The 10 Most Terrifying Motorsport Events in the World

Image via Complex Original

What it is: A 3,000-mile international road race on public roads.

Why it's testicle-shrinkingly scary: While the official rules tell people not to break any laws, everybody does, and public roads aren't designed with high speed runs in a Bugatti in mind.

Complex says: If you like racing, The Fast and the Furious, and have mininal regard for the safety of others, this might just be the race for you. Probably the scariest thing about the Gumball is that it might pass you on the right going 187mph the next time you're driving to Disney Land.

What it is: A track that loves to funnel drivers into weird accidents.

Why it's testicle-shrinkingly scary: It doesn't matter what kind of race is going on at Macau, there will be a big crash at some point.

Complex says: Be it F1, F3, or the WTCC, the Macau course will send cars into the walls, each other, and just generally spinning off into oblivion. It's an automotive mad-house.

What it is: NASCAR's penultimate race.

Why it's testicle-shrinkingly scary: 200mph in a very powerful but technologically outdated car mere inches away from other vehicles.

Complex says: Crashes seem to be the most famous part of NASCAR when it comes to the general public. There are tons of people who can't even name a single racer, but can tell you about some crashes they saw on late-night television. Daytona has seemingly been home to most of the craziest NASCAR crashes of all time. The track is engineered for disaster.

What it is: A track with a track record of spectacular and deadly crashes.

Why it's testicle-shrinkingly scary: It's shockingly easy to find pictures of cars flying through the air at Le Mans.

Complex says: Le Mans has been home to some of the most amazing races in history, but also home to some of racing's darkest hours, like the 1955 300SLR crash that killed dozens of spectators, caused Switzerland to outlaw motorsport, and caused Mercedes to withdraw from competitive racing for decades.

What it is: One of the fastest and most deadly tracks in F1 history.

Why it's testicle-shrinkingly scary: Even Jim Clark, who had some of his biggest victories at Spa-Francorchamps, hated this track.

Complex says: The Masta Kink was one of the scariest corners in the history of motor racing. Cars flipped off the track and landed in nearby farm-houses from the Masta Kink, and there was one time when the phrase "look out for body parts on the road" had to be used not in reference to a car's body. 

What it is: A high-speed motorcycle race on poorly kept and narrow British roads.

Why it's testicle-shrinkingly scary: We've all heard of bikers getting killed because of a sneaky bump at 55mph. Now imagine that same bump at 155mph.

Complex says: It's an awesome race and an incredibly interesting course made up entirely of the Isle of Man's local routes, but it's insane that people are willing to attempt to tackle the course with no safety equipment other than a helmet and a sturdy jacket. 

What it is: A high-speed oval made from rickety wood planks.

Why it's testicle-shrinkingly scary: We've all felt uncomfortable standing on a surface made from thin wood planks. Imagine racing on one.

Complex says: In the early 20th century, men had great flaming balls of steel. And silly leather hats.

What it is: The most insane cars the World Rally Championship will ever see. 

Why it's testicle-shrinkingly scary: 0-60 in two seconds with very little traction, hard obstacles all over the place, large jumps, and tons of competition.

Complex says: The power and speed of the Group B rally cars surpassed human ability, and it led to tragedy. While we still miss and respect what are some of the most incredible vehicles ever made, we agree with the FIA that the sacrifices made to run these cars were too great.

What it is: An off-road desert endurance race.

Why it's testicle-shrinkingly scary: Plentiful opportunities for crashing and fiery death, psychotic fans who work tirelessly to make the course "more fun" with poorly engineered jumps, booby traps, drug cartels, bandits.

Complex says: This race would have probably managed a spot on this list even if it weren't for the booby-traps, covered holes, diverted rivers, bandits, and hostage-taking. However, all of that madness is present on the course, and there is no way the race organizers can hope to successfully prevent all of it.

What it is: A roughly 5,600-mile off-road rally race.

Why it's testicle-shrinkingly scary: The grim spectre of death, plentiful burning cars, unpredictable terrain, bandits, terrorists.

Complex says: We have no shortage of respect for the hundreds of yearly participants in the Dakar, the only race that we know of that was once cancelled and moved to a different continent on account of terrorism.