Ah got you. Yes fully agreed that I wish F1 implemented the canopy instead if we absolutely have to have it. Doesn't drag you in and along....frankly I'm impressed if anyone can crash at that point anyhow
Yes.... AFTER 50 feet of Kitty litter you have to run through. There is no F1 track that has a barrier like this right on the edge of the track.
In the interest of thread accuracy, it's 'chain link' fencing, not chicken wire which is approx. as thick in diameter as a medium point pen line..........it's aHUGE difference, and I'm pretty sure there varying degrees of quality/thickness/strength of chain link.
Obviously they have the same fencing in the corners where people do tend to crash. But I know you know that. Also obviously crashes are going to be more violent in a 200 mph Indycar corner as opposed to a 90 mph F1 corner. All tracks I’ve seen use a very similar design, horizontal load bearing tension cables supporting a chain link or wire grid mesh. The fence at Pocono isn’t substantially different in design, although from some pics I’ve seen age and condition may certainly have been less than desired. Maybe a newer, more resilient fence would have not grabbed and slowed the car as quickly? Also I’ve never seen or heard of a superspeedway with 50 feet of kitty litter between the outside edge of the racing surface and the wall, but can think of several dozen reasons why that would be a terrible idea. First two pics Pocono, the Indy, then Monza. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
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The problem that ovals have and normal tracks don't is that the cars, if they climb the barrier, are along of the ride in the fence because of centrifugal force...When a car crashes on a road course it's unlikely to actually ''ride'' a fence, if they get so high in any case (normally the tyres/barriers do the job of keeping the car below it). A solution? I haven't got one. Obviously no one wants the drivers to be gladiators, they know and accept the risk. My immediate attention would more be towards the canopy (but seeing as they're likely to implement that anyways I guess it's a mute point) to protect the head more than anything.
Ovals of more than 1 mile length with extreme banking are not smart. They are probably doomed. Bring back the Milwaukee Mile!
I think we were not fully told the extent to his injuries. He was on a respirator since the accident. That's really serious and I can tell you from personal experience, really unpleasant. Here's wishing him a full recovery. https://www.autosport.com/indycar/news/138282/wickens-now-breathing-unassisted-after-crash
Haas should take him to replace Grojean. The PR for the team would be amazing. I think the last time an American F1 driver raced in an American team was Dan Gurney.
And a way for Rossi to get his foot into the porta of Ferrari. An American driving for S.F. That would be amazing.
Even more than that... the idea that and American driver can actually race in F1 again. It's been way too long. There needs to be more of a method for American drivers to get into F1. Haas could be that way in.
http://www.espn.com/racing/indycar/story/_/id/25085265/indycar-driver-robert-wickens-confirms-paralyzed-waist-down