British millionaire did not test-drive unsuitable Paqpaqli racing track, inquiry finds

A magisterial inquiry into last year’s tragic accident during Paqpaqli ghall-Istrina has exonerated President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca from any involvement in the organisation or preparatory meetings leading up to the event.

It was concluded that multimillionaire Paul Bailey is the main person to be blamed for the accident that landed 23 in hospital while the core organising committee should be held responsible for the “secondary causes” of the accident – mainly due to the lack of proper health and safety measures.

The inquiry, led by Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera, left it up to the prosecution to determine who of the 11-strong organising committee should be held responsible and on what basis.

Attempts to contact Tonio Darmanin – the person most publicly identifiable with the organisation of the event – proved to be futile. On the other hand, Tonio Cini – a member of the core committee and president of the Malta Motorsports Federation – told MaltaToday that it would not be prudent to comment at this stage.

Paqpaqli ghall-Istrina has become an annual appointment with the general public and motorsport enthusiasts who flock to the venue to watch car driving and static displays. Held under the auspices of the Office of the President, the event is organised on a voluntary basis in aid of the Malta Community Chest Fund.

The President, the inquiry concluded, did not actively participate in the organisation of the activity but a member of the core committee would report back to the Office of the President on the decisions of the committee.

The official did not hold any particular role in the committee, except for helping the members requiring the assistance of the Office of the President.

Coleiro Preca did not comment on the conclusions of the inquiry but once again expressed solidarity with the victims of the tragedy and their families.

“No words can soothe or console the victims. The accident remains an ugly memory of a solidarity activity which turned into a tragedy,” she said, adding that she would remain close to the victims and their families.

Paul Bailey: amateur driver with expensive tastes in cars

Briton Paul Bailey may be charged in court with involuntarily causing the accident and injuring dozens of spectators after the inquiry found that he was not a professional driver.

The cause of the accident was put down to excessive speed, lack of driver experience and human error.

It transpires that none of the organising committee members verified whether Bailey was a professional driver. Bailey’s sole attraction to the event was his collection of expensive hybrid cars.

It remains unclear how Bailey came to be driving his Porsche 918 Spyder on the racing track. Foreign instructors brought to Malta by Continental Cars were tasked with designing a racing course to be used by a Porsche 911 and a BMW M4.

In fact, Bailey was never given any information on the design of the track or signage. On the eve of the event, the cars sponsored by Continental Cars were taken to the track for a trial run but Bailey never tested the track.

He was not even involved in its design.

Experts helping the inquiry believe that it was never Bailey’s original intention to drive the car and their suspicions were further corroborated by different application forms and liability statements signed.

For one to drive the Porsche 991 GT3 and the BMW M4, applicants had to sign a ‘super car, drivers and riders application form and liability statement’, against a donation of €150. To ride these vehicles, passengers had to donate €75.

Those who rode in the Spyder did not receive a receipt similar to those who rode the supercars.

The inquiry also understood that Bailey’s four hybrid cars were meant to be used for static display.

According to the experts, Bailey’s lack of professional understanding in driving the car was revealed in the manner he reacted when the car skidded.

The track was designed for a maximum velocity of 200km/h, down to 10kmph when passing through the chicane.

Heading towards the second chicane, Bailey was driving at 170km/h-180km/h. He felt the car fishtailing whilst accelerating and his reaction was to let go of the gas pedal and step on the brake, which contributed to a loss of control of the car.

According to the experts, the corrective measure that any professional driver would apply would be that of counter steering and opposite lock.

The Spyder crashed into the water plastic barriers – filled to just around three inches – skidded some 23 metres, and hit the edge of the concrete. This caused one of the tyres to explode as it crashed into the steel crowd control barriers and a parked Toyota Celica that absorbed the impact.

The Spyder then turned anticlockwise, hitting another parked car, which in turn hit another car. A person got trapped between these two cars.

Lack of health and safety measures

It is understood that at no point did the core committee discuss health and safety, risk assessments and contingency plans. The committee did not have a safety officer.

The committee gave specific safety attention to the activities related to drifting but allegedly nothing was discussed about the activities on the taxiway. Those responsible for the drifting event made sure to have a two-metre high net fencing. The cars would turn to the left in the drift whilst spectators were placed to the right. This would ensure that if the car were to fishtail, it would go in the opposite direction. The maximum speed was set at 60kmph.

Discussions with the Civil Protection Department were restricted to the CPD’s own demonstration during the event and to secure their presence. But the core committee reportedly never asked the CPD for help or assistance on safety measures.

While the committee held a number of meetings with other voluntary organisations, including the Red Cross, no meetings were held with professionals from Mater Dei Hospital.

The security barriers in place were not designed to block a car’s impact but to stop the public from crossing on to the taxiway.

The norm abroad is that such displays are carried out in professional circuits, with guardrails consisting of concrete barriers or metal steel rails. Sometimes there would be proper tarmac before the rails to slow down the vehicles before impact or steel nets to protect spectators.

The inquiry found that last year’s circuit was designed differently from previous years. Previously, the circuit was designed in a manner where the car departs in front of the public, accelerates in the straight, until reaching the end of the circuit. For safety reasons, the car would then return and pass in front of spectators at moderate speed.

Spectators were found to have been too close to the circuit and they should have never been standing beside the tract where the vehicle usually gains speed.

No protective clothing or helmets were given to people who rode in the supercars.

Injuries sustained

A total of 23 people were injured. A six-year-old girl was among four people who were in critical condition.

The driver of the supercar suffered grievous injuries. Two others suffered grievous injuries.

19 individuals examined by medical teams at the hospital were found to have suffered blunt trauma. One remains in hospital to this day.

One of those grievously injured underwent cardiac arrest and received immediate resuscitation. His condition improved after he was operated on.

Another victim may have suffered permanent damages to the face.

The accident occurred at around 2:00pm at Hal Farrug. The crash occurred when the Porsche 918 Spyder driving along the taxiway lost control before going through the barriers and crashing into a large crowd that was watching the event.

A number of ambulances were conveyed to treat the wounded, while several spectators desperately tried to help the wounded. Two helicopters were deployed to transport the injured.

Mater Dei Hospital was under a major accident mode, meaning that it postponed operations due to the gravity of what happened.

The President was seen at the scene shortly after the accident and spoke to relatives of the victims. She cancelled travel plans when the accident struck. “I have no words to describe my sorrow at what happened... all we can do is be there for the people affected by this accident.”