Is F1 too Safe?

[siffert_fan]

I don't think any form of motor racing is "too safe".

However, we just got back from the ALMS race at Lime Rock, and that circuit reminded me of how it used to be. The track doesn't have paved runoffs large enough to land an A380 on, as do the F1 tracks--there is a double row of Armco surrounding the track, with trees nearby as well.

Does that mean the track is too dangerous to race on, as F1 would undoubtedly say? Obviously, other forms of racing don't think it is. It is also worth noting that in the ALMS race, there were 5 different classes of cars on the track at the same time, with vast differences in speeds, which meant that overtakes were commonplace. Indeed, the winning car came from 4 laps down, and regained all of that ground through racecraft, not through the retirement of competitors.

I think all of this begs the question- should ther be a never-ending quest for less dangerous tracks, or should the idea of "safe enough" come into being. After all, to make F1 as safe as possible, the end result would be for the cars to be remotely piloted vehicles (and the World Champion could then be a 300 kg pilot), and the circuits would be surrounded with 5 meter high walls of bullet-proof lexan to protect the spectators. Is that what anyone would truly want?

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Safety is extremely important but there needs to be some sort of cost to going off of the circuit and at the moment there often isn't. Where there is run-off or where you can cut a chicane, for example, perhaps the route back onto the circuit ought to be engineered to take more time than completing the corner correctly.

 

[siffert_fan]

Safety is extremely important but there needs to be some sort of cost to going off of the circuit and at the moment there often isn't. Where there is run-off or where you can cut a chicane, for example, perhaps the route back onto the circuit ought to be engineered to take more time than completing the corner correctly.

I agree. I would advocate a return of gravel traps.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

The only problem with gravel traps is that often there is no way out of them. I just want to see significant non-imposed time penalties for leaving the track. I don't really want to see drivers completely out of the race, just disadvantaged by thier errors.

 

[Slyboogy]

Well having broken a leg after a crash in karting, I have to agree with siffert_fan

I don't think any form of motor racing is "too safe".

Although, I do think when it's wet, safety goes overboard. But seeing the drivers with wet Pirelli tyres, I'm convinced that these tyres aren't good enough for wet conditions, unlike the Bridgestones.

We had several wet races in 2010, but I don't remember races getting red flagged due to the rain, the only time I remember it getting flagged in the Bridgestone era was, when we had that monsoon in Malaysia 2009. (edit: also Korea 2010, but the track surface was ever so new with poor drainage). Remember those great wet races we had in 2008? Monaco, Silverstone, and Fuji? They would get red flagged in the current F1.

As for roll hoops or canopies, I don't agree, even if it's not safe, it has to stay as open wheeled, that's where the thrill is, having had the privledge of driving a Formula Renault car before my accident, it was what gave me thrill, putting either of the two on to an F1 car will change the feeling.

 

[sportsman]

ExtremeNinja
How about this.Fulfils all all the requirments in terms of safety and penalises cars leaving the track.And having raced on it myself I can vouch for the fact that its very effective.Incidently in the car the lines are much visible to your eyes than they appear in pics.

http://www.circuitpaulricard.com/en/circuit_traks-facilities_details

• Run-off: asphalt run-off zones replacing gravel beds. The run-offs, highlighted by the red and blue colour strips of the Blue Line™ concept, offer crucial advantages for safety through their abrasive surface which slows down vehicles going off the track.
• TecPro High Speed Barriers: crushable polyethylene blocks lining the safety barriers, replacing the old tyre walls. The key innovation of this system is its capacity to absorb impact energy to reduce shock to the driver.
• ACO Monoblock Racing Drains: high-strength concrete/polyester gutters which ensure that the track is well drained. These gutters, which can withstand the stresses of being repeatedly driven over, provide an extra guarantee of safety for the drivers.

• Ultra-refined watering system enabling rainy driving conditions to be reproduced on 64 of the circuit’s track configurations.
• Lighting system: four-colour signaling lights (red, yellow, green and blue) enable the track management to send information to the drivers. These replace the conventional flags waved by track marshals, and enable track teams as well as drivers, to react faster.
• Rescue teams: support teams with high-speed vehicles crewed by two track marshals, who train all year round, particularly in fire control and driver extraction.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Sounds good to me sportsman. Sounds bloody excelent in fact.

Do we know if Paul Ricard is confirmed on the calendar alternating with Spa yet?

 

[Brogan]

Apparently that deal is now off the table, or at least that was what I read last week.

I guess it will be the usual shenanigans until next March before we find out the calendar for 2013.

 

[Speshal]

For those saying that they shouldn't go behind the safety car when it's very wet, it's probably more to do with visibility.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

WOW! That actually made my heart skip a beat!

 

[Boyle]

F1 will never be too safe while humans are driving the cars. However, are some of the decisions made (e.g. in wet conditions) too cautious?

I would say that at times they are. The safety car is often kept out for at least one lap longer than it needs to be and deployed at the first sign of heavy rain (not ridiculous weather like Malaysian monsoons). Now I would not like to see any crashes due to this but skill in the rain is one asset that drivers need to show, and I'm sure quite a few would like a wet race to showcase their capabilities.