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Author Topic: Has Raidillon become too dangerous for modern race cars including F1  (Read 1635 times)

Offline John S

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Following another multiple shunt at Raidillon yesterday for W series cars (see below video) is there a major problem for modern racing cars on that unsighted high speed curve?

Maybe Callum Illot is right and something should be done after Anthoine Hubert's death crash multi car pile up, the incident at 24 hours of Spa this July which hospitalised Jack Aitken, and now this shunt that saw 2 drivers taken to hospital.

Luckily there seems no big injuries to W drivers, but is it time for some serious investigation?

« Last Edit: August 30, 2021, 12:26:09 PM by John S »


Racing is Life - everything else is just....waiting. (Steve McQueen)

Offline lkjohnson1950

Re: Has Raidillon become too dangerous for modern race cars including F1
« Reply #1 on: August 28, 2021, 11:58:46 AM »
They all began to spin way down the hill; there had to be rain or oil or something there. At least one of the accidents you mention was caused by the driver taking too much curb if I am remembering correctly. Not sure what the answer is but changing Raidillon would destroy a lot of Spa's character, rather like the chicane before Curva Grande at Monza. I hate that thing. Maybe some drivers need to learn that just because Lewis and Max take it flat doesn't mean everyone can. Or we could make all the cars radio controlled and the drivers would be safe and snug in simulators somewhere.
Lonny

Offline cosworth151

Re: Has Raidillon become too dangerous for modern race cars including F1
« Reply #2 on: August 28, 2021, 01:53:21 PM »
I agree with Lonnie on this one. It's only possible to "dumb down" a circuit so far until it becomes just a shadow of it's former self. One of the worst examples are the two bus stops that have destroyed the Mulsane at LeMans. Do we want every circuit to be like Paul Ricard, with massive run offs everywhere?
“You can search the world over for the finer things, but you won't find a match for the American road and the creatures that live on it.”
― Bob Dylan

Offline rmassart

Re: Has Raidillon become too dangerous for modern race cars including F1
« Reply #3 on: August 28, 2021, 07:10:49 PM »
there had to be rain or oil or something there

I was thinking the same. It looked very synchronised to me, and it is unlikely 4 drivers making the exact same mistake one after the other like that and another 2 or 3 going off track afterwards. Glad there were no serious injuries. It looked quite bad.

Offline Willy

Re: Has Raidillon become too dangerous for modern race cars including F1
« Reply #4 on: August 28, 2021, 09:28:11 PM »
I read that Lewis Hamilton said he felt the track had a bump at the depression at the bottom of Eau Rouge that was not there before. He mentioned it might have been the result of track repairs in that area due to massive flooding recently. He said it was felt through the car and was an issue.  Maybe this was a deciding factor in both the W Series and Norris shunts.

Offline Jericoke

Re: Has Raidillon become too dangerous for modern race cars including F1
« Reply #5 on: August 28, 2021, 09:30:34 PM »
I certainly agree that any crash should be investigated if it is the fault of the car, the track, the driver or just a 'racing incident'.

Certainly part of the key here is 'modern' race cars.  Top level racers have machinery that the designers of Spa couldn't have imagined.  The drivers push the limits, they have to, like never before, so modern mistakes can be more spectacular than historic ones (save for modern cars and crash structures being infinitely safer).

We see how a single twitch in a corner, an extra inch on a curb, a mere foot off of the racing line can cost a car a 10th of a second.  The drivers can't afford to give that up.  It's no longer a question of who has 'the balls' to go flat out, but who has the ability to do it lap after lap.

So either we find a way to discourage drivers from going flat out lap after lap (I think the F1 cars 'harvesting energy' actually solves this), or find a way not to physically punish them when they inevitably slip up.  (For example, a longer run off area)

Offline Andy B

Re: Has Raidillon become too dangerous for modern race cars including F1
« Reply #6 on: August 28, 2021, 10:12:45 PM »
Any changes based on this year would be wrong with the big changes coming next year and as the circuit has changed little over the years it's the cars that have changed so changes to cars which maybe next years opportunity.
Once you have retired every day is a Saturday!

Offline Jericoke

Re: Has Raidillon become too dangerous for modern race cars including F1
« Reply #7 on: August 29, 2021, 01:49:42 AM »
Any changes based on this year would be wrong with the big changes coming next year and as the circuit has changed little over the years it's the cars that have changed so changes to cars which maybe next years opportunity.

It's not just F1, aren't several series encountering problems at this particular spot?  In which case,it might be related to driving style. Should the drivers adapt to the track?  Or should the track adapt to the drivers?

I'd say the former, but if this particular corner is just utterly impossible for modern racing styles to handle then it would have to be adjusted somehow.

 (I would defer this judgement to actual active racers, and no one else. As stated, Hamilton has noticed a 'change' in the surface of the track.  It's possible engineers and weekend test drivers might not notice these subtle, yet dangerous changes.)

Offline lkjohnson1950

Re: Has Raidillon become too dangerous for modern race cars including F1
« Reply #8 on: August 29, 2021, 03:40:46 AM »
Lewis has also said leave Raidillon alone. If there is a bump there that upsets the xar at a critical point, by all means flatten it. But please don't redesign the track.
Lonny

Offline Alianora La Canta

Re: Has Raidillon become too dangerous for modern race cars including F1
« Reply #9 on: August 29, 2021, 10:02:03 PM »
They all began to spin way down the hill; there had to be rain or oil or something there.

There was a new, very large bump there, which has only appeared due to the recent flooding in the region. I believe the plan is to remove it during the winter. I think it should have been planed off at the earliest opportunity.

I'd also like to see the barriers reconfigured to reduce the amount of rebounding across the track; that's just not a very good direction for a car to go, especially when the speed is so high.
Percussus resurgio
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Offline Monty

Re: Has Raidillon become too dangerous for modern race cars including F1
« Reply #10 on: August 31, 2021, 01:21:38 PM »
Motor racing is dangerous. Cars do practice laps to learn about bumps, changes in surfaces, etc. so the drivers know where the limits are. The W-series incident was clearly due to something on the circuit - an unexpected slippery surface is dangerous at any corner on any track.
If we want motor racing to be 'safe' we could simply make all the cars go much slower - nobody would watch and nobody would enter - it completely defeats the expectation of motor racing.
Spa is considered to be one of the best circuits in the World (by drivers and spectators) because it is challenging and exciting.

Offline lkjohnson1950

Re: Has Raidillon become too dangerous for modern race cars including F1
« Reply #11 on: August 31, 2021, 10:40:15 PM »
According to GP tours, Spa already has plans and money to alter Eau Rouge/Raidillon to make it "safer". This was likely the last race at Spa as we know it.  :'(
Lonny

Offline Andy B

Re: Has Raidillon become too dangerous for modern race cars including F1
« Reply #12 on: August 31, 2021, 11:00:31 PM »
According to GP tours, Spa already has plans and money to alter Eau Rouge/Raidillon to make it "safer". This was likely the last race at Spa as we know it.  :'(

€80 million worth of money I hope they spend it wisely!
Once you have retired every day is a Saturday!

 


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