British GT racer escapes fireball.

Congratulations to the photographer Peter Taylor, what a superb sequence of shots, these are amazing and capture the incident perfectly, I know just how difficult it it in keeping your head and continuing to focus, frame up and shoot the unfolding events.

Well done, these are brilliant.

Lucky, lucky guy.

WOW!

This guy's a very lucky man indeed, thank God that race cars are so strong and safe these days, that could have been a fatality not that long ago.

Congratulations to the race car manufacturers, the marshals and the medical staff for making Hunter Abbott's shunt a spectacular acident and not a serious loss of life.

Incredible, thank you to all involved.

I'm sure Hunter Abbott will be thanking each and every marshal that saved and helped him survive a most horrific shunt.

Well done you guys from a fellow race marshal in OZ, we're so often overlooked and taken for granted until someting like this happens then we're seen as heroes.

Motorsport events the world over wouldn't be happening if it weren't for the dedication and support of event marshals up and down the various countries, I salute you all and am proud to be a race marshal.

THREE CHEERS FOR THE MARSHALS!

Some are better than others but overall you do agreat job and I for one as a competitor for 20 years am extremely grateful to the likes of race and rally marshals around the world.

Keep up the good work guys and gals!

Was Hunter Abbott punted off the track or did he lose control on his own?

If it was a tap by Peter Snowdon then isn't this being investigated by the race stewards, surely this kind of dangerous and aggressive behaviour needs addressing before another similar incident results in a possible death or serious injury?

I'd just like to say that I and my friends were at Oulton Park this afternoon spectating and saw this accident, it was unbelievable and I've never seen anything quite like it before, the fact that it happened so quickly, the noise, the spectacular nature of it then the silence, it was quite a sight.

I'd also like to second your previous comments re the marshals, they did a brilliant job and came to Hunter's rescue immediately, he was out of that car so quickly, truly amazing and very impressive once we knew he was OK.

I was also present and saw the shunt, UNBELIEVABLE, I really thought he was a goner, once saw it landing across the barriers I thought he'd be toast but thankfully he's OK.

Again a massive thank you and rspect to the marshals who did a brilliant job, one minute they're running away, the next they're running back to save him, he's a very lucky bloke.

Wow that looks like a scary one. Lucky guy.

Is anyone showing the British GT in UK this year?

5th April, 6pm on Motors TV is the first showing - full details on the British GT website

Think it's probably on one of the satellite channels, don't think ITV are showing it, it's probably on Motors TV or Eurosport.

Shame as it's really good racing, I think F3 is probably on the same TV package.

Re: David Clarke comment 'whatever it is maybe he should stick to that as opposed to masquerading as a racing driver.'

May I respectfully suggest that next time you make a comment such as the one pasted above, make sure you know who and what on earth it is you are talking about.

I have known Hunter as a friend for many years and he is an exceptionally talented driver, and a good person too. Therefore I feel that 'Masquerading' is perhaps not quite the right word.

Perhaps check out some archives to see what he has achieved as a driver over the years and see www.navnow.com for an idea of what it is that Hunter actually does. Apart from being a talented driver that is.

Just glad Hunter is OK. Also, a BIG thank you to the Marshals - those guys give their time virtually free - make the sport possible and save lives. They also take a significant personal risk - just look at the photographs. As an ex race driver, I also owe the Marhals a lot - well done guys!

Re David Clark's comment - is he the MD of Road Angel- who have previously backed Hunter? If so, an odd comment.

Nigel Rees

I witnessed the accident from the point where the car first became airborne, I am not sure what caused it. It was the worst looking accident I have ever seen at circuit. The barrel rolling and impact looked bad enough but when it went up in flames you just thought, well that's it, game over. When the driver appeared from the burning wreck it was just unbelievable, really shocking. You just thought, how did he survive that? Everybody just cheered and he waved to the crowd. It was really surreal. If he had been knocked out in the impact he could have been toast the car really caught fire fast and it was properly on fire. The marshalls were great, as usual. An amazing escape!

Ref: David Clark comment can I say that I agree with Laura Rees that your comments were totally out of order and all we should be concerned about is that Hunter is not seriously injured or worse. For anyone involved with motorsport it is a shocking thing when you see the reality of how dangerous our sport can be and quite frankly comments like yours do not belong on a website like this. I compete at the top level of British Motorsport but also have a 'normal job' aswell, and you stating he should stop 'masquerading' as a racing driver is very offensive.

Well said Laura and Matt.

I race and marshal (and I am at Oulton tomorrow - Mon for round 2)-so I see both sides of the coin. That was an exceptional piece of marshalling (and photography)- yet this is seen all over the British and overseas circuits every week.

I can only think of one fatality ever caused by a marshal (Tom Pryce South African GP 1975 (?)).

It gives me in my racing guise a lot of comfort that if I shunt badly then I am in safe hands!

Nice guys - and catch you all tomorrow

a home recording (not by me, might i add)

h ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5t_477Ak98

i feel the woman in the white coat sums it all up.

great effort by the marshalls.

We witnessed the start of the accident. The G50 and an Aston Martin were running side by side out of Old Hall, down the Avenue towards Dentons. Neither car would give way and the G50 got pit manouvered by the Aston. The G50 hit the armco and took off

The force of the impact actually broke the wooden posts that support the armco, quite worrying.

The marshalls were all fantastic, a big well done

The roll cage did its job... its the only thing left. Thats one lucky man.