Robert-Kubica out of 2011 Season

[Schuey]

Hope his F1 career doesn't end. Nice chap who keeps himself to himself and gets on with the job. A fast driver too, not just one of the lucky ones who are crap and have only got in because their dad or family member used to race!

 

[Bellow]

one of the lucky ones who are crap and have only got in because their dad or family member used to race!

Who???

 

[Schuey]

Bruno Senna, Nelson Piquet Junior etc...

Nico Rosberg is a good one though.

 

[flango]

Came through the front of the car...

Overclockers UK Forums - View Single Post - Robert Kubica has suffered "serious injuries"

look in this one at drivers side... you can see the steps behind the car. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/DrewPeacock/tutorials/Kubica8.jpg

Thanks for that, that is Brutal and a frontal intrusion like that there is no protection for anything like that it would have come straight into the cabin, the underside of the car is guarded on both sides as I would have expected. I guess the question now is how did the armco detach and spear the car like that

 

[corned]

Jeez. I suppose he should consider himself fortunate to have any intact bits following an incident like that.

It doesn't matter how much progress is made in safety, there is always a way for fate to circumvent whatever means or measures are put in place.

I too quite like him (in as far as his personality comes across on the TV, etc), and I agree that he appears to be a no-nonsense get-on-with-the-job kind of guy, without the 'baggage' common in those circles.

I hope that he can make as good a recovery as possible.

 

[Timper]

Gutted for him and for us the F1 fans that he will miss the season.

He certainly only has spectacular crashes doesnt he, our Kube!

Here's to wishing him a speedy recovery.

 

[Simon_M]

 

[AMGBlack]

HELLS TEETH!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[moonloops]

Yes indeed hell's teeth..

 

[grober]

Someone's posted this computer simulation of the accident probably completely from their imagination and published photos but nevertheless. Computer simulation of Kubica's accident | Videos | Features | F1 Pulse

Good news is he is recovering as well as can be expected.

The F1 Times | Manager: Kubica coming to terms with injury

 

[grober]

When you see the extent of cabin intrusion it makes you question the construction of these "space frame" rally specials. Just how much of a "bulkhead " or floor really existed? The forces involved may make the question academic but I do remember 2 terrible Lancia type 037 crashes in the 80's that led to the banning of group B type cars at the time.

 

[flango]

When you see the extent of cabin intrusion it makes you question the construction of these "space frame" rally specials. Just how much of a "bulkhead " or floor really existed? The forces involved may make the question academic but I do remember 2 terrible Lancia type 037 crashes in the 80's that led to the banning of group B type cars at the time.

The floor is well protected as can be seen on one of the photographs, usually by alloy skid plates protecting the floor area directly beneath the co driver and driver as this is a known intrusion area and it's usually the branch of a tree that comes through.

Bulkheads are not normally protected although some are reinforced to take out flex and stiffen up the car but basically if you get a direct head on or rear on intrusion there is little you can do about it at those speeds. It's the law of averages and statistics it's extremely rare to get an intrusion or an impact like this in rallying (I can't wait for some amateur video footage to be possted to see what really happened, as it did not happen like the simulation portrays) Most rallying accidents are rollovers so you use your best protection against that and protect against intrusion through the floor door panels etc. This really was a very nasty and very unlucky accident. If you get it wrong in motorsport it is very rare you get hurt, look at some of the horror crashes people have walked away from, luck of the draw I guess

 

[Mactech]

If you get it wrong in motorsport it is very rare you get hurt, look at some of the horror crashes people have walked away from, luck of the draw I guess

Fortunately this is quite true, but every so often a new sort of accident comes along and shakes up our known understanding of safety.
It is very rare to be ‘speared’ by the end of an Armco barrier but it can happen.
Motorsport can never be completely safe when you have people travelling at huge speeds close to static objects. The laws of physics and our own fragility will never change.
I personally have worked with the FIA to bring in new technical regulations to increase the safety of race cars. An extension of the work brought to public notice by Sir Jackie Stewart and ironically, championed by Max Moseley during his tenure of the FIA. The work is still on going and if there is some good to come out of this horrible accident, then we can be certain that competition cars (and some road cars) will be safer in the future.
Lessons will be learnt.

 

[grober]

I stand to be corrected on this but my understanding is that space frame construction yields an extremely rigid structure but one which is poor at dissipating impact energy. If it fractures on impact it can itself become a fearsome object capable of inflicting major damage to occupants due to the narrow cross section and radius of its component parts. A metal or composite seam welded or bonded monocoque structure would normally present a broad cross section to anyone unfortunate to come into contact with it and perhaps have better energy dissipation and resistance to penetration?? I am not saying this would have helped in this case but I am struck by the interior of Kubica's car which is not dissimilar in appearance to single seaters of the 50s and 60's! That steering column support frame looks positively lethal. In an era when composite single seater tubs can withstand incredible impacts is it possible that in the search for lightness and rigidity a less than "state of the art technology" had to be employed possibly on the grounds of cost and / or present construction regulations. I am just posing the question not passing judgement.

 

[Mactech]

Modern rally cars are a steel monocoque construction with the addition of a complete safety cage welded inside the existing cars structure. The drivers are moved as central as possible to the assumed most protected spot.
You are right about fractured tubes inflicting harm, but this seldom happens now and most rally cars can be rolled into a ball in a pine forest without harm to the occupants.
This accident is just way outside the 'norm'
Impact protection tests are much more difficult on a rally car. Circuit racers hit walls and armco in 'controlled' conditions. None of this normally applies to rally cars!

 

[grober]

Some good shots of constructional details in this clip.
[YOUTUBE]LoSuop4nHps&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]