Roby Weber's Fatal Crash @ Le Mans 1967 (Aftermath)
- 6 months ago
Born in Metz, department of Moselle in north-eastern France, Roby Weber worked as a representative for French fashion house Lanvin. His unexpected "Volant Shell" success took him to compete in Formula 3 races at the wheel of the Alpine A270-Renault which was the prize, with also a budget of 10,000 FF for the 1965 season. He obtained convincing results which earned him to join the factory team for the following season, along with team mate Mauro Bianchi. Despite the superiority of the Matra MS5-Ford in 1966, Roby Weber took two wins at Magny-Cours and at Linas-Montlhéry, and finished second in the French Formula 3 Championship, behind Johnny Servoz-Gavin.
By the end of the season Weber was signed up by Equipe Matra Sports and his 1967 season started with an outright win in the Coupe de Printemps on 26 March 1967 at Nogaro, and a second place in the Grand Prix de Pau, behing his team mate Jaussaud, also driving a Matra MS6-Ford.
Roby Weber was going to be part of Matra's assault on Le Mans. On 09 April, during preliminary tests (Essais Préliminaires) in sight of the 1967 Le Mans 24 Hours, he was hired to test a new version of the Matra MS620 sportscar, equipped with a 4.7-litre Ford engine, similar to the engine used at Le Mans the previous year by the works Ford GT40s. Matra had also brought a new car to the testing session, the 2-litre BRM P56-engined MS630. Jaussaud was the assigned driver. He complained about the car's instability at high speeds, particularly on the Mulsanne straight. Late in the day, it was decided that Weber would try the car out as well, to compare driving impressions with Jaussaud. At the wheel of a car he wasn't supposed to drive, Weber left the pits for the last time.
To cure the car's instability, the Matra engineers had decided to correct the suspensions settings. They applied a mechanical solution to an aerodynamic problem. The car suffered from lift. As he gained speed, Jaussaud had felt the car wiggle and swerve under him. He found it difficult to keep control. Weber probably experienced the same phenomenon. In any case, Weber lost control of the Matra on the Mulsanne straight and barrel-rolled into a nearby garden. The car caught fire, but he had been killed on impact.
Weber's accident nearly ended Matra's racing program. Lagardère wanted to stop everything, with immediate effect. Fortunately, one of the engineers was able to convince him that Weber's loss would have been for nothing if they gave up now. They had to continue, they had come too far.
R.I.P
By the end of the season Weber was signed up by Equipe Matra Sports and his 1967 season started with an outright win in the Coupe de Printemps on 26 March 1967 at Nogaro, and a second place in the Grand Prix de Pau, behing his team mate Jaussaud, also driving a Matra MS6-Ford.
Roby Weber was going to be part of Matra's assault on Le Mans. On 09 April, during preliminary tests (Essais Préliminaires) in sight of the 1967 Le Mans 24 Hours, he was hired to test a new version of the Matra MS620 sportscar, equipped with a 4.7-litre Ford engine, similar to the engine used at Le Mans the previous year by the works Ford GT40s. Matra had also brought a new car to the testing session, the 2-litre BRM P56-engined MS630. Jaussaud was the assigned driver. He complained about the car's instability at high speeds, particularly on the Mulsanne straight. Late in the day, it was decided that Weber would try the car out as well, to compare driving impressions with Jaussaud. At the wheel of a car he wasn't supposed to drive, Weber left the pits for the last time.
To cure the car's instability, the Matra engineers had decided to correct the suspensions settings. They applied a mechanical solution to an aerodynamic problem. The car suffered from lift. As he gained speed, Jaussaud had felt the car wiggle and swerve under him. He found it difficult to keep control. Weber probably experienced the same phenomenon. In any case, Weber lost control of the Matra on the Mulsanne straight and barrel-rolled into a nearby garden. The car caught fire, but he had been killed on impact.
Weber's accident nearly ended Matra's racing program. Lagardère wanted to stop everything, with immediate effect. Fortunately, one of the engineers was able to convince him that Weber's loss would have been for nothing if they gave up now. They had to continue, they had come too far.
R.I.P