Rally mechanic sues Prodrive for £5m after being engulfed in flames

Technician sustained severe burns during fuel incident, alleging defective work practices

Rally mechanic sues Prodrive for £5m after being engulfed in flames

Rally car technician Matt Finney, 52, is suing his long-term employer, Prodrive Motorsport, for up to £5 million in compensation after he was severely burned during a refuelling incident. The accident occurred during testing for the November 2021 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, when Finney was soaked in fuel and subsequently engulfed in flames.

The incident left Mr Finney in an induced coma for three months and hospitalised in Dubai for four months, suffering burns to his head, face, chest, back, and limbs, as well as his throat. His lawyers attribute the accident to Prodrive’s alleged “defective working practices.” However, Prodrive Motorsport, based in Banbury, Oxfordshire, contends that Mr Finney was at fault for failing to wear full protective equipment.

At the time of the accident, Mr Finney was maintaining a Prodrive Hunter T1+ rally car, which was being tested on a circuit simulating desert conditions and required refuelling after each loop. The fire ignited during the first refuelling of the day, involving a new fuel delivery system. His barrister, James Candlin, stated that a “fountain-like spray of fuel” struck Mr Finney after he activated an electric pump, leading to him slipping on fuel and being engulfed in flames.

Post-accident, Mr Finney experienced chronic pain, scarring, flashbacks, and mental trauma, leading to him being medically certified as unfit for hands-on mechanical roles. His legal team alleges Prodrive failed to provide sufficient crew, adequate training for the new fuel system, and to consider the pump’s operational temperature limits.

Prodrive’s barrister, Vaughan Jacob, countered these claims, asserting that Mr Finney failed to conduct his own risk assessment, attempted to refuel a hot vehicle, did not wear appropriate safety gear, used an incorrect refuelling area, and failed to ensure the pump was securely attached. The company also stated the fuel pump was within its safe temperature range at the time.

The case is expected to return to court at a later date.

Source: The Telegraph

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