Whereas I like your post and can see your point, I suspect that not to many drivers would agree with - OK, maybe Barrichello.
The Danger of Monaco
- Thread starter teabagyokel
- Start date
Whereas I like your post and can see your point, I suspect that not to many drivers would agree with - OK, maybe Barrichello.
RevMaxPower
Banned
yes to that Sly. What we saw today was more comedic than anything I've seen since I dunno when. Trouble is comedy isn't funny at 180mph.
You have to laugh - because if you really stop and think about it Formula 1 HAS become a bit of a farce.
Enough to make you weep..!
Shame.
This from the BBC:
This is just one driver and it would be incongruous of me to suggest that is a representative sample. Normally, with regards to safety, drivers appear somewhere on the Webber-Hamilton scale!
I think the exit of the tunnel needs to be thought about, but I do accept that there's probably a building in the way in true Monaco style!
Of course, I don't know the answer!
Unfortunately, all of this brings to mind an observation by the late great private entrant Rob Walker. He said that it used to be that the cars were designed to meet the demands of the circuits, now its the other way around. For F1 cars to be safer at Monaco, they need to be narrower. That would make passing easier and provide effectively wider run-offs before contact is made with the wall. It would also reduce their cornering ability.
Have to keep tracks like Monaco on the F1 calender. Otherwise we will end up with an F1 season raced at 20 Tilke designed tracks with huge run off areas the size of supermarket carparks.
It strange that Monaco has had only two deaths that I can think of (Fagioli, 1952 and Bandini,1967). Compared to somewhere like Monza that was a death trap in the late thirties and again in the early seventies. The trend with recent incidents, the worst ones have been to do with head injuries, the most exposed part of the driver. The slower speeds used to be the saviours of the drivers at Monaco, but now they spend half the lap over 90mph, maxing out at 180mph.
Street circuits can be exciting without being as dangerous as Monaco though. Singapore is an exciting, more open track, ditto Australia and Canada (not strictly a street circuit I know). I have nothing against street circuits per se but Monaco either needs to be changed radically or the cars need to be specially adapted. I won't mention Valencia though (oh damn, I just did 
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There have been very few deaths at Monaco, but the speeds are increasing and the dice is being rolled more.
I think the problem is just with the Nouvelle Chicane. The rest of the track is great! Anyone who has walked around it "off-season" will know how it is just "right". The chicane though was added to do a job that is now out of date.
I think in the olden days, it used to just be a straight blast down to Tabac, It is and while that may not be the right answer either with the lack of run off there, there must be something that can be done to move the braking point so it is not on the crest of the steep hill down to the corner.
The chicane was put there to increase safety, but it seems that the cars have outgrown chicanes. I always say that it is not going fast that is dangerous, it is stopping suddenly that hurts... That wall that Perez hit should not have been there!
I think in the olden days, it used to just be a straight blast down to Tabac, It is and while that may not be the right answer either with the lack of run off there, there must be something that can be done to move the braking point so it is not on the crest of the steep hill down to the corner.
The chicane was put there to increase safety, but it seems that the cars have outgrown chicanes. I always say that it is not going fast that is dangerous, it is stopping suddenly that hurts... That wall that Perez hit should not have been there!
Fenderman
Rooters Reporter
The chicane isn't really the problem. All of the crashes like the ones we saw today start in the tunnel or tunnel exit. The chicane is just where they end up, usually having lost a shed load of parts on the way. That's the difficulty with sorting out that section, there's no space to redesign the track there.
By getting rid of the chicane, they then don't have to brake on the bump therefore there will be less of these Perez/Rosberg accidents....but then it would just turn into a long straight...which then would be pointless?
Why do I always contradict myself?
I think (but am ready to be corrected) that the barrier/corner where Petrov went in used to be another 20 or so metres closer to the tunnel. I'm not sure when it was moved, but then again I somehow think the tunnel used to be shorter too, maybe old age has befuddled me. Anyway, my point is that they've made that section safer (different) over the years but it's the tunnel exit/deceleration zone that's the problem.
Agreed jez, I was just saying last week how the circuit would benefit from having the chicane removed.
It would even be an ideal place for the flappy wing the FIA seems to like so much.
I still think it has outlived its usefulness as a modern F1 venue though.
These days it wouldn't even pass the first safety hurdle, and rightly so.
It would even be an ideal place for the flappy wing the FIA seems to like so much.
I still think it has outlived its usefulness as a modern F1 venue though.
These days it wouldn't even pass the first safety hurdle, and rightly so.
It's the only place where a driver can overtake in Monaco...even that has to be done ruthlessly....
Fenderman
Rooters Reporter
One of the reasons for the imposition current design of the chicane was that cars exiting the tunnel flat out had a habit of flying off the "bump" which is actually a small crest and skew out of control all the way down the straight. One such incident (I'm afraid my memory box doesn't sem to be allowing access to the details) inspired the crazy crash in John Frankenheimer's 1960's classic movie, Grand Prix. where the central character is spewed up the bank and into the Med'.
Edit: Reviewing footage unearthed by gethinceri shows the original chicane is a Y junction. Obviously people who live, or who have actually been there know this. Surprised I wasn't the subject of some humiliation there!
Edit: Oh, I forgot to mention that James Garner played the character "Lewis Hamilton" whose broken gearbox caused said leading player to take his dip. A fierce penalty was duly applied.
Edit: Reviewing footage unearthed by gethinceri shows the original chicane is a Y junction. Obviously people who live, or who have actually been there know this. Surprised I wasn't the subject of some humiliation there!
Edit: Oh, I forgot to mention that James Garner played the character "Lewis Hamilton" whose broken gearbox caused said leading player to take his dip. A fierce penalty was duly applied.
Ascari perhaps?
Fenderman
Rooters Reporter
Yes, I think that's right. TBY will, I'm sure come to the aid of my memory and knowing him he'll find the footage!
Christ, he'll need one of those magic lantern things, it was 1955!TBY will, I'm sure come to the aid of my memory and knowing him he'll find the footage!
Hooray, found it:
Kind of.
Kind of.
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