Allan Simonsen (5 July 1978 – 22 June 2013) was a Danish racing driver, born in Odense. He died after a crash during the third lap[1] of the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans.[2][3][4]
Career[]
Simonsen driving an Aston Martin Vantage GTE at the test session prior to the 2012 24 Hours of Le Mans.
After beginning his career in karting, Simonsen moved to cars in 1999, winning the Danish Formula Ford Championship. He raced in Formula Palmer Audi in 2000, before moving to German Formula 3 and Formula Renault 2.0 UK in 2001.[5]
Simonsen moved to sports car racing for 2002, driving a Ferrari 360 for Veloqx Motorsport in the British GT Championship. He began racing in Australia in 2003, driving in the Australian Nations Cup Championship, and in the Sandown 500 and Bathurst 1000 V8 Supercar events. Simonsen's best Bathurst result came in 2011, when he finished third for Kelly Racing driving alongside Greg Murphy.[6] Simonsen won the Australian GT Championship in 2007 and finished second in 2008.
At the 2011 Sprint Bathurst event, he set a blistering time of 2.04.95 around the famous Mount Panorama circuit. This was a monumental effort at the time as it was a full 2seconds clear of any V8 Supercar lap time and comparable to the Formula 3 lap record set in the following year. [7][8] This time so amazed the officials that they initially removed it from the timing screens as they believed it to be in error. It wasn't until it was confirmed by the manual time keeper and the teams own data that the time was reinstated.[9]
Simonsen placed fourth in the 2007 Le Mans Series season, in a partial season driving a Porsche 911 GT3 for Virgo Motorsport, which included a GT2 class win in the Nürburgring 1000.[10] He drove Ferraris for Team Farnbacher in the Le Mans Series and various international series from 2008 through 2011. During that time, Simonson won the GT2 class at the 2009 1000 km of Okayama with Dominik Farnbacher and the SP7 class in the 2010 24 Hours Nürburgring with Farnbacher, Leh Keen, and Marco Seefried. He participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans seven times between 2007 and 2013, finishing on the GT2 class podium twice: third in 2007 and second in 2010.
Death[]
Within the first ten minutes of his seventh Le Mans[11] Simonsen spun his No. 95 Aston Martin Vantage GTE at the Tertre Rouge corner and impacted the crash barriers on the outside of the corner.[3][4] He was extricated from the car, reportedly conscious,[12] before being taken to the on-site medical centre where he succumbed to his injuries.[13] His death was the first such racing incident during a 24 Hours of Le Mans race since Jo Gartner died in a 1986 crash, while French driver Sébastien Enjolras died more recently in a pre-qualifying session accident in 1997.[13]
Race officials raised a Danish flag at half mast over the circuit's podium during the race in honor of Simonsen. Fellow Danish driver Tom Kristensen won the race overall and dedicated his team's victory to the memory of Simonsen.[14]
Career results[]
| Season | Series | Position | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Danish Formula Ford Championship | 1st | Van Diemen RF99 Ford | |
| 2000 | Formula Palmer Audi | 11th | Van Diemen PA Audi | Team Brask |
| 2001 | British Formula Renault Championship | 26th | Tatuus FR2000 Renault | PBR Racing |
| 2003 | Australian Nations Cup Championship | 8th | Ferrari 360 Challenge | Maranello Motorsport |
| 2003 | V8 Supercar Championship Series | 67th | Holden VX Commodore | Garry Rogers Motorsport |
| 2004 | Australian Nations Cup Championship | 7th | Ferrari 550 GT2 | Maranello Motorsport |
| 2004 | Australian Nations Cup Championship Trophy Class | 3rd | Ferrari 360 Challenge | Maranello Motorsport |
| 2004 | V8 Supercar Championship Series | 52nd | Holden VY Commodore | Garry Rogers Motorsport |
| 2005 | V8 Utes Series | 10th | Ford BA Falcon XR8 Ute | Coopers Pale Ale Racing Team |
| 2005 | V8 Supercar Championship Series | 57th | Holden VY Commodore | Perkins Engineering |
| 2006 | FIA GT3 European Championship | 15th | Ferrari F430 GT3 | JMB Racing |
| 2006 | FIA GT Championship GT2 Class | 38th | Ferrari F430 GT3 | Scuderia Ecosse |
| 2006 | Australian GT Championship | 11th | Ferrari 360 GT | Consolidated Chemical Racing Team |
| 2006 | V8 Supercar Championship Series | 46th | Ford BA Falcon | Triple Eight Race Engineering |
| 2007 | Australian GT Championship | 1st | Ferrari 360 GT Ferrari F430 GT3 |
Consolidated Chemical Racing Team Mark Coffey Racing |
| 2007 | Le Mans Series LM GT2 Class | 4th | Ferrari F430 GT3 | Virgo Motorsport |
| 2007 | British GT Championship GT3 Class | 10th | Ferrari F430 GT3 | Christians in Motorsport |
| 2007 | V8 Supercar Championship Series | 25th | Ford BF Falcon | Triple Eight Race Engineering |
| 2008 | FIA GT Championship GT1 Class | 11th | Aston Martin DBR9 | Gigawave Motorsport |
| 2008 | Australian GT Championship | 2nd | Ferrari F430 GT3 | Maranello Motorsport |
| 2008 | British GT Championship GT3 Class | 7th | Ferrari F430 GT3 | Christians in Motorsport |
| 2008 | Le Mans Series LM GT2 Class | 17th | Porsche 997 GT3-RSR | Team Farnbacher |
| 2008 | American Le Mans Series GT2 Class | 23rd | Ferrari F430 GT3 | Tafel Racing |
| 2009 | Le Mans Series LM GT2 Class | 7th | Ferrari F430 GT3 | Team Farnbacher |
| 2009 | British GT Championship GT3 Class | 4th | Ferrari F430 GT3 | Team Rosso Verde |
| 2009 | Asian Le Mans Series LM GT2 Class | 1st | Ferrari F430 GT3 | Team Farnbacher |
| 2009 | V8 Supercar Championship Series | 58th | Ford FG Falcon | Triple Eight Race Engineering |
| 2009 | Australian GT Championship | 20th | Ferrari F430 GT3 | Maranello Motorsport |
| 2009 | Le Mans Series LM GT2 Class | 106th | Porsche 997 GT3 Cup | Farnbacher-Loles Racing |
| 2010 | British GT Championship GT3 Class | 5th | Ferrari 430 Scuderia | Team Rosso Verde |
| 2010 | Le Mans Series LM GT2 Class | 17th | Ferrari F430 GT | Team Farnbacher |
| 2010 | V8 Supercar Championship Series | 49th | Holden VE Commodore | Paul Morris Motorsport |
| 2011 | Le Mans Series LM GTE Pro Class | 5th | Ferrari 458 GTC | Team Farnbacher |
| 2011 | British GT Championship GT3 Class | 10th | Ferrari 430 Scuderia Ferrari 458 GTC |
Team Rosso Verde |
| 2011 | International V8 Supercars Championship | 32nd | Holden VE Commodore | Kelly Racing Brad Jones Racing |
| 2012 | International V8 Supercars Championship | 52nd | Ford FG Falcon | Dick Johnson Racing |
| 2012 | Australian GT Championship | 4th | Ferrari 458 GT | Maranello Motorsport |
| 2012 | British GT Championship GT3 Class | 12th | Ferrari 458 Italia | Team Rosso Verde |
| 2013 | Australian GT Championship | 17th | Ferrari 458 GT3 | Maranello Motorsport |
24 Hours of Le Mans results[]
| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 |  Autorlando Sport Farnbacher Racing
|
Pierre Ehret Lars-Erik Nielsen
|
Porsche 997 GT3-RSR | GT2 | 309 | 21st | 3rd |
| 2008 | Kruse Schiller Motorsport
|
 Jean de Pourtales Hideki Noda
|
Lola B05/40-Mazda | LMP2 | 147 | DNF | DNF |
| 2009 | Hankook Team Farnbacher
|
Dominik Farnbacher Christian Montanari
|
Ferrari F430 GT2 | GT2 | 183 | DNF | DNF |
| 2010 | Hankook Team Farnbacher
|
Dominik Farnbacher Leh Keen
|
Ferrari F430 GT2 | GT2 | 336 | 12th | 2nd |
| 2011 | Hankook Team Farnbacher
|
Dominik Farnbacher Leh Keen
|
Ferrari 458 Italia GTC | GTE Pro |
137 | DNF | DNF |
| 2012 |  Aston Martin Racing
|
Christoffer Nygaard Kristian Poulsen
|
Aston Martin Vantage GTE | GTE Am |
31 | DNF | DNF |
| 2013 | Aston Martin Racing
|
Christoffer Nygaard Kristian Poulsen
|
Aston Martin Vantage GTE | GTE Am |
2 | DNF | DNF |
References[]
- ↑ "Race — Final Classification". Automobile Club de l'Ouest. 23 June 2013. http://fiawec.alkamelsystems.com/Results/03_2013/03_LE%20MANS/13_FIA%20WEC/201306221500_Race/Hour%2024/05_Classification_Race_Hour%2024.PDF. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
- ↑ "24 Heures du Mans. La course endeuillée" (in French). Ouest-France Multimédia. 22 June 2013. http://www.ouest-france.fr/ofdernmin_-24-Heures-du-Mans.-La-course-endeuillee_6346-2205199-fils-tous_filDMA.Htm. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Richards, Giles (22 June 2013). "Danish driver Allan Simonsen, 34, killed at Le Mans". Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/jun/22/danish-allen-simonsen-killed-le-mans. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Danish driver Simonsen killed in Le Mans endurance race". BBC. 22 June 2013. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23014877. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
- ↑ Karlsson, Ross. "The racing career of Allan Simonsen — in detail". In Åberg, Andreas. Driver Database. Archived from the original on 22 June 2013. http://www.driverdb.com/drivers/allan-simonsen/career/. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
- ↑ Bartholomaeus, Stefan (23 June 2013). "Allan Simonsen killed in Le Mans 24 Hours". SpeedCafe. Archived from the original on 22 June 2013. http://www.speedcafe.com/2013/06/23/allan-simonsen-killed-in-le-mans-24-hours/. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
- ↑ http://www.speedcafe.com/2011/11/13/simonsen-ferrari-breaks-into-204s-bracket-at-bathurst/
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHnj0K0YEno
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Panorama_Circuit#Lap_records
- ↑ "Nürburgring 1000 Kilometres". Racing Sports Cars. Archived from the original on 22 June 2013. http://www.racingsportscars.com/race/Nurburgring-2007-07-01.html. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
- ↑ "Le Mans in shock as Danish racing driver Allan Simonsen dies after crashing during 24 hours race". Telegraph. 22 June 2013. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/10136762/Le-Mans-in-shock-as-Danish-racing-driver-Allan-Simonsen-dies-after-crashing-during-24-hours-race.html. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
- ↑ "Danish driver Allan Simonsen dies at Le Mans". Reuters. 22 June 2013. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/06/22/uk-motor-racing-mans-simonsen-idUKBRE95L0AD20130622. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Dagys, John (22 June 2013). "LE MANS: Simonsen Killed In Early Race Accident". SPEED.tv. http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/le-mans-simonsen-killed-in-early-race-accident/. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
- ↑ Baldwin, Alan (23 June 2013). "Le Mans win tinged with tragedy for Kristensen". Reuters. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/06/23/uk-motor-racing-mans-idUKBRE95M00D20130623. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
External links[]
- Official website
- Allan Simonsen driver statistics at Racing-Reference
| Preceded by: Greg Crick |
Australian GT Champion 2007 |
Succeeded by: Mark Eddy |