Is Interlagos safe for F!

[Steven Roy]

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns19926.html

Rafael Sperafico one of the many Sperafico brothers/cousins has been killed in a stock car accident at the same spot where Webber and Alonso tangled a few years ago. 

Is this circuit safe for F1

[Alianora La Canta]

That particular corner caused problems for in 2003, when Webber and Alonso crashed there and F1 had a very lucky escape. Not having the details of why the Sperafico crash this weekend turned out to be fatal, I'd wait until the accident has been investigated before commenting - but an investigation is clearly needed.

[Dare]

Alonso crashed in 2003 because it was raining,the
yellow lights were on,and he wasn't paying attention
to where he was going

[Ian]

Motor sport is dangerous, you will see the signs at all circuits. While nobody who is a true motor sport fan likes to see anybody injured, or worse still, killed, you can never make it totally safe, if somehow you could, it would take away the spectacle of it, the excitement of it is seeing the driver/rider putting himself and his machine on the limits. It is indeed sad when one of them loses their life, but the fact of the matter is that the most testing circuits are the best.

[Scott]

Even over the last 20 years, fatal accidents in motorsports have been vastly due to freak circumstances.  There will always be people (typically in hindsight) who will say this corner has to be fixed, that barrier needs to be re-designed, but for the most part, the present safety and track standards for major tracks are beyond adequate.

As long as the current amount of effort is continued to put into R&D safety issues and track design, then I am satisfied that nothing more can be done without destroying the sport completely.

If you want excitement in motorsports without injury or the occassional death, then buy an Xbox.

[cosworth151]

I agree that there have been great strides since Sir Jackie stirred things up back in the 70's. However, there will always be a few things that slip through the cracks. Kubica's accident at Montreal is an example. Nobody foresaw a car hitting that barrier at high speed. I'm sure there will be changes there for next year.

As for Interlagos, it could use a few changes. In the 2003 race, Turn 3 had a river running over it. Button, Montoya, Pizzonia, and both Minardis went off in the corner. Even rainmeister Schumi lost the car there. I'm sure it can be corrected without ruining it.

[Scott]

That's obvious when there is a situation like you are talking about with drainage a problem, but the question is to change the corner because a car that rightly should have stayed off the track, bounces unexpectedly back onto the racing line, and is T-boned by another driver.  You can always build bigger and bigger runoff areas (pretty soon the fans are all watching the big screen, so why bother going to the race?), but my point is to not alter the original racing line.  If it was a poor design to begin with, then maybe the entire track layout should be examined, but on the other hand, if you just poke at a few corners here and there, it can often take away from the overal rythm of the track.  Interlagos is a great race, and mucking about with it will not improve it in my opinion.  I'm horrified as anyone when such a tradgedy takes place, but it was honestly a freak accident that will likely not happen again. 

[Steven Roy]

I don't believe in freak accidents.

That was the kind of explanation given when Piquet hit the wall at Tamburello.  Then Berger hit it.  Then Senna hit it and died.

I cannot believe 40 years after Jackie Stewart started his crusade that people are still prepared to say that somehow the occasional death should be accepted.  Motor racing by its nature will never be totally safe but to me it is unacceptable not to improve safety because it affects the view of spectators.  Cars will always get faster so no circuit can survive in perpetuity without change.