Driving on a track is dangerous, especially in the wet if you don’t have appropriate tires
2 hours ago
- An exclusive track day at Assen TT Circuit drew numerous high-performance cars.
- One 911 GT3 RS aquaplaned on the main straight and was struck by a Challenger.
- A second white and green GT3 RS crashed into the wall during the same event.
Even the best performance car in the world has one fatal flaw: it’s still subject to the laws of physics. So when it rains, it slides. Just like everything else. That bit of reality played out spectacularly at the TT Circuit Assen in the Netherlands, where not one but two Porsche 911 GT3 RS drivers decided to brave a waterlogged track. Spoiler alert: it didn’t go well.
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The Porsche 911 GT3 RS is perhaps the single best track-focused road car currently on sale. But, for as fantastic as it may be, driving one around a racetrack during a massive thunderstorm probably isn’t the best idea.
Over the weekend, two of them met the wall during the same thunderstorm-struck track day in Assen. Making things worse, a Dodge Challenger somehow got caught up in the chaos and slammed directly into one of the Porsches.
Slippery When Wet
A YouTube video from Carspotter Jeroen shows the treacherous conditions at the circuit in the lead-up to the disaster. The rain was heavy and unrelenting, yet plenty of determined drivers still hit the track, clearly eager to enjoy their cars. However, as one of the 911 GT3 RSs was cruising down the main straight, rather sedately we might add, it suddenly started to aquaplane.
Footage shows the car spinning down the track and lightly brushing the wall before coming to a stop, seemingly free of any major damage. However, moments later, a red Dodge Challenger comes into view, also sideways and completely out of control. It ends up smashing directly into the uber-expensive Porsche 911, pushing it into the concrete crash barrier.
At the same time all of this was happening, the driver of a white and green 911 GT3 RS also lost control on the straight, skidding along the crash and lightly touching the wall, but avoiding major damage. The same cannot be said about the first 911 that crashed.
It has been completely destroyed after getting hit by the Porsche. The front end has been crumpled, and part of the rear has also been badly dented. The massive rear wing has also suffered some extensive damage. However, it’s the sorry state of one of the front wheels that’s most shocking. It has been ripped apart in the collision, and the tire has been torn off.
The Challenger Didn’t Fare Much Better
As for the Dodge Challenger, it got the worst of its own poor decisions. The side that made contact with the Porsche is caved in, and there’s probably some structural damage hiding beneath the surface. The whole thing looks like a cautionary tale in ignoring weather forecasts.
While we applaud the driver’s commitment to enjoying a track day, despite the horrible conditions, driving in rain like this is not a good idea unless you have a great set of wet weather tires and know what you’re doing.