Pipo Derani: “The tire barriers have significantly reduced the impact”

Pipo Derani found himself involved in a spectacular accident while leading the 12 Hours of Sebring. The Brazilian is fine and talks about what happened.

Published on 16/03/2024 à 23:58

Valentin GLO

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Pipo Derani: “The tire barriers have significantly reduced the impact”

The No. 31 Cadillac dominated the 12 Hours of Sebring before Derani's accident - Photo: IMSA

The scenario for the 12 2024 Hours of Sebring has completely changed in its eighth hour of racing. As he took off at the head of the race on a circuit he knows by heart (quadruple winner), the Brazilian hit the Ferrari 296 GT3 n°21 of AF Corse driven by Miguel Molina.

The race leader lost control of his Cadillac V-Series.R. The latter ended its race on the roof after being embedded in the wall of tires.

Derani is doing well despite the violence of the shock.

« It's one of those days where everything literally changes, Derani said after his accident. Fortunately, everything went well, the security team arrived quite quickly…

I didn't feel any pain, nothing at all. The tire barriers significantly reduced the impact.

Thanks also to the security team, the car and everyone who came to see if I was okay. »

The Brazilian driver is not sure what happened during the collision with Molina.

« Honestly, I do not know, did he declare.  I had a 12 second lead and everything was going well. We pass thousands of cars in a race like this. This is one of those moments...

Maybe he didn't see, he let go a little and I found myself there. Maybe I expected him to keep his line to the right, knowing that I was going to pass to the left.

It's just one of those situations where it happens without you having a chance to think about whether you should have done something different or not. »

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Valentin GLO

Journalist. Endurance reporter (WEC, IMSA, ELMS, ALMS) and sometimes F1 or IndyCar.

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