Allan Simonsen (racing driver)

1.1. Early life and education

Allan Weel Simonsen was born on 5 July 1978 in Odense, Denmark. Details about his specific educational background are not extensively documented, but his early years were characterized by a developing passion for motorsport.

1.2. Karting and early single-seater career

Simonsen began his racing journey in kart racing, competing against future talents like Formula One World Champion Kimi Räikkönen. In 1999, he transitioned to car racing and achieved his first significant title by winning the Danish Formula Ford Championship. The following year, 2000, he competed in Formula Palmer Audi. In 2001, Simonsen further diversified his single-seater experience by participating in both the German Formula 3 and Formula Renault 2.0 UK series, continuing to hone his skills before moving into sports cars.

2.1. Australian racing career

In 2003, Simonsen began competing in Australia with Mark Coffey Racing, driving a Ferrari 360 Challenge. That year, he finished 8th in the 2003 Australian Nations Cup Championship for GT-style cars and secured 2nd place in Group 2. He also achieved an 8th-place finish in the 2003 Bathurst 24 Hour race, driving a Lamborghini Diablo GTR. In the 2004 Australian Nations Cup Championship, he drove the Ferrari 360 to 3rd place in the Trophy Class, while a limited campaign with a Ferrari 550 GT2 saw him finish 7th in the outright class.

While in Australia, Simonsen also participated in the V8 Supercar events, including the Sandown 500 and Bathurst 1000. His most successful result at Bathurst came in 2011, when he finished third for Kelly Racing, co-driving with Greg Murphy in a Holden VE Commodore. Simonsen won the Australian GT Championship in 2007, driving both a Ferrari 360 GT and a Ferrari F430, and placed second in the 2008 season with a Ferrari F430 GT.

At the 2011 Sprint Bathurst event, Simonsen set a remarkably fast lap time of 2:04.95 around the challenging Mount Panorama Circuit. This performance was significant at the time, being two seconds faster than any V8 Supercar lap and comparable to the Formula 3 lap record set the following year. Initially, race officials even removed his time from the timing screens due to its exceptional speed, believing it to be an error, until it was verified by manual timekeepers and the team's own data.

2.2. International endurance racing

Simonsen's international endurance racing career saw him achieve notable results across various series. In the 2007 Le Mans Series season, he finished fourth despite competing in only a partial season for Virgo Motorsport, driving a Porsche 911 GT3. This included a GT2 class victory at the 2007 1000 km of Nürburgring. From 2008 to 2011, he primarily drove Ferraris for Team Farnbacher in the Le Mans Series and other international competitions.

During this period, Simonsen secured a GT2 class win at the 2009 1000 km of Okayama alongside Dominik Farnbacher. He also won the SP7 class at the 2010 24 Hours Nürburgring with Farnbacher, Leh Keen, and Marco Seefried. He participated in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans seven times between 2007 and 2013, achieving two podium finishes in the GT2 class: third place in 2007 and second place in 2010.

3.1. Accident details

The fatal accident occurred in the ninth minute of the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans on 22 June 2013, during Simonsen's third lap. He was leading the LMGTE Am class in his No. 95 Aston Martin Vantage GTE. As he accelerated through the right-hand Tertre Rouge corner, his car twitched. In an attempt to correct the vehicle, the car veered sharply to the left and impacted the crash barriers on the outside of the corner. Simonsen was extricated from the car and was reportedly conscious when medical personnel reached him. He was then transported to the on-site medical center, where he unfortunately succumbed to his injuries.

Simonsen's death was the first racing fatality during the 24 Hours of Le Mans race itself since Jo Gartner died in a crash at the 1986 event. French driver Sébastien Enjolras had died more recently in a pre-qualifying session accident in 1997.

3.2. Aftermath and reactions

In a solemn tribute to Simonsen, race officials immediately lowered a Danish flag to half mast over the circuit's podium during the ongoing race. Following the conclusion of the event, fellow Danish driver Tom Kristensen, who won the race overall, dedicated his team's victory to Simonsen's memory, expressing deep condolences and solidarity with the racing community. Simonsen's death prompted discussions and scrutiny regarding safety standards at the Le Mans circuit and within motorsport generally.

5.1. Career summary

5.2. 24 Hours of Le Mans results

5.3. Bathurst 24 Hour results

5.4. Bathurst 12 Hour results

5.5. International V8 Supercars Championship results

5.6. Complete Bathurst 1000 results