Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2020Formula 1

[Jimlaad43]

The fire marshals were incredibly quick, the guy who ran across and aimed the extinguishant at the driver was brilliant. How Romain got out with the barrier literally over the cockpit was incredible. Romain is incredibly lucky and the marshalling shown in the immediate aftermath was exemplary. Well done guys!

 

[Ether]

Watching Romain climb from the flames is one of the most heroic pictures I've seen in modern sports ever. Unbelievable. Reminds me of Nicki's crash at the Nurburgring all those decades ago.

 

[Liquid]

I was thinking yesterday I can't remember the last time a fuel cell went up in flames...

It would appear we've found our latest safety flaw the needs correcting. There is clearly a flaw in the design of both the cars and the armco barriers, which apparently are weak enough to be breached by a car but also strong enough to cleanly slice a car in half. I've always felt a bit funny about the fuel cell being directly behind the driver, the car broke up in the way that the front wing can be easier attached and detached, and that should've be happening right down the middle of the car. Hubert's car broke in the same place.

Martin Brundle's car snapped in half in roughly the same place too.

Is it an inherent flaw in "that shape" of open-wheel race cars?

 

[andrea]

He saved himself. If he didn’t come out of the car by his own means, he’d be dead.

 

[FutureF1]

I’m on tape delay but someone needs to look into that Haas design. Cars are NOT supposed to burst into flames like that. Appalling. Thankful that he’s safe

 

[numbnuts70]

So they're cutting the section out and not replacing it.

 

[PaMu1337]

Martin Brundle's car snapped in half in roughly the same place too.

View attachment 974948

Is it an inherent flaw in "that shape" of open-wheel race cars?

It's by design. The safety cell breaks off to take away as much force as possible

 

[Dennisch]

If he doesn't race anymore this season, he did quit in typical Grosjean style. And with his biggest work ever.

 

[girabyt3]

What bothers me is... Why there are still those kinds of barriers in F1??... There should be at least a few safer barriers already in F1 races, just like La Sarthe having a safer in the 24h!

 

[PaMu1337]

If he doesn't race anymore this season, he did quit in typical Grosjean style. And with his biggest work ever.

Dude, that's not an ok thing to say right now

 

[phillgt2002]

What bothers me is... Why there are still those kinds of barriers in F1??... There should be at least a few safer barriers already in F1 races, just like La Sarthe having a safer in the 24h!

I'm not sure, to be honest. They have to have some reason for it.

 

[NotThePrez]

Looks like a small bit of debris from Stroll may have impacted RoGro's FR tire. Not sure if that played a part in the incident.

 

[MatskiMonk]

Is it an inherent flaw in "that shape" of open-wheel race cars?

The engine's bolted to the safety cell isn't it? The engine's not going to snap, and you really don't want the survival cell to break, so I'd imagine it's best to design the failure point between the two.

 

[phillgt2002]

 

[Liquid]

It's by design. The safety cell breaks off to take away as much force as possible

That's true. I suppose that in Grosjean's case, in terms of direction and inertia, there was nowhere for the life cell to continue moving to other than through the barrier, such was the force even with a detached life cell.

 

[Grayfox]

What bothers me is... Why there are still those kinds of barriers in F1??... There should be at least a few safer barriers already in F1 races, just like La Sarthe having a safer in the 24h!

Dont think you can compare a Open Wheel Racer to an LMP or GT car.
There is more gap between body and tank is larger in these cars as the cars are not as tightly packaged.

 

[Dennisch]

Dude, that's not an ok thing to say right now

I don't see why not. He walked away, albeit a bit bruised here and there, another showcase of the absolute magnificent safety features of an F1 car, how hideous they might be, and it was a crash that was 100% his own fault.

 

[ZoomingZoomer]

If he doesn't race anymore this season, he did quit in typical Grosjean style. And with his biggest work ever.

I really shouldn't have chuckled at that.

 

[Grayfox]

I'm not sure, to be honest. They have to have some reason for it.

They absorb impact.

 

[MatskiMonk]

Let's not forget that heavy deformation of barriers and bits coming off the cars is good for reducing the energy of the collision.

Let's be thankful that in spite of such a serious accident, the driver is walking away with relatively minor injuries... that's a testament to the safety protocols and procedures already in place. I'd suggest it's not luck that kept him alive, it's planning, foresight, design, testing, knowledge, planning and a whole host of other things that go on behind the scenes. Hopefully they'll learning something new from this, but let's not clamor for too many knee jerk reactions.

 

[Jimlaad43]

What bothers me is... Why there are still those kinds of barriers in F1??... There should be at least a few safer barriers already in F1 races, just like La Sarthe having a safer in the 24h!

Going through the barrier probably saved him, if that was solid concrete (which worryingly is what they're replacing it with), it would have stopped him much quicker and caused deceleration injuries as well as the fire.

SAFER is designed for different types of impact, mainly sideways ones designed to keep the car moving along the wall in ovals, and is always much closer to the racing line than that barrier was.

 

[numbnuts70]

Looks like it was a domino effect of Stroll rejoining the track.

 

[PaMu1337]

Going through the barrier probably saved him, if that was solid concrete (which worryingly is what they're replacing it with), it would have stopped him much quicker and caused deceleration injuries as well as the fire.

These types of concrete walls (the connected blocks) also have a bit of give. It's not as bad as you'd think

 

[Grayfox]

Looks like it was a domino effect of stroll rejoining the track.

Stroll seems to be like a collision magnet.

 

[AudiMan2011]

I doubt Grosjean will be racing again next week, so it's looks like Mazepin or Schumacher may get an early promotion, though I wouldn't blame them if they decide to pass on that...

I don't think Grosjean is gonna be in that car even at Abu Dhabi.

 

[Dennisch]

Put up concrete with safer walls from the ovals. Those things work. Has been shown in Indycar and Nascar.

 

[TenEightyOne]

I'd suggest it's not luck that kept him alive, it's planning, foresight, design, testing, knowledge, planning and a whole host of other things that go on behind the scenes.

Agreed. Brawn calls luck "preparation awaiting opportunity", and that's what this was. Astonished to see Grosjean climbing out of that.

There will surely be some lessons to learn but for now... ****.

 

[Jimlaad43]

These types of concrete walls (the connected blocks) also have a bit of give. It's not as bad as you'd think

Kvyat's crash at Silverstone begs to differ. Bear in mind I have first-hand experience of cars that have hit Armco vs Concrete as a marshal. Armco is much preferred to hit for circuit racing.

 

[phillgt2002]

 

[girabyt3]

Dont think you can compare a Open Wheel Racer to an LMP or GT car.
There is more gap between body and tank is larger in these cars as the cars are not as tightly packaged.

I'm not comparing... I know there's a huge difference between an open-wheel and a GT/LMP... I'm saying the safer barriers can have a bigger effect in safety terms in an open-wheel crash, just see the IndyCar's crashes, those things (in ovals) can stay above 200+ mph (320+ kmh) and most can always end with the car ignited due to the impact, still the drivers end up with some minor bruises (or any) in those crashes thanks to the safers. Yeah, I know we are on a circuit (with slow corners and straights that can't pass over 200+ mph) but a safer obviously would have easily avoided this situation.