Who Has To Die To Make Racing Safer? A List.

"For Sweden" (rallybeetle) 02/21/2016 at 12:30 • Filed to: Safety, Formula 1, NASCAR, Indycar, WEC, IMSA, Racing

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Motorsport attracts cliches, but one in particular holds true decade after decade: the road to safety is awash with blood. Some blood stains, requiring major changes in racing to clean to clean. Other blood beads, leaving only a crying family and glowing obituaries as a legacy. Ayrton Senna fits the former, and Roland Ratzenberger remains the latter.

With a new racing season upon us, the first after the deaths of Jules Bianchi and Justin Wilson, safety continues to crawl forward. Daytona International Speedway is finally ringed in SAFER barrier, as all oval tracks should. Teams and series are finally realizing that open wheel racing doesn’t require open cockpits.

But, deferring to realism and cynicism, someone will have to die before series make transformational changes like 100% SAFER barrier coverage and closed cockpits on open-wheel cars. But who’s deaths will spur these changes?

Below is a list of four major motorsport series in Europe and North America, which are also the series I follow most closely. If you have a list of drivers from series I don’t follow closely, such as WRC, BTCC, or MotoGP, please share them in the comments.

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Formula 1

Drivers whose deaths would force safety improvements

Lewis Hamilton - Mercedes

Nico Hülkenberg - Mercedes

Sebastian Vettel - Ferrari

Kimi Räikkönen - Ferrari

Felipe Massa - Williams-Mercedes

Fernando Alonso - McLaren Honda

Jenson Button - McLaren Honda

Daniel Ricciardo - Red Bull-TAG Heuer

Drivers whose deaths might force safety improvements

Valtteri Bottas - Williams-Mercedes

Nico Hülkenberg - Force India-Mercedes

Sergio Pérez - Force India-Mercedes

Romain Grosjean - Haas-Ferrari

The split between celebrity and grid-fillers, as well as employees and sponsors, is widest here. Drivers who have competed for wins and championships, either previously or currently, make the list. They also drive for the richest teams; teams that could force changes after their public face perishes. A team like Marussia F1 does not have the funds to make the death of a driver like Jules Bianchi, largely unknown to casual fans, matter.

Rising talents, fan favorites, and the number one driver for an American team fill the maybe list. The response from the fans and/or the American media would have to be overwhelming, but change could happen.

NASCAR

Drivers whose deaths would force safety improvements

Kyle Larson - Chip Ganassi Racing

Jimmie Johnson - Hendrick Motorsports

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. - Hendrick Motorsports

Austin Dillon - Richard Childress Racing

Kevin Harvick - Stewart-Haas Racing

Danica Patrick - Stewart-Haas Racing

Bobby Labonte - Go FAS Racing

Brad Keselowski - Team Penske

Joey Logano - Team Penske

Michael Waltrip - BK Racing

Kyle Busch - Joe Gibbs Racing

Carl Edwards - Joe Gibbs Racing

Drivers whose deaths might force safety improvements

Jamie McMurray - Chip Ganassi Racing

Kasey Kahne - Hendrick Motorsports

Chase Elliott - Hendrick Motorsports

A.J. Allmendinger - JTG Daugherty Racing

Paul Menard - Richard Childress Racing

Ryan Newman - Richard Childress Racing

Kurt Busch - Stewart-Haas Racing

Greg Biffle - Rousch Fenway Racing

Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. - Rousch Fenway Racing

Martin Truex Jr. - Furniture Row Racing

Denny Hamlin - Joe Gibbs Racing

Matt Kenseth - Joe Gibbs Racing

Celebrity and competitiveness is widespread in NASCAR, so these lists, both separate and combined, are longest here. Furthermore, the last NASCAR driver to perish in Sprint Cup, or any national series, was Dale Earnhardt. Any future death would include comparison to the seven-time champion’s death and all the changes that followed and made NASCAR one of the safest series in the world.

The separation between the definitely and maybe lists is largely celebrity; which driver would the racing press and popular culture miss most. These deaths would fill headlines for months, not weeks. As Dale Earnhardt’s death showed, as well as the near-death of Kyle Busch last year, NASCAR needs overwhelming media pressure to spend the millions necessary for substantial change.

Indycar

Drivers whose deaths would force safety improvements

Marco Andretti - Andretti Autosport

Ryan Hunter-Reay - Andretti Autosport

Scott Dixon - Chip Ganassi Racing

Tony Kanaan - Chip Ganassi Racing

Ed Carpenter - Ed Carpenter Racing

Josef Newgarden - Ed Carpenter Racing

James Hinchcliffe - Schmidt Peterson Motorsports

Juan Pablo Montoya - Team Penske

Hélio Castroneves - Team Penske

Will Power - Team Penske

Drivers whose deaths might force safety improvements

Charlie Kimball - Chip Ganassi Racing

Pippa Mann - Dale Coyne Racing

Graham Rahal - Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

Simon Pagenaud - Team Penske

Some Indycar drivers have name recognition outside of Indycar fans, and all of those drivers sit in the definitely list. Also in the definitely list are Ed Carpenter and Josef Newgarden. Ed Carpenter’s family owns the series, so the response to his death would be as sweeping as it is obvious. Josef Newgarden is Indycar’s best hope of appearing on Sportscenter more than once a year; losing him would make Indycar act out of desperation. Drivers making the maybe list either have powerful teams and sponsors, or in Pippa Mann’s case, would be the most notable woman to ever die in a race.

However, given Indycar’s relative shrug to Justin Wilson’s death after Pocono last year, this list may be too generously long. Indycar did act after Dan Weldon’s death, but the DW12 was already scheduled to debut and Las Vegas was a financial loser; the changes were coming anyway. Furthermore, James Hinchcliffe only survived the Month of May by inches, and Indycar only mandated stricter tech inspection.

IMSA/WEC

No particular full-time driver in IMSA or WEC is notable enough for their death to force changes in either series. A driver died on the largest stage in endurance racing in 2013, and not only don’t you remember his name, nothing changed. You forgetting his name is understandable, the lack of action is unforgivable.

There are two cases where a death might force change. If an Audi, Porsche, or Toyota P1 driver died, the teams would force action. They spend far too much money to have their crumpled car feature in an obituary. Also, the Daytona and Le Mans races feature many one-off drivers from more popular series. The death of Nico Hülkenberg in a Porsche, Kyle Larson in a Genassi Ford GT, or even Jeff Gordon in a Corvette, would attract enough attention to force change.

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This list is dark and depressing, but it can stay just that; a list. Series, drivers, teams, and fans already know what improvements are needed. Closed cockpits for all cars, SAFER barriers for all NASCAR ovals, and finally, finally funding the perpetually-delayed track safety improvements.

Hopefully that happens before we check to see if this list was accurate.

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BullManUGA > For Sweden 02/21/2016 at 12:40

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Kyle Busch’s “near death?” Holy overstatement, Batman. He broke his legs and was alive and talking to people when they extricated him from the car.

Also, Allan Simonsen died at Le Mans in 2013, not 2014, when he hit the guardrail that was up against a tree. They have reprofiled the guardrail and added a tire barrier. To say nothing was done is dumb.

This article is garbage.

Gone > For Sweden 02/21/2016 at 12:47

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A thought about overall safety...spectator deaths in a large enough group, ala LeMans ‘55, would also act as a force for change. My guess would be 10+ due to a single accident would be enough.

It didn’t take but one spectator death at the Nürburgring last year and they were willing to make massive and wholesale changes.

These acts could potentially make the drivers safer as well.

For Sweden > Gone 02/21/2016 at 12:48

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It could, but the only real chance of that happening would be at a WRC round; a series I didn’t consider.

For Sweden > BullManUGA 02/21/2016 at 12:55

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The Busch family, unsurprisingly, took the wreck far more seriously than you do.

http://www.dispatch.com/content/storie…

BullManUGA > For Sweden 02/21/2016 at 12:59

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He was seriously injured, but not almost killed. And I like that you ignore the larger and more important second point I made.

For Sweden > BullManUGA 02/21/2016 at 13:03

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I aim to please

Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis > For Sweden 02/21/2016 at 13:06

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I’d bet Chase would force some changes if it were to happen within the next two year. Iconic name paired with being as young as he is.

For Sweden > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis 02/21/2016 at 13:10

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If he performs as he should, he’ll be in the “definitely” list next season.

 > For Sweden 02/21/2016 at 13:28

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I am pretty sure any racing death will be thoroughly investivated and analyzed and if cause is determined to be an unsafe piece of equipment that equipment will be modified or replaced to be safer.

For Sweden >  02/21/2016 at 13:30

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You say that, but Jules Bianchi died a while ago

 > For Sweden 02/21/2016 at 13:36

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Are you suggesting the accident wasn’t investigated and no changes were implemented?

For Sweden >  02/21/2016 at 13:37

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Oh, I’m sure they made a show of it and made sure current rules about equipment on the track were followed, but I have yet to see a closed cockpit.

Anima > For Sweden 02/21/2016 at 13:47

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I think Max Verstappen would be in the might category for sure perhaps even in the will change category.

Youngest driver ever in F1, coined by many as a future world champion dying would make some waves and headlines for sure.

Urambo Tauro > BullManUGA 02/21/2016 at 13:48

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Depends on the interpretation. While his body may not have reached “near-death” condition, you could say that the wreck itself came close to being a fatal one.

Stef Schrader > For Sweden 02/21/2016 at 14:10

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Unfortunately, things don’t happen overnight. It’s a sticking point the drivers have been hammering on in the meantime, though, and they’ve got at least two teams (Mercedes and Red Bull) who’ve come up with possible solutions for F1.

TBH, I think this is a bit in poor taste. Reactions to death or injury vary so much with circumstance that I don’t think it’s fair to say that the more famous ones will force particular changes. Yes, that’s certainly been the last straw in the past, but not for every single change that’s been made. Sometimes a death is the tipping point in regards to a long-held dangerous attitude or way of doing things. Other times, it’s entirely dependent on technology to catch up to the issue. And still yet, there’s good ol’ stubbornness (open cockpits are a good example) where it’s hard to get anything done as some feel the risk is just part of it.

Besides, racing’s a pretty tight-knit community, and drivers are always going to stand up for their friends no matter where they fall on the grid, or how public that person is. Never underestimate the “this could happen to me” effect, particularly among drivers now.

For Sweden > Stef Schrader 02/21/2016 at 14:13

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Oh, I know that people are working on and advocating for all of these things, and in my closing I hope it doesn’t take a death to make things happen.

But in comparing the deaths of someone like Dale Earnhardt, which lead to changes you chronicled , and a driver like Justin Wilson, the various racing series take some deaths more seriously than others.

Alex from Toronto > For Sweden 02/21/2016 at 14:27

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A closed cockpit wouldn’t have done Jules much help.

For Sweden > Alex from Toronto 02/21/2016 at 14:28

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Perhaps, but no reason to wait for someone else to die to make the change

crowmolly > For Sweden 02/21/2016 at 14:47

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NHRA death list from 2000-2010. Hence the 1000' change and more.

dailydoseofmindlessness > For Sweden 02/21/2016 at 17:10

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Personally, no one else needs to die in motorsports to promote safety.

The historical list of deceased racing drivers should suffice in reminding all the need for constantly improving safety standards for all involved.

RTeeJay > For Sweden 02/21/2016 at 19:28

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This post in poor taste. While I can agree with you that safety standards are not up to snuff in most racing series, and that safety innovation should not be reactive, but proactive, you can not put a price on someone’s life by the amount of safety improvements that would be made after that person’s death. This article could have much shorter/sensitive by saying “the next driver to die in any racing series will spur the next round of safety innovation/discussion, and unfortunately that is not good enough.”

For Sweden > RTeeJay 02/21/2016 at 19:36

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The history shows that when contenders die, more is done. I wish that wasn’t true.