to a basilar skull fracture he sustained upon hitting the barrier.

The Blackhelm Confederate Grand Prix would be suspended until 2005, and the 1997 layout of the Angelbridge Circuit would never be used again. Modifications to the track were added during its disappearance from the calendar, including changing or adding certain corners, smoothing of the track surface, and upgrading of safety facilities.

Norris' death also ushered in a flurry of new safety regulations meant to improve safety and slow drivers down, including smaller front and rear wings, raised ride heights, grooved tires for less grip, and many others. Many of these changes were implemented in the 1998 technical regulations, due to difficulties with adapting the 1997 cars to these new safety requirements.