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Post by racerbrown on Jul 3, 2012 18:13:27 GMT -5
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Post by Chris on Jul 3, 2012 22:12:31 GMT -5
Even thogh the FIA mandates front , side and intrusion crash impact testing on all teams chassis , the Marussia seems to be hastily designed, manufactured and did no on track testing prior to the beginning of the season ( the car wasnt done until qualifying even missing practice ), I didnt like the design from the start and would not trust it on track. The FIA seems to worry more about filling the required 22 car field and less about driver safety on the backmarker cars.. I may be all wrong but I have had a bad feeling about that car since it was unveiled.... Chris  |
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Post by kurzheck on Jul 4, 2012 19:30:51 GMT -5
I hope she recovers fully and qquickly. I have to agree with the hasty design and build comments but no matter what they don't design them to run into transport trucks!
Trev
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Post by Chris on Jul 4, 2012 20:43:01 GMT -5
The latest report is she lost her right eye and suffered massive facial injuries but that she will recover, and neurosurgeon and plastic surgeon worked on her from Tuesday noon until Wednesday morning and were confident in her recovery.. A racing career ended so fast. Not a good situation having transport trucks anywhere near race cars period. The report said the car suddenly accelerated just before impact leaving the engineers to think there was an electrical systems mal-function. The on board data system recorded the entire event and they will have an absolute answer as to what happened.. Chris
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Post by racerbrown on Jul 4, 2012 21:09:16 GMT -5
wow, how sad.
let's hope her recovery goes well.
duane
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Post by Chris on Jul 5, 2012 12:03:12 GMT -5
This may be the final incident that leads to mandatory Canopies on the F1 cars ! The FIA had been seriously considering this move since the Massa accident a couple years ago. but testing of canopies didnt go too well, as the test cars used canopies from airplanes quickly adapted for the tests. None of the teams want this but there has to be a solution to better driver head protection as this accident shows... Chris
Ps. Doctors have listed the driver in critical but stable condition as of about 1 hour ago.
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Post by gavkiwi on Jul 5, 2012 12:30:57 GMT -5
although this a tragic incident. It certainly was avoidable, why was she driving so close to the truck after finishing an installation lap? how hard is to wheel a car manually with a few ppl behind it to the loading ramp (not hard at all). If f1 cars do have canopies, there goes your 'open wheel formula' atleast for F1. I personally wouldnt watch it anymore if that were the case.
Danger has always played a part in auto racing, its what makes the 'sport' so entertaining, the chance of danger or srs injury. What happened to the test driver was just a bad, flukey situation that should never have happened.
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russd
Race Winner
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Post by russd on Jul 5, 2012 13:00:43 GMT -5
although this a tragic incident. It certainly was avoidable, why was she driving so close to the truck after finishing an installation lap? how hard is to wheel a car manually with a few ppl behind it to the loading ramp (not hard at all). If f1 cars do have canopies, there goes your 'open wheel formula' atleast for F1. I personally wouldnt watch it anymore if that were the case. Danger has always played a part in auto racing, its what makes the 'sport' so entertaining, the chance of danger or srs injury. What happened to the test driver was just a bad, flukey situation that should never have happened. I'm not sure I understand the comment "If f1 cars do have canopies, there goes your 'open wheel formula'" You could have cars that have canopies and open wheels. Rusty |
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Post by herk56 on Jul 5, 2012 13:30:03 GMT -5
Indycars and F1 cars should be open wheel and open cockpit, as is traditional, (at least until this year, thanks a bunch Indycar!). I agree whole-heartedly with gavkiwi, danger is an important part of racing, it's really what makes it worth doing. How far do YOU dare push the limit given the potential consequences? Once the risk is gone (or even seriously reduced) finding the limit is meaningless, if you go over it and crash, just try again with the next car. Just look at the younger drivers in NASCAR, they have no comprehension of what racing is like with your life or limbs on the line! And yes, the testing accident is awful, but probably could have been avoided as stated above, or perhaps if she had been more familiar with the car, the kill-switch could have been used, pure speculation on my part, I admit.
Brian
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2012 13:45:39 GMT -5
Sad. I know installation laps on airports is not uncommon, but that certainly didn't help in this incident. Most tracks have some sort of barrier in the pits from the car and transporter. Don't see how this incident is any fault of the current open wheel design of F1 cars or open wheel in general.
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Post by racerbrown on Jul 5, 2012 20:07:22 GMT -5
unfortunately poop happens.
that's why they call them accidents.
good points on both sides on the canopies.
i use to love watching the old style unlimited hydroplanes racing but when they went to the canopies (and the turbines) it really took away a lot of the appeal for me.
duane
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Post by SWT500 on Jul 6, 2012 7:35:06 GMT -5
We used to test Indycars all the time that way. We would erect the truck/tent in the pit lane and literally drive right into the tent. That part is not unusual. What I wonder about is how this actually happened. Just speculating but I wonder if she did an installation lap without belts on, or OMG without a helmet on or both? It's been done. Best wishes for her recovery.
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Post by Chris on Jul 6, 2012 10:29:37 GMT -5
I use to go to Orange County Int. Raceway, which was a famous drag strip , with my Dad and the AAR and Shadows team for straightline testing, Indy Cars, Can Am and F-1 cars, but there were guardrails and actual pit areas that were used.
Maria De Villota is in a medically induced coma to reduce swelling before major surgery scheduled for this morning, but is still listed as critical and stable..
I dont believe she would be driving the F-1 car at any speed without belts or helmet, the FIA mandates the usage on both her superlicense and the teams FIA membership, I dont think they would take the chance of suspension or expulsion even at such a un-important test.
The team reported the car suddenly accelerated as she slowed to pull in to the pit area, they believe this was caused by a electrical failure..
more to come....Chris
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Post by SWT500 on Jul 6, 2012 11:43:39 GMT -5
All that matters is that she recovers. The rest will come out. Chris, glad you are back on here. THANKFUL FOR THAT.
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Post by Chris on Jul 16, 2012 11:52:28 GMT -5
Maria is home bound, but will have a long recovery , hopefully she will be able function normally for the rest of her life. The FIA and British HSE, their OSHA, have concluded their investigation and have found No Fault with the car and believe this terrible incident was due to driver error.. Chris |
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Post by Patrick on Jul 16, 2012 12:03:57 GMT -5
I'm sorry, but that is usually what happens. Blame the driver, pilot, teacher, ect. Really, I'm not surprised. Heavens don't blame a multi-million pound( ruble?) racing program OR the stupid idiot that parked the truck where it was!  Patrick |
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Post by Chris on Jul 16, 2012 12:54:11 GMT -5
In particular a Dumb Girl!!! Chris |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 18, 2012 20:41:18 GMT -5
not to make light of the situation, but was Audi involved with the design and manufacture of this car? sounds like the old 5000 "unintended accelleration" issue of years ago. LOL
seriously, I wish her the best and hope that FIA puts an end to their filling fields with inadaquately safe cars. maybe some good can come of this?
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Post by Patrick on Jul 21, 2012 11:41:05 GMT -5
Alright...you guys talked about it so much that Bernie went out and commissioned a new design for a F1 with a canopy! Now you did it!  Remember, this is only in prototype form so it may be a bit rough around the edges. Next time PLEASE don't discuss this type of stuff on the forum! You may get what you want! Patrick  |
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Post by Chris on Jul 21, 2012 12:35:01 GMT -5
Yukktttt !!!!!! |
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Post by clm1545 on Jul 21, 2012 15:09:56 GMT -5
Lots of downforce on that one. I really like the DRS on top of the canopy.
Take Care
Craig
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russd
Race Winner
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Post by russd on Jul 21, 2012 17:48:49 GMT -5
I don't know which is uglier ... that thing ... or the current F1 cars
Rusty
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Post by Patrick on Jul 21, 2012 20:06:48 GMT -5
Hot off the presses! A Bernie refinement to the design to appease all the nay sayers...  To be sure a much more refined design. Pirelli might have a problem with the tire compounds, however. There's not much room for the yellow and green stripes! Patrick |
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Post by Chris on Jul 21, 2012 20:47:34 GMT -5
It appears Pirelli just did away with the black part of the tire and the compounds will be the color of the entire tire.. I do like the way the venturis under the car have been carefully integrated, this is obviously the Black and Gold Lotus Renault!! Chris |
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Post by Chris on Jul 21, 2012 22:11:50 GMT -5
 Bernie Ecclestone The F-1 teams response to the new design!!! LoL Chris ;D |
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Post by Patrick on Jul 21, 2012 23:05:08 GMT -5
Lordy, he looks like a zombie! OMG he is a zombie! That explains it all!
Patrick
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Post by trevor83 on Jul 21, 2012 23:58:24 GMT -5
From one of the pictures I saw the lift gate was about the height of the floor of the inside of the trailer. She had hit the lift gate, it was right at the height of her head while seated in the car. I have NEVER seen an Indycar lift gate left at that height. They are always up high or on the ground unless equipment is being loaded or unloaded. From the picture I believe the trailer door was shut so nothing was being unloaded or loaded. All reports say the car accelerated uncontrollably.
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