Saturday 31st July 1954

Onofre Marimon (30) died during practice for the 1954 German Grand Prix, becoming the first driver to be fatally injured at a World Championship Grand Prix. Marimon’s Maserati left the Nürburgring race course at the Wehrseifen curve after he lost control attempting to improve his qualifying time. He died at the bottom of a steep and treacherous incline. Travelling fast on an incline he failed to negotiate a sharp turn at the bottom. Marimon hit a ditch, his Maserati shearing off a tree and rolling over a number of times. He was pinned underneath the car as it came to rest on its top with the wheels spinning in the air. Marimon was given the last rites by a priest before dying a few minutes after rescue workers freed him. It was thought that his braking unit failed.