WATCH | Marshals refuse to help after competitor rolls in Safari Rally Kenya

Driver Gus Greensmith was angry with officials after he and navigator Jonas Andersson were left stuck in their stricken Ford for three minutes

27 June 2022 - 09:18 By TIMESLIVE
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British rally driver Gus Greensmith was left fuming after marshals and spectators failed to help him and navigator Jonas Andersson after they crashed during this weekend's Safari Rally Kenya.

Greensmith rolled his Ford Puma onto its side during Saturday morning's stage 8, leaving him and Andersson trapped inside the car for three minutes while safety marshals stood around, as shown in a video taken by a spectator.

The driver was forced to kick out the windscreen so tt he and Andersson could crawl out of the vehicle, with the clearly angry Greensmith swearing at officials. Fortunately both he and Andersson were unhurt.

The British driver later Tweeted: "To clarify this video, we had been trapped inside the car for over three minutes while safety marshals filmed and did not assist either myself or  Jonas in exiting the car."

It was later revealed spectators and marshals were apparently worried about whether it was safe to touch the petrol-electric hybrid car. All top tier Rally1 cars feature hybrid electric powertrains, which has come with new precautions for fans in the event of a crash or another type of incident due to the high-voltage electric current the cars generate.

Solid green lights on the windscreen and both side windows mean it is safe to touch a stationary vehicle. A flashing red light accompanied by an alarm, or if no light is visible at all, means fans must keep away.

Greensmith said afterwards his crashed car was displaying a green light, meaning it was safe to touch, and he couldn't understand why marshals chose not to help.


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