MOTORSPORT: New safety vows on Targa Tasmania

The Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) and Targa Australia (TA) say they will keep reviewing safety following a coroner's report that criticised the event's former organiser Octagon and CAMS in respect of a fatal crash in the 2013 Targa Tasmania.

CAMS and TA renewed vows that they want the Tasmanian tarmac rally that has run for a quarter of a century, and motorsport generally, to be the safest it can be.

Coroner Simon Cooper this week delivered his findings on the death of John Mansell, whose Porsche Cayman S left the first stage of the 2013 event at about 200kmh and crashed into a gum tree, and made eight recommendations on safety – most of which had already been implemented.

While Cooper attributed 71-year-old Mansell's death to speed – much faster at that point than other competitors – he criticised aspects of the running of the event, including "a generally poor approach to safety" and an "informal and amateurish approach to course review".

"What passed for a review of the safety of each stage was utterly inadequate," Cooper said.

His recommendations (at the end of this document) include the application of CAMS' Tarmac Rally Standing Regulations (TRSR) to the running of any future events. Cooper also recommended compulsory testing of all competitors for alcohol before all stages and using chicanes where appropriate to slow cars.

Cooper said that a contract between Octagon and CAMS "expressly provided that chicanes were not to be used" in 2013.

He said "no witness could satisfactorily explain why the TRSRs were not in force" that year.

Former Australian champion rally driver Ed Ordynksi said in giving expert evidence that those TRSRs should have been applied.

ABC News reported in November that the inquest was told that "one standard set of rules was being drawn up [for the future] but that it would not be ready until the 2017 event".

TA, which took over the organisation of Targa Tasmania from Octagon in December 2013, is believed to be seeking clarification from the coroner on whether he means alcohol tests before each stage or each day.

Mansell was found to have had a blood alcohol content of 0.012. Cooper said that, while Mansell should not have been driving, the level of alcohol in his blood did not contribute to the crash.

"Already in place under Targa Australia's ownership [of the event] is the compulsory blood alcohol testing of every driver on every day prior to the start of competition," TA director Mark Perry said.

Perry said virtual chicanes had been introduced and average speeds lowered through changing regulations "so as to not allow the most highly-modified of cars to compete and to emphasise the event as a showcase of modern showroom and historical cars".

Compulsory use of frontal head restraint devices (HANS, an acronym for head and neck safety) by competitors had been introduced, as had compulsory briefing for "first-timers" in the event.

CAMS said it was analysing the coroner's report with TA "and other relevant stakeholders within the sport".

"We are reviewing the coroner's recommendations to ensure that the safety of both the Targa Tasmania event, rally events and motor sport in general continue to improve," CAMS chief executive Eugene Arocca said.

"Prior to the release of these findings, CAMS mandated the use of frontal head restraints and is undertaking a thorough review of rally safety more broadly.

"We are committed to continually improving safety across all events and disciplines of motor sport."

TA said it now ran introductory events, including Targa Hellyer Gorge in Tasmania and the Targa Experience at Mt Buller in Victoria, to help drivers prepare and qualify for Targa Tasmania and other multi-day Targa events.

It said it and CAMS were working towards the adoption of the TRSRs for the 2017 Targa Tasmania.

"The report has only just been released, it is a lengthy document and we'll need to thoroughly review it," Perry said.

"Our goal is to make the event as safe as possible, understanding that there are inherent risks in motorsport, which are understood by all entrants.

"Pleasingly Targa Tasmania has never been stronger, with a record field of over 350 cars now entered for our 25th anniversary event [on April 11-16 this year].

"As its new custodians, Targa Australia remains committed to ensuring the event's integrity to ensure it is still around in another 25 years, and for many more after that."

Picture courtesy of ABC News