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1959 Berlin GP

Grosser Preis von Berlin, AVUS-Rennen

AVUS

August 1, 1959

Ecurie Maarsbergen

Porsche 718 RSK

No: 25

Q:

R: DQ

C:

The sportscar race at AVUS was run on the Saturday preceding the German Grand Prix that was unusually run at the same Berlin track. Shortly before the start rain came falling down and that made the brick banking of the North curve very slippery and tricky. The small sportscars were very hard to handle and Von Döry was the first that spun on the banking. At that time Carel was really pushing and he was in fourth place behind Von Trips and Bonnier and catching them. But then he overdid it. He approached the North curve far too fast, came high on the banking and lost the rear of the Porsche. Carel tried to correct his oversteer and the car spun the full 360 two times and shot straight to the sky and over the edge of the banking. At that spot the banking was about fifteen metres high so many feared for Carel’s life. Not long after that Behra also got too high on the banking, crashed into an old concrete stand for a Flak canon and was thrown out of his Porsche. He subsequently fell on a flagpole and died.

The people that witnessed these terrible events had a big surprise waiting for them, because there was Porsche #25 again. Carel was back in the race with a battered Porsche and a swaggering right front wheel. The stewards didn't believe their eyes and decided to blackflag the dapper Dutchman for safety reasons. It turned out that the fall of Carel's car at the other side of the banking had been interrupted by some bushes. The car landed on its wheels and at first Carel climbed out as fast as he could and ran away from the car, afraid that it would explode. But it didn't and Carel got back in and tried the ignition. To his own surprise the Porsche started immediately and he got back on the track.

On Sunday Carel had himself photographed by Julius Weitmann sitting on the banking that played such a strange role in his race. Many people disapproved of this action and thought it showed disrespect to Jean Behra who indeed was killed at the same spot.

a complete account of his races

This section features all the events that Carel ran in - it tells you all about his results and the way he scored them.