The ultra-fast circuit of Chimay recorded two fatal accidents on Sunday, 28 June 1992, during the 61st edition of the Grand Prix des Frontières, fourth round of the 1992 Belgian Procar series. These fatalities were the first at the track, since Yvo Grauls was killed in May 1972.
Near the end of the first heat of a Belgian Procar meeting reserved to the Division I and II, the Honda Civic driven by Michel Maillien went out of control on the approach to the second chicane, and crashed, killing one unknown spectator and injuring several others.
The meeting was marred by another tragedy, which happened during the subsequent Division I race. Guy Nève clipped at full speed the black BMW M3 of Patrick Slaus at the final left kink prior to a make-shift chicane put in at the "Virage Spikins" before Salles village. The Porsche 911 #4, that Nève shared with Roland de Jambline, was launched into a series of rolls to destruction along a grass bank on the right side. There were no barriers at the place of accident, the car caught fire after landing on its roof. In consequence of the horrific crash the driver was killed on the spot.
The race was immediately stopped and numerous drivers including Pascal Witmeur and Michel Delcourt parked their cars and vainly attempted to help Guy Nève. The meeting attracted a very large crowd, that lined the whole track, even in prohibited areas. Following these two fatalities, the organizers decided to stop the program. The second heat did not restart, the following Procar events of the day were canceled.
Chimay, near Charleroi, Wallonië, Belgium, near the Franco-Belgian border, was an extremely fast and dangerous 10.870-kilometer track made of public roads. It was first used in 1926 and hosted the famous Grand Prix des Frontières, a combined event for cars and motorcycles. In 1984 the lenght of the course was shortened to 9.700 kilometers, and three new chicanes were built. After the two fatalities which occurred in 1992, the last of the great old road circuits of Europe came to an end. From then it was used only for motorcycle races. In 1996 a new 4.520-kilometer rectangular version of the track was opened, to host car races at Chimay. The circuit is still in use mainly for historic racing events.
A successful barrister and talented amateur racer, Guy Nève was the younger brother of former Formula 1 driver Patrick Nève, who made 14 Grand Prix starts between 1976 and 1978. Guy Nève didn't compete at a very high level but was a well known sportscar and touring-car driver in national events. In 1985 he won the under 2,500 cm3 class of the Belgian Group N Championship. A few days after his death, before the start of the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, the members of his team, Porsche Club Belgium wrote "Salut Guy" on the track, in front of the first row of the field.
R.I.P
Near the end of the first heat of a Belgian Procar meeting reserved to the Division I and II, the Honda Civic driven by Michel Maillien went out of control on the approach to the second chicane, and crashed, killing one unknown spectator and injuring several others.
The meeting was marred by another tragedy, which happened during the subsequent Division I race. Guy Nève clipped at full speed the black BMW M3 of Patrick Slaus at the final left kink prior to a make-shift chicane put in at the "Virage Spikins" before Salles village. The Porsche 911 #4, that Nève shared with Roland de Jambline, was launched into a series of rolls to destruction along a grass bank on the right side. There were no barriers at the place of accident, the car caught fire after landing on its roof. In consequence of the horrific crash the driver was killed on the spot.
The race was immediately stopped and numerous drivers including Pascal Witmeur and Michel Delcourt parked their cars and vainly attempted to help Guy Nève. The meeting attracted a very large crowd, that lined the whole track, even in prohibited areas. Following these two fatalities, the organizers decided to stop the program. The second heat did not restart, the following Procar events of the day were canceled.
Chimay, near Charleroi, Wallonië, Belgium, near the Franco-Belgian border, was an extremely fast and dangerous 10.870-kilometer track made of public roads. It was first used in 1926 and hosted the famous Grand Prix des Frontières, a combined event for cars and motorcycles. In 1984 the lenght of the course was shortened to 9.700 kilometers, and three new chicanes were built. After the two fatalities which occurred in 1992, the last of the great old road circuits of Europe came to an end. From then it was used only for motorcycle races. In 1996 a new 4.520-kilometer rectangular version of the track was opened, to host car races at Chimay. The circuit is still in use mainly for historic racing events.
A successful barrister and talented amateur racer, Guy Nève was the younger brother of former Formula 1 driver Patrick Nève, who made 14 Grand Prix starts between 1976 and 1978. Guy Nève didn't compete at a very high level but was a well known sportscar and touring-car driver in national events. In 1985 he won the under 2,500 cm3 class of the Belgian Group N Championship. A few days after his death, before the start of the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, the members of his team, Porsche Club Belgium wrote "Salut Guy" on the track, in front of the first row of the field.
R.I.P
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Motor