| The first corner of
the lap and one of the most critical to the race, many a driver has experienced
just how aptly named this site is. Hell Corner earned its name in the early
days of the Bathurst circuit by posing a difficult problem to the cars
and motorbikes of the era. Throughout the history of The Great Race this
curve has continued to take its toll. In 1977, Japan's Yoshimi Katayama
was lucky to survive his encounter with Hell Corner when his Torana flipped
over several times.
Still fiendish today, drivers must
break hard and drop back to second gear to negotiate the turn. But getting
a bad run out of Hell Corner can see them losing crucial speed going into
Mountain Straight. In 1995, race favourites Craig Lowndes and Larry Perkins
clashed on approach to Hell Corner just seconds into the race. The consequent
flat tyre left Perkins in last position, while Lowndes was eventually forced
out of the race. In what is arguably one of Mount Panorama's most dramatic
races, Perkins finally emerged the victor from a field of just 15 finishers. |
