F1 fatality only a matter of time, says expert after Kubica crash

[The Stig]

Formula One motor-racing must expect fatalities in the future despite improved security measures which probably saved the life of Polish driver Robert Kubica in Sunday's horrific Canadian Grand Prix crash, a leading safety expert says. James Penrose, safety engineer for the international motorsport federation FIA, told Germany's Die Welt newspaper Tuesday that people should be "under no illusion" about the dangers in racing.

"At some point there will be a fatality again in Formula One," he said.

The last driver to be killed in Formula One was three-time world champion Ayrton Senna of Brazil at Imola on May 1, 1994.

Penrose was largely responsible for the introduction of the Hans (head and neck support) security system which stabilises and protects the head and neck of Formula One drivers.

The system was introduced in 2003 despite the resistance of many drivers.

The Hans system enabled BMW-Sauber driver Robert Kubica to escape injury in a 230kph crash at Montreal when his car lifted off the ground before hitting a wall head-on and somersaulting back onto the track into barriers.

Although the car was a wreck, Kubica suffered only slight concussion and a sprained ankle.

"Somersaults look spectacular but more critical is the angle at which a car crashes, which will affects the extent of the force which is generated," said Penrose.

Hans made sure there was no uncontrolled head movement nor whiplash movement to the neck while the car's monocoque protected Kubica's legs, the 49-year-old Irishman said.

"The chances of survival for a driver are far worse if a car rolls over another one," he said.

Penrose recalled a dangerous near-miss at the first race of the season in Melbourne when David Coulthard's Red Bull car left the ground and narrowly missed the head of Williams driver Alexander Wurz of Austria.

Meanwhile Kubica hopes to be cleared to race in Sunday's US Grand Prix at Indianapolis, although he will have to undergo a check by the FIA medical delegate on Thursday.

German test driver Sebastian Vettel is BMW's official reserve driver if Kubica is not declared fit to race in Indianapolis.

Germany's former Formula One driver Hans-Joachim Stuck has advised Kubica against a return this week.

"I am not surprised that he wants to drive," Stuck was quoted as saying by Bild newspaper on Tuesday.

"He is extremely ambitious and we all want to drive. But desire and reality sometimes lie far apart."

Stuck said FIA officials are unlikely to agree with physicians in the Montreal hospital who treated Kubica and declared him fit to race.

"I can't imagine that they will expose him to the risk - Indianapolis is not a playground," he said.

Three-time Formula One champion Niki Lauda was among many experts left amazed that Kubica emerged virtually unhurt from such a serious crash.

The 58-year-old Austrian, who suffered severe burns and almost lost his life in an accident at Germany's Nurburgring in 1976, said: "In my day, if you had a crash like that, you would have died twice over."

[Ian]

Nobody worth their salt likes to see a crash like RK's, but does this guy Penrose know that more anglers die than racing drivers.

[Lynda]

It scared the sh*t out of me watching that. And, like Senna's crash, it occurred again after the dicking around behind the safety car. It's time a better alternative was thought of, though personally I've no ideas......

Love Lynda XX 

[Lynda]

Hahaha...I didn't say poo...how funny !!!

Love Lynda XX 

[Steven Roy]

At last someone has mentioned the certainty of another death.  The big question is why do we need someone to die before Max does his job?

The Coulthard/Wurz accident has happened numerous times before and will happen again.  The answer is absolutely obvious either prevent wheels coming in contact with each other or use drag racing style cockpit roll cages.  Simple. 

The Kubica accident was very similar to Greg Moore's.  Basic common sense tells you that you should never have a wall at that angle.  Moore's accident wrote it in six foot high letters.  Max like his predecessors will wait until someone dies before every part of every wall at that sort of angle on any circuit is changed or proteceted.

Like Senna and others the cure will be put in place after someone dies.  It is sickening to think of the self congratulation that went on about the response to that accident.  If only the changes had happened when Berger hit the wall Senna would still be alive.  If only the obvious point that racing cars should not be pointed at walls angled to maximise the damaged caused during an accident had been learned decades ago we may have seen Greg Moore in F1.

[f1box]

The Coulthard/Wurz accident has happened numerous times before and will happen again.  The answer is absolutely obvious either prevent wheels coming in contact with each other or use drag racing style cockpit roll cages.  Simple. 

steven, whilst I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiments in respect to walls and angles and that this sort of hazard could and should be remedied I have to disagree with the part of your post I have quoted above.

Formula One was, is and should continue to be an open wheel open cockpit formula.

We have already have closed wheel open cockpits in other series - LMP1 for instance.

In respect of a driver (as opposed to his car) being hit by another vehicle or part of another vehicle: current F1 cars are designed to have pieces absorb impact by crumpling or falling off (wheels excepted, through the use of tethers). To prevent the intrusion of anything ranging from a whole wheel (still attached or not to it's car), a tie rod - with wheel attatched (Senna), a fire extinguisher (Tom Pryce), catch fencing (Rindt) or any other component or piece of 'street' furniture would require a fully enclosed cockpit.

This, I believe, would no longer be Formula One/Grand Prix racing - we may as well revert to silhouette racing, giving manufacturers full rein to do what ever they like underneath a recognisable body shell (sounds a little like touring cars!).

That the sport should learn from that tragedies that befall it, is beyond doubt. That the sport and it's governing body should model and predict potential hazards and pre-empt there occurance is absolutely essential. But to emasculate the sport to becoming as safe as a trip to Sainsbury's or Wal-Mart is to fundamentally deny not only the roots and heritage of the sport, but to dishonour those who have died in it's pursuance as being either foolhardy and rash, rather than being men (and women) of courage and fortitude daring to do that of which most of us could only dream.


David

[Ian]

Absolutely spot on Wiz, might as well let them all drive bumper cars if the safety brigade all get their way.

[rmassart]

"At some point there will be a fatality again in Formula One," he said.

Personally I think such statements are a little bit pointless. In a sport with speeds up to 350km/h it is obvious that in the event of a mechanical failure or a driver error the chances of a fatality are very real. Of course there will be another fatality in F1. Whether in one year or in 20 is hard to know, but what is clear is that the sport's safety is incredible compared to even a few years ago. Kubica's crash had me scared. The fact that he more or less walked away is nothing short of miraculous - except that it isn't of course. It is designed to be that way.

I am not saying safety is not a concern. It is and always will be, but F1 is a dangerous sport. If you can't accept that then choose another sport, like Chess.

[johnbull]

If you play with fire, you get burnt. Simple fact of life.

What we need to do is diminish the chances as much as possible.

As far as the cars are concerned, there has been great progress. RK's accident was frightening. I held my breath when I saw his head do a Ratzenberger or a Senna. Luckily he got away OK thanks to the thought put into the modern F1 car.

With the circuits, as Steven R said, we need to diminish the impact angles of walls. The problem is that I feel that in most cases circuits are being removed from the calender not because they are unsafe, but because the circuit owners aren't cowering to Bernie's financial demands. Nothing to do with safety at all.

[raindancer]

"At some point there will be a fatality again in Formula One," he said.

Personally I think such statements are a little bit pointless. In a sport with speeds up to 350km/h it is obvious that in the event of a mechanical failure or a driver error the chances of a fatality are very real. Of course there will be another fatality in F1. Whether in one year or in 20 is hard to know, but what is clear is that the sport's safety is incredible compared to even a few years ago. Kubica's crash had me scared. The fact that he more or less walked away is nothing short of miraculous - except that it isn't of course. It is designed to be that way.

I am not saying safety is not a concern. It is and always will be, but F1 is a dangerous sport. If you can't accept that then choose another sport, like Chess.

I quite agree and the Safety record of F1 is damn good.

[FW14B]

Safety in F1 has become much better, as shown after Kubica's accident, but improvements can still be made.  As mentioned already, walls can be removed and run off areas modified to help slow down cars.  I am not keen with giving a roll cage round the driver as this would diminish part of what F1 is all about, but I do think that even with a raised walling of the cockpit and with the HANS device drivers are still slightly at risk as shown by the Coulthard/Wurz incident this season.  The thing is it is difficult to get a happy medium between safety and taking away the lesser aspects of danger that excite us all with F1.