Dario Franchitti gets airbourne

[ben_watkins]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URDtgTyXGFQ

Apparently he had another airbourne accident 6 days later, according to BBC Sport - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/6943618.stm

Both times he escaped uninjured!

[Ciro Pabón]

I think this is a problem that has been overlooked for a long time.

I shudder at every start when I think that someone could be hit from behind, specially now with new, untested ECUs that have to be fitted next year.

I think this problem could cost us the live of a driver one of these days.

I know that the "ideas" I've come up with are not particularly good.

Wurz accident at Australian GP

Crazy idea for flaps and chicanes

What about covering the front wheels?

I know, I know, this is open-wheel racing, but you have to cover only the frontal part of the front wheels.

What about an "open" cover? It doesn't have to cover the wheel completely, for example, it can be a set of bars located around the wheel.

You can "surround" the wheel with a couple of bars. Thus, when a car hits another from behind, the frontal wheels would not contact the rear wheels directly, but in such a way as to avoid "launching" the car.

Sort of bumpers for wheels.

They could even be affixed to the stationary wheel covers Ferrari has put forward. I'm lousy at drawings, but look (and behold! ) :

Ciro's Crazy Anti-fly Bars



If you get the idea, maybe you will see it's not so far fetched (at least, not as much as my previous ones... )

Tennis anyone?

[PNSD]

Teams would use them as weapons :p!!

May be a good idea, but something like that would never come to fruition, mainly because it would look ugly.

[johny]

maybe a larger front wing, having the endplates at the same plane of the wheel

[Ciro Pabón]

Yes, Jhonny, I agree, that's an option.

The only problem I see is the increase in the surface of the front wing, and, thus, the possible repercussions on the aerodynamic regulations. Besides, the "impact" position would be low, causing some "torque" on the car that hits from behind.

But I don't see why it couldn't be done the way you describe. Check the front wing of the kart of my avatar, for example. Bien pensado, tío, gracias (Well thought, mate, thank you).

@PNSD: yes, you're right. It seems like the spokes they used in Ben Hur, don't you think? But, as in Ben Hur (for those of you that are over 40, like me, that should be clear), I still believe that the damage and the accidents would be less.

At least they don't turn, they are fixed. Besides, they use them (wheels) presently as weapons, as the recent incident between Alonso and Massa proves (remember when Massa hit Alonso's sidepod?).

[johny]

That's what happens with those things, like the cockpit protections in the video you posted Ciro, it needs lot's of study, tests and being suitable to the cars.

I also remember last year in motogp they had a debate about knees touching the front brake after the big crash in barcelona but solving those bugs isn't easy.

They'll wait till some hard accident and then we'll see.

Gracias a ti Ciro que eres uno de los genios del foro, a mi me queda muchísimo que aprender

[zac510]

Ciro, next year's ECUs are established TAG parts thus they're surely well tested.
I imagine your penchant for wanting to make F1 more and more safe comes from your day to day job where you have to consider such issues.

[Saribro]

Ciro, next year's ECUs are established TAG parts thus they're surely well tested.

Luca Badoer has been testing the 2008 ECU for Ferrari in the last test in Italy too. They'll probably will be using 2008 electronics in testing as soon as the 2007 season is over too, so I doubt "untested" will be valid by Bahrain 2008.

[m3_lover]

how do you know they are already testing the new ECU, like do you have a link..just curious

[Ciro Pabón]

Ciro, next year's ECUs are established TAG parts thus they're surely well tested.
I imagine your penchant for wanting to make F1 more and more safe comes from your day to day job where you have to consider such issues.

Yes, Zac, you're totally right, the part is tested but you have to "bolt" it. When 10 people use something, well, no problem. When 10 people customize your product, well, problem.

About "safety", well, I think engineering is the art of making things you can use without stopping to think, things made for human hands, things that take in account how the human brain works.

I like to put forward the paper clip as an example: clips don't have instruction manual. It's your choice: you can do "clips" or you can do "Windows Operating Systems".

An instruction manual shouldn't say something like "DO NOT pull levers A and B at the same time or the machine will explode".... That's a cry asking for help from a "true engineer": do something about the frigging levers, in heavens name.

It's evident that open wheels in a race are "bad design": its "manual" should say something like: "DO NOT try to overtake another car: wheel contact can cause death. DO NOT try to follow closely another car: steering can malfunction because of aerodynamic issues, causing injuries". That's kind of dumb.

[mx_tifoso]

It's evident that open wheels in a race are "bad design": its "manual" should say something like: "DO NOT try to overtake another car: wheel contact can cause death. DO NOT try to follow closely another car: steering can malfunction because of aerodynamic issues, causing injuries". That's kind of dumb.

In that case, don't race at all. Simple solution to all motorsport safety related problems.

Racing includes risks, it has since the beginning and it will until the end (hopefully).

I am all for safety, but practicality should also be taken into consideration. Going overboard is not the best option to take. Open-wheel motorsports have their special risks involved, as you have mentioned, once you step into the cockpit you have accepted all the included risks. If open-wheel is not safe enough, get out. Asi de simple.

[Carlos]

Zac510 - I don't think Ciro endures a "day to day job."

Read "Design For The Real World" by V Papanck. I originally read it in the 70's ... it's regarded as a classic that every design student should read. A book about making products and technology serve a social purpose delivering human benefits. Ciro's posts remind me of it constantly.

[ben_watkins]

The other accident..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWh79j8HPyI

[Saribro]

how do you know they are already testing the new ECU, like do you have a link..just curious :)

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2007/7/6530.html

[m3_lover]

Thanks..much appericated