What do the F1 panel make of this?

[prprandall51]

...MMA Used to be human cockfighting, no rules... then for safety reasons they introduced them, there has NEVER been a serious injury in the UFC because of such safeguards, does it make it less dangerous... No.

The NHL introduced new guidelines to stop the spate of concussions and neck injuries,... At the end of the day it doesn't matter what any of us think, if the troll and the FIA decide on it, then you'll have to like it or lump it.

OK, I happen to know what the FIA is, but MMA, UFC, NHL??

WTF are all these TLAs? I don't even know what sport you are talking about.

 

[verytalldave]

I have been in some meetings where people talk almost entirely in this gobbledegook. You come out no wiser than when you went in.

 

[prprandall51]

My tuppence worth: Whilst I think that F1 needs that element of danger to give it the edge, I think the ever-present possibility of ploughing into a tyrewall (or worse) or the car in front of you at just shy of 200mph is quite enough danger to give me a tingle as I watch it.

Therefore, I am happy with whatever the governing bodies do to enhance driver safety without compromising the raw performance of the cars or their agility (or their uncanny ability to form up in a long line and then drive round the circuit in a set formation for two hours).

 

[Igurisu]

I don't think the added safety this would give the driver would reduce the exicitement of F1 racing. For me its about the overtaking manouvres, drag to the first corner from the start, and in places like monaco the proximity (and skill required), to walls and corners at high speed. If it helps keep people safe then its a good idea.

 

[snoop51]

Or better still, ask Massa and his family why he is still racing today after the accident. Ask Schumacher why he came back after the Massa and Surtees accidents.

Even better still, put huge soft bumpers on the cars, restrict them to 30 mph and remove any whiff of danger at all...

How about asking Senna's family? Wouldn't he be alive today if these had been around then? Just think of the excitement he used to bring to F1 every time he raced. Now think about how many other times he could have raced if a lump of metal hadn't have smashed his helmet.

Seems like a good idea to me.

 

[E CLASS]

One of the reasons we watch F1 is because of the potential dangers...that's what makes it exciting!

Can you imagine how hot it will get in there in the hotter climes!!!

More chance of passing out than crashing.

 

[verytalldave]

Climate control....................adds a further layer of problem.



I mean, why not just sit them all in front of PS3's if you really want to eliminate all danger ? ? ?

 

[Benzowner]

So why not make the crash helmets out of jet fighter canopy material? Keeps the driver safe from flying objects and looking as they do now. Otherwise F1 becomes almost like saloon car racing

 

[neilrr]

They can't make necks out of jet fighter canopy material. That's the prob.

 

[wemorgan]

So why not make the crash helmets out of jet fighter canopy material? Keeps the driver safe from flying objects and looking as they do now. Otherwise F1 becomes almost like saloon car racing

But the brain within the helmet would still experience the pressure pulse due to the contact.

 

[E CLASS]

I think they should run two races like in the touring cars in an afternoon.

And run a reverse grid for the second race.

That would really shake things up a bit.

 

[neilrr]

About the only thing that guarantees an interesting F1 race is a wet track.

I reckon they should install a sprinkler system & mess around with the 'volume' control willy-nilly during the race. THAT would make for a very exciting race.

Either that or sell spectators 1000 hoses with 1000 gallons of water each & let them spray as & when they feel like it. It'd be sort of a cross between F1 & Total Wipeout, hopefully without Richard Hammond.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I have been in some meetings where people talk almost entirely in this gobbledegook. You come out no wiser than when you went in.

You mean GDG

 

[Mr E]

How about asking Senna's family? Wouldn't he be alive today if these had been around then? Just think of the excitement he used to bring to F1 every time he raced. Now think about how many other times he could have raced if a lump of metal hadn't have smashed his helmet.

Seems like a good idea to me.

Wouldn't have the slightest difference in the Senna case - his injury was caused by the steering column which was inside the cockpit and so would have been inside the canopy.

 

[lancebond]

OK, I happen to know what the FIA is, but MMA, UFC, NHL??

WTF are all these TLAs? I don't even know what sport you are talking about.

MMA is Mixed Martial Arts of which the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) is the main promoter

the NHL is the National Hockey League. (ice hockey.. not the girls sport)


the reason i put both of those sports in is simply because of a similar risk (albeit of a less severe nature) of head injuries, safeguards were brought in to avoid them if possible, and while it doesn't rule them out completely it does reduce the risk significantly.

this is all the F1 teams are playing with, they don't want to make it any less of a spectacle but rather make it that little bit safer.


my thought last night however was one of a ejection system, this canopy couldn't be put in without some sort of punch out, for example if the car is on fire, obviously we couldn't have ejector seats, but the canopy itself would have to have the same sort of explosive punch out that is on fighter jets.

 

[neilrr]

Wouldn't have the slightest difference in the Senna case - his injury was caused by the steering column which was inside the cockpit and so would have been inside the canopy.

I thought Senna was killed by the R front wheel entering the cockpit.

 

[Satch]

my thought last night however was one of a ejection system, this canopy couldn't be put in without some sort of punch out, for example if the car is on fire, obviously we couldn't have ejector seats, but the canopy itself would have to have the same sort of explosive punch out that is on fighter jets.

There are "lightweight" ejector seats designed for use at zero height but they use ejection guns and underseat rocket motors and need to be pretty upright in configuration!

You can have canopy jettisoning systems that are ballistic or rocket powered but they add weight. The lightest system is based around Detonating Cord that shatters the canopy. Those are the zig zag lines you see on some canopies (not, as one Minister visting an RAF base thought, a demister......)

So overall a lovely mix of propellant powered ejection guns, rockets and Det. Cord! They are called Bang Seats for a reason

 

[jepho]

I am probably on my own here but I would like to see a return to F1 cars that required a driver to drive them and then relied on his personal skills to pilot them. Ecclestone and his permanent entourage of fawning sycophants along with the expensive F1 circus which he promotes as good for the sport, has done absolutely nothing for the promotion of the sport of F1.

Is F1 safer than it was? Undoubtedly. Is it now as boring as spectacle as Indy car oval racing? Yes, in my opinion, F1 racing is asking the driver to put his life in the hands of his computer programming technicians. I have no wish to see any driver getting hurt for my entertainment. I would like to know that F1 drivers are driving a car that required skills to drive it, which we all might use when driving, without needing a £30,000 steering wheel to operate an F1 car that has more in common with a pilotless surveillance drone than a modern road car.

/rant

 

[E CLASS]

Lets get back to gear sticks!

 

[lancebond]

There are "lightweight" ejector seats designed for use at zero height but they use ejection guns and underseat rocket motors and need to be pretty upright in configuration!

You can have canopy jettisoning systems that are ballistic or rocket powered but they add weight. The lightest system is based around Detonating Cord that shatters the canopy. Those are the zig zag lines you see on some canopies (not, as one Minister visting an RAF base thought, a demister......)

So overall a lovely mix of propellant powered ejection guns, rockets and Det. Cord! They are called Bang Seats for a reason

Ah det cord... I miss using det cord.


The amount of improper use of that stuff when we had nothing to do, still makes me wonder how me and some oppos still have our limbs