Moss says F1 now " as dangerous as football"

[John S]

He wants walls built round edge of tracks to test true driver ability. 
Whilst I'm sure he doesn't want driver deaths,  so maybe walls are a step too far.
I'm certainly with him about the run offs being to big and too frequent for proper ability to shine through. No doubt Stirling will have been heartened by Hammy's exciting off track pass on 'full width' Rosberg in Bahrain.   

Sir Stirling Moss believes modern Formula 1 has lost some of its excitement with the recent advances in safety. Moss, who raced in the '50s when death was common place in motor sport, believes F1 is no more dangerous than football and has lost some of its appeal because of that.
 
"[Danger] made ​​the former racing much more exciting than it is today," the 82-year-old told Motorline. "The appeal was the danger. Motor racing was a very dangerous sport - and if you're a young man, you want to experience something exciting.
 
"I just didn't care, the risk didn't matter to me. I just wanted that feeling that I'm driving the race car as fast as possible - that's all I thought about when I was in the car."
 
Whilst it might not hold the same excitement as it once previously did, Moss supports the continued push for safety which has resulted in no deaths since Ayrton Senna in 1994.
 
"F1 has become a safe sport," he continued. "It has become as dangerous as football. This is fantastic, the cars are built of carbon fibre and withstand incredible forces. There has been much progress.
 
"I think that times have changed. That athletes die in competition is today regarded as unacceptable. In the post-war years, it was terrible of course, if an athlete has died in a race, but it wasn't completely unacceptable. Today it isn't accepted any more."
 
Moss's proposal to rediscover some of that lost excitement is to rid the modern tracks of their endless run-off areas which fail to punish a driver if they make a mistake.
 
"I think that today's F1 would be even more exciting if you were to build walls at the edge of the track along the entire course. Then you would see how good the current drivers are."

 By Ryan Wood, Thef1times.com, Fri 27th April. 

[cosworth151]

There is an interview with Sir Sterling on the DVD set of Grand Prix. He tells a story about letting his father know that he wanted to race. "Father asked if I was going to wear a crash hat. I said, 'That's a bit sissy, isn't it?'"

[Jericoke]

If Moss thinks 'Football' is too safe, he should turn on some NFL American football.  300+ pounds fueled by steroids to create true crimes of nature.  When a running back collides with a defensive line, there is probably as much energy at play as a two car crash in F1.  Injuries in Football are a common occurance.  A weekend slate of games is unlikely to pass without ending at least one player's career.

However, I've already stated in another thread that making F1 safe does remove some of the spectacle.

I don't believe that F1 is 'too safe' right now, however, I don't think that any drastic changes are needed.

[Monty]

I'm sure nobody wants unnecessary risk of injury but I do get a bit disillusioned when professional drivers won't race because it is raining, etc.
They are paid millions to be modern day gladiators.
The Superbike riders (AMA, BSB & WSBK) all take far more risks than F1 drivers and for a fraction of the salary. The F1 pack should read the signs on the fences.....Motor Sport is dangerous......

[Dare]

How unsafe do you make it?Would a few career ending crashes be enough?
Seems like Moss went thru that one

[Ian]

There's a lot of truth in what Sir Stirling says, we all agree that we don't want to see drivers killed or crippled again, but lets get rid of the huge run-off areas that can be driven on and even used for overtaking( ), bring back the gravel traps that punish a driver for a stupid mistake.

[F1fanaticBD]

Perhaps it annoys Moss, that these little fellows, having the least amount risk than any-other era of motor-racing history are not brave enough to push things, instead using run-off areas to keep the scrambling for position alive..

I just don't understand why do we need these run off area? Does it have anything to with safety, I guess no? Doesn't it sometimes give unfair and controversial pass, which will only create debates? Then why these are existing..

[rmihalek]

Maybe instead of a paved run-off area or gravel run-off, have some water, like a small pond or something. Then, if the driver has an off, we'll get to see how quickly they can climb from the car before it sinks! That'll add some excitement

[John S]

  
   I like your thinking rmihalek.  I can't wait to see the regs changed to force every driver to wear waders during a race.    

However I fear F1 cars are so light in comparison to their size, with big airbag floats (tyres) attached, they will probably just float.  

[Jericoke]

 
   I like your thinking rmihalek.  I can't wait to see the regs changed to force every driver to wear waders during a race.    

However I fear F1 cars are so light in comparison to their size, with big airbag floats (tyres) attached, they will probably just float.  

You know, I'd love to see an off season stunt like that!

Get Kimi to drive a 'Lotus' from Sweden to Denmark.

Hamilton and Button racing on the Thames?

Or send Rubens and Massa on an expedition up the Amazon.  (or perhaps De Nile?)

[lkjohnson1950]

I've said for a long time, the curbs should be real curbs, with no way to drive over them. Teams will soon learn to beef up the suspensions and drivers will soon learn to give them some room. Run off areas seemed to really come into favor after Tommy Kendall ran off the end of Watkins Glen's main straight at nearly full throttle, slid across the grass and stuffed a IMSA GTP car under the Armco. He was badly hurt, but might have avoided the accident if the area had been gravel or paved. Paving has come on strong as several cars had big offs in which they failed to slow, skimming over the sand or gravel. I don't know the solution; I want to see the drivers tested, but I don't want to see them hurt. 

[Scott]

Probably brought Ted (damn phone) team repair costs down as well

[Monty]

(or perhaps De Nile?)

Oh Jeri.....very sharp 

[cosworth151]

Maybe we misunderstood what he said. Maybe he meant that F1 drivers face as much danger as football (soccer) fans! Now that's deadly!

[John S]

Maybe we misunderstood what he said. Maybe he meant that F1 drivers face as much danger as football (soccer) fans! Now that's deadly!

Not anymore in Britain, and that's the only country good old Stirling would be thinking of.