One driver escaped with injuries then French racing driver Jean Behra crashed at 90 miles an hour on the fast Avus West Berlin circuit August 1 and met his death later in hospital.

The courses was wet after a thunderstorm. There were 12 starters and two drivers crashed on the treacherous surface before Behra. Count Godin De Beaufort of Holland shot over the steep embankment. Then Behra's Porsche skidded across the same steep banking of the northern end of the track and struck a concrete post. Behra rocketed into the air, striking an uprooted flagpole.

This part of the wall is so steep it is impossible to walk on is. Drivers call it "The Wall of Death".

Behra was thrown on to the banking. The Porsche spun into bushes.

The Avus track was built partly to replace the NURBURGRING where Peter Collins was killed in last year's Grand Prix.

Race drivers criticized the Avus circuit - competitor Moss of Britain said it was boring on the straight and dangerous on the banked bends. Jack Brabham of Australia, leading the World Championship said it was the most unpopular track of all Grand Prix races.

Behra is the tenth driver to die in racing - the others:- KEN WHARTON, LUIGI MUSSO, THE MARQUIS OF PORTAGO, ALBERTO ASCARI, ARCHIE SCOTT-BROWN, PETER WHITEHEAD, PETER COLLINS, MIKE HAWTHORN and IVOR BUER.