Ford star Chaz Mostert opens up for the first time on ‘that’ horrific Bathurst 1000 crash in 2015
AFTER two years, Ford driver Chaz Mostert finally goes through the horrifying Bathurst crash that left him busted, broken and his career nearly shattered.
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CHAZ Mostert has declared he has conquered his Bathurst 1000 demons just two years after a sickening 170km/h crash almost ended his career.
Walking through the Mount Panorama accident for the first time, Mostert revealed he still has not watched a slow-motion replay of the hit that left him with a broken leg, smashed wrist and a shattered championship dream.
Mostert is still haunted by vision of his Ford Falcon careering into the concrete wall at Forrest Elbow during qualifying in 2015. The impact, some 50Gs of force, or five times what a fighter pilot experiences, sent his car into the air and track officials diving for cover.
“You just have to shrug it off and get on with it,’’ Mostert said.
“That is what we have to do. A setback like that just makes you stronger. My scars have healed and I am ready to go out and try and get redemption after winning here in 2014.’’
Mostert has tried in vain to put the crash in his rear-view mirror.
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“I hate watching myself even under the best of circumstances,’’ Mostert said.
“But with this one it is basically impossible. I haven’t sat down to watch it but I have seen it at functions and promotions. It is pretty hard not to see it when it is right in your face at a promotional thing. It has been everywhere for the last 24 months or whatever it has been.’’
Mostert said he could not watch footage from inside the car showing the moment his leg breaks.
“People say you can see it being broken in slow motion,’’ Mostert said. “I have refused to watch it in slow motion because of that. I will never slow it down.’’
Mostert said the accident happened in the “blink of an eye’’ after a minor misjudgment sent him bouncing off the concrete in one of Bathurst’s biggest crashes.
“Normally everything slows down when you crash,’’ Mostert said.
“But this one didn’t. I made a little mistake and it was all over and done with in an instant. I didn’t even know I had almost gone over the side of the fence. My head was buried forward and it just felt like a big roller coaster ride.
“It started when I clipped the inside of the wall. I was having a big crack and I came in a bit wide and hit it. I broke the steering arm and from there I went hard right into the opposite wall.
“I didn’t even have time to brace. I broke my wrist on the steering wheel in the first hit and really I didn’t even know I was crashing until I was stopped.’’
Mostert suffered a series of severe injuries that sidelined him for six months.
“I broke my femur, my wrist and did ligament in my knee,’’ Mostert said.
“But I wasn’t in pain. I had too much adrenaline. I didn’t feel the pain until my heart slowed down and that took a while. Getting out of the car wasn’t much fun.’’
Mostert is not only in contention to win Bathurst this year but also the Supercars championship following an impressive year.
“It is the biggest race of the year and the one we all want to win,’’ Mostert said.
“Ask anyone which one they want and they will tell you Bathurst. I would love to get my name on that trophy a second time. One time is bloody special but once you get that feeling you want it again. I want to have that feeling where you do 161 laps around here and know you have been the best on the day. It is an amazing feeling and I want it again.’’