The initial reports herein also suggested it was before the start of the stage. [And that he hit a wall.] So, maybe not dodgy Aussie reporting Can you imagine the lawsuit if that happened here in the States! Cheers, Ian
That's horrific. Surely there's got to be a better guardrail design that won't do that? All the best, Andrew.
It's already established the accident happened during Special Stage,regardless of what some scribe or pea brain reporter/reporterette reported.... (to most of them if it looks like a regular road and not an oval,banked racetrack, then it must be a "road accident")
Here's a video simulation on the accident. Wow. http://video.gazzetta.it/formula-1-incidente-kubica-ricostruzione/a4f358cc-339b-11e0-a4c7-50d5df2bfa64
More on this angle today: FDA to test brain-controlled prosthetic arm The system, using a brain-implanted microchip, is meant to provide 'near-natural' functioning of the arm, hand and fingers. The prosthesis will be evaluated in a new FDA program that gives priority review to breakthrough medical devices. By Andrew Zajac, Washington Bureau February 8, 2011, 8:14 a.m. WASHINGTON The Food and Drug Administration will evaluate brain-controlled prosthetic arms in a new program designed to bring innovative medical devices to market faster. The arm system, developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, uses a microchip implanted in the brain to record and decode signals to neurons that control muscles linked to the prosthesis. The device is intended "to restore near-natural arm, hand and finger function to patients suffering from spinal cord injury, stroke or amputation," according to an FDA press release Tuesday morning. The prosthesis will serve as a pilot submission to the FDA's Innovation Pathway, a priority review program for new breakthrough medical devices that is part of a broader effort to promote cutting-edge technologies among medical-device manufacturers. "Each year, millions of.....patients benefit from innovative medical devices that reduce suffering and treat previously untreatable conditions," Jeffrey Shuren, director of FDA's medical device office. The innovation initiative "will help accelerate the development of and patient access to innovative medical devices, which often fulfill unmet public health needs." Sure hope it does not come to this, and RK makes a great, full recovery!! GO RK!! Tritone BTW: this is DARPA funded; and you all remember where the internet came from.....AG claims notwithstanding....;-)
Same type of accident Pat Carlson-Moss had in her Austin Healey 3000 during the Tulips Rally in the early 60s. After she ploughed through a ditch, a fence post penetrated the windscreen, entered the cockpit, tore through the passenger backrest and exited through the rear window. Fortunately, her co-pilot wasn't present during that stage that took place on a circuit.
Except that it doesn't. Kimi is unmotivated to return to F1 and has already committed to something like 10 rallies this year. He has been out of the game for over a season and is too expensive for Renault who are looking at an interim solution.
Rallycars are built from production based cars and are not tubeframed since GrB cars were banned in the 1980s.
Thats even worse. Years ago I had the delusions of going the rally route and even called on the Buffum TR-8 and Hendrick Block (I believe it was) Colt. I believe these cars had cages which if done "correctly" may as well be tube frames. Just assumed Pro Rally had progressed to full tube frame. The pics of Kubica's car show cages at least.
I think it boils down to what Kimi and Renault really want below the surface of their egos. Obviously they thought along the same lines before the battle of the press releases last year or else that whole epidode would have not happened in the first place. If Kimi really wants another title Renault is his last best chance. If Renault really wants to be a WCC contender this year they need a WDC caliber driver. Not band aids and hopefulls. True. The whole thing is a complex mess but it can happen if there is enough will. However, yes, its much easier and cleaner to leave things alone and pick from the ones no-one else signed.
Here is the ultimate goal: [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgP_NV68JLg&feature=related[/ame] in the meantime: [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOkphTd62qM&feature=related[/ame]
I'll take my chances in a fully seam welded chassis w/ intergrated rollcage over a tube frame w/ kevlar and fiberglass panels fastened to it. Sadly, neither are designed for being shish kabobed by a poorly designed guardrail end.
I thought it was a guardrail end also that penetrated the cockpit but it wasn't. http://video.gazzetta.it/formula-1-i...7-50d5df2bfa64 guardrail snapped in two and one end went thru the car like a hot knife thru butter.
Todays update: The Lotus Renault GP team has issued another update on the progress of its star pilot Robert Kubica. The Polish driver, for those who haven't been following, crashed during the Ronde di Andorra in Italy on Sunday just weeks before the start of the F1 season and was airlifted to a local hospital where doctors treated him for multiple fractures and severed tendons in his right limbs. With the bulk of the procedures now behind him, Kubica is conscious (some reports state that he was revived from a medically-induced coma), and conversing with his doctors as well as visiting relatives and colleagues. Later this week, Kubica will have to undergo additional surgery (for his right shoulder and foot), to be followed by another procedure a few days later. He's expected to stay at the Santa Corona Hospital where he has been since the crash for another two or three weeks, after which he'll likely be transfered to another location to rehabilitate, likely for between five months and a full year. With his recovery underway but a long road ahead, Renault will need to find someone to temporarily take his place for the impending season. Although the team has both Bruno Senna and Romain Grosjean both recent F1 drivers on contract, the team is reportedly examining all of its options. Among them are Force India drivers Tonio Liuzzi and Nico Hulkeberg, both of which raced last season and have proven themselves competitive drivers. Liuzzi lost his seat this year at Force India, while Hulkenberg took a test-driver role with the team when he lost his seat at Williams. Source: Lotus Renault GP, ESPN
Couldn't get that link to work but did a search and got through here. Whoa... http://video.gazzetta.it/formula-1-incidente-kubica-ricostruzione/a4f358cc-339b-11e0-a4c7-50d5df2bfa64
Still a guardrail end, just that the middle was also poorly designed also. I get nervous in forest rallies where there is logging and there are logpiles beside the stage. Worried we smack bottom of pile on upper log ends come thru windshield. Also hate deep lakes beside stageroad and Pikes Peak is a wee bit scary.
Rallying is extremely dangerous which ever way you look at it. Just hitting trees have killed many drivers and co-drivers over the years. You cannot make a rollcage strong enough for that. Pete
Rallying is dangerous and there are enough natural obstacles without having to add any man-made ones. That was a minor incident that was turned into an extremely major one because of a defective rail. It was the proverbial accident waiting to happen. Godspeed Robert
It was the guardrail end that went through the car (as opposed to it snapping) if one looks at the pictures of it sticking out of the rear of the car it has rounded corners! Also, these rails are a permanent fixture, not just installed for the Rally, and they would Probably be perfectly safe at legal speeds for a road car, bearing in mind that these are normally quiet and narrow country lanes. Never a big fan of Armco near a race car anyway, it's dangerous stuff that's difficult to predict or manage in a severe crash and has laid waste to many racing drivers over the decades.
Good news, today Robert was able to move his 5 fingers meaning the surgery has been a success. Still a long way to go, but still this is great.
