2014 FORMULA 1 JAPANESE GRAND PRIX

[plastik8]

Who is to say that if Bianchi had missed the tractor he wouldn't have ploughed into half a dozen circuit staff...

Very good point. If you have seen a video of the incident, you'll notice there are plenty of marshals on the racing side of the barriers, even on the side of the tractor which Bianchi has hit. It is a miracle the car didn't clean up anyone else.

On another topic, what is a typical speed drivers should slow down to under double yellows? For what portion of the track leading to Sutil's crash site were double yellows being waved?

[Speed]

It is a very sad incident and I agree that enforced speed limiters are a fantastic idea but under the current conditions, when under a double waved yellow, drivers need to slow the fuck down instead of trying to make up ground on someone else who might be doing the right thing.

[durbster]

Yes, he looks quite normal, but I guess the big issue is that if his head impacted the tractor (directly or indirectly) then while the integrity of the helmet might be ok, his head has decelerated at such a rate to cause his brain to hit the inside of his skull.

Yep. I'm not surprised to see the helmet stood up but unfortunately that just means the energy must have been transferred into his head and body. At least there was some level of deceleration rather than just an instant impact. The car crash structure did its job.

Frankly I'm surprised he survived at all. I gather they tend not to officially declare a fatality at the track for administration reasons so I fully expected them to announce it when he got to hospital. I thought that's why he'd gone by road instead of air - there was no rush.

I'm a bit annoyed the race organisers are copping such flack. Going on the fans reaction on Twitter, the beginning of the race was full of people moaning that they were spending too long behind the safety car and after the race, outrage that they'd allowed the race to happen in such conditions. I'm pretty sure if the race had been cancelled because of the weather there would have been a huge backlash.

[DexterPunk]

Yeah I don't agree with that either.

I also don't think the race should have been cancelled. I think it's fine to race in the wet. I think all that needs I happen is the cars slow down / safety car any time a car needs rescuing or is stranded somewhere. Limiting the cars remotely is an awesome idea I reckon.


Sent from Han Solo using TK-421's phone.

[durbster]

I can't think why they don't already have remote limiters. It seems easily the best solution. I've even been to kart tracks that can do that so the technology obviously exists.

I can only think it's just a case of Bernie being unable to find profit in it or something else typically of F1.

[plastik8]

I can't think why they don't already have remote limiters. It seems easily the best solution. I've even been to kart tracks that can do that so the technology obviously exists.

Would there be any risk in having the throttle remotely disabled mid high-speed, down force loaded corner? Could it upset the balance of the car? Or take the driver off guard? Or, perhaps they could come up with a system which only begins to limit speed/throttle when not mid-corner?

I've always wondered how much the drivers honestly slow down mid-race when there is double yellows - If one driver slows down by 5.0 sec for the sector, and the next only by 2.0 sec - that's a massive difference. All down to the discretion of the driver. It actually makes sense to have the remote speed limiting system, regardless of the obvious potential safety benefits.

And Durbster, I've also been in karts that have remote limiting systems too

[Enforcer-J]

It wasnt LFS where I remember it from... it was an indoor Kart track with shitty old lawnmower engines!

[GT VIRUS]

In my experience, drivers slow down approx. nought during any yellow flag, no matter how many you wave at them

[w00dsy]

here's a dry track, at least double yellows, possibly a safety car but i can't see it, and a guy still loses control.


[youtube] [/youtube]

[Duke]

Rookies for ya...

[Big Kev]

Marussia release a statement from the family of Jules Bianchi saying the Formula 1 driver has "suffered a diffuse axonal injury" and is in a critical but stable condition.

[wobblysauce]

http://formerf1doc.wordpress.com/2014/10/07/2271/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[w00dsy]

Marussia release a statement from the family of Jules Bianchi saying the Formula 1 driver has "suffered a diffuse axonal injury" and is in a critical but stable condition.

That first part of wiki has made me rethink my expectations for him.

[Big Kev]

Yep.
If that diagnosis is indeed correct, his prognosis is not very good at all.

[Exar Kun]

As Wobs linked to above, Gary Hartstein's blog is a very good read, as it was in Schumacher's accident. He wraps up his post about DAI with this:

DAI is usually associated with a somber prognosis. Jules is young, strong, and is being cared for by a superb team. C’mon Jules. Go for it.

Very sad. It's not looking like a good outcome although, as usual with F1 drivers, if anyone is going to recover from something like this it's a supremely fit athlete with amazing drive and ambition. It's going to be a super long road to recovery if there is one so I don't think we'll hear much beyond the "being transferred to this or that facility" kind of reports.

It really is remarkable he's alive at all.

[w00dsy]

Can you imagine doing what he did in a car from 20 years ago He'd of done a Helmuth Koinigg.

[Sarsippius]

I've thought for a while that any time marshals or a recovery vehicle needs to enter the track then a safety car should be called, there's a certain element of being unlucky with two cars going off in the same spot but the risk is there.

I think one of the issues though is the safety car procedure is so convoluted and time consuming that there is a reluctance to bring them out unless absolutely necessary. I was going to argue they need to streamline the whole procedure but then remembered they're going to be standing start next year

[GT VIRUS]

I would just like to point out, as a marshal, that I would have no issue going out to recover that car where it was under double yellow.

[DarrenM]

Charlie Whiting did a presentation to the media where he showed most drivers didn't slow at all for the double yellow. So they're trialing the mandatory pit limiter option.