"SubiSanchez" (sanchez20)
10/06/2014 at 12:04 • Filed to: F1 Indycar
2
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"SubiSanchez" (sanchez20)
10/06/2014 at 12:04 • Filed to: F1 Indycar | 2
| 14 |
I do think it is time for open wheel racing series to adopt a canopy to better protect drivers from head injuries and follow the example set by the NHRA Top Fuel class. Now I know this will not eliminate the dangers of racing but I do think it is a step in the right direction to better protect these drivers that race at blistering speeds with their heads exposed.
GhostZ
> SubiSanchez
10/06/2014 at 12:06 |
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Honestly, I've been wanting a super-fast single seater open wheel canopy racing class for years. Something with higher top speeds and lower drag coefficients.
Brian Silvestro
> SubiSanchez
10/06/2014 at 12:07 |
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It would make F1 cars look ultra cool.
For Sweden
> SubiSanchez
10/06/2014 at 12:07 |
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Canopies are cool; avoiding the accident alltogether is cooler.
All cautions during wet races should be safety car cautions.
ttyymmnn
> SubiSanchez
10/06/2014 at 12:27 |
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I have to wonder if having a canopy could have made Bianchi's crash worse. Having watched the video of the crash, I think that much of that plastic/kevlar/carbon fibre material from a canopy would have been driven into his head/face. Even a steel cage around the driver's head wouldn't have helped. It's been argued that having a canopy would hinder driver egress in a fire or other crash, or make it harder to reach an injured driver. Some tests were done in the wake of Massa's 2009 injury . But those tests were only meant to address hitting debris on the track, not collision with an object. And the results were mixed.
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ttyymmnn
> For Sweden
10/06/2014 at 12:28 |
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Agreed. I always thought it was cool how F1 only used a local yellow. I decried Indy and NASCAR when they did all those laps under the pace car. The FIA may be rethinking that now, and they should.
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For Sweden
> ttyymmnn
10/06/2014 at 12:30 |
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I think local cautions are fine in the dry.
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ttyymmnn
> For Sweden
10/06/2014 at 12:32 |
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Maybe they go full-course if a crane or other vehicle is inside the barrier. Even in dry conditions, things can go wrong.
Viggen
> SubiSanchez
10/06/2014 at 12:52 |
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All future Le Mans Prototypes have to be closed cockpit cars, and we've seen how the closed cockpit has saved several drivers in the past few years. I think F1 and Indy should adopt a closed cockpit.
Bullitt417
> SubiSanchez
10/06/2014 at 12:59 |
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NHRA doesn't mandate the canopies in the Top Fuel class. I don't know one way or the other which is better but I just wanted to point that out.
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SubiSanchez
> Bullitt417
10/06/2014 at 13:11 |
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Correct it is an optional component and not all teams use it but I think it's a great concept for other open cockpit racing series to consider.
Bandit
> SubiSanchez
10/06/2014 at 13:23 |
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If we get canopies, I want this.
E92M3
> SubiSanchez
10/06/2014 at 13:39 |
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I agree. Anyone remember the spring incident a few years ago?
Destructive Tester
> SubiSanchez
10/08/2014 at 17:17 |
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I've thought a lot about this and came to the following opinions:
1) Flag discipline needs to be more strictly enforced, perhaps enforce a maximum speed under double yellow conditions. At the very least impose a greater required disparity in yellow vs. green speeds, presently you are only required to not go faster than the previous lap.
2) The safety car should be deployed when course marshals or heavy equipment are inside the Armco perimeter. If this means leaving cars parked in non-"danger zone" areas so be it, the cars are built to withstand impact with other cars not heavy equipment the course marshals aren't built for either...
3) S#itcan the stupid idea to have standing safety car restarts next season, that will just make race control even more hesitant to deploy the safety car. That being said once the SC is deployed, it shouldn't take a minimum 5-6 laps to get everything in order... Do what it takes to get the cars in order quickly, get the track safe, and get the race back underway.
After seeing the aftermath of the crash and the video footage of the crash, there are two positives I can take away from this:
1) The crash survivability of modern F1 cars and safety equipment is simply amazing. If this crash had happened so much as 5 years ago we wouldn't be hoping for the best for Bianchi, we'd be mourning the first death in a race since Senna...
2) That Bianchi was the only injury in this incident. There are enough racers, trackday participants, and general car enthusiasts here to understand when I say if anyone is going to pay the price for a driver's mistake the driver wants it to be him/her and not someone with the misfortune to be in the wrong place when they made their mistake.
Best wishes to Jules and the Bianchi family, #ForzaJules
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Destructive Tester
> ttyymmnn
10/09/2014 at 10:02 |
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"I have to wonder if having a canopy could have made Bianchi's crash worse. Having watched the video of the crash, I think that much of that plastic/kevlar/carbon fibre material from a canopy would have been driven into his head/face."
Given that the upper roll structure (ie. the strongest part of the chassis) was TORN OFF, I'm going to have to say that any canopy would have only added more shrapnel to the scenario.
As it stands the current crop of F1 cars are incredibly safe in car-to-car and car-to-Armco impacts, if any rule changes come from this incident I think they should focus on preventing incidents where cars and heavy equipment could meet at speed.