Poll: Bahrain Grand Prix 2020, Sakhir - Race 15/17

[GravyMonster]

The marshal which ran across the live track to get to Perez's engine barbecue can also never be allowed to happen again. I had flashbacks of Tom Pryce's crash and was watching that through my fingers. It literally made me angry.

 

[Sui]

Yea from watching the video, either the first marshal's extinguisher wasn't suitable or he used it incorrectly. The 2nd extinguisher had a lot more 'power' behind it and actually seemed slightly useful.

 

[Jokester]

Yea from watching the video, either the first marshal's extinguisher wasn't suitable or he used it incorrectly. The 2nd extinguisher had a lot more 'power' behind it and actually seemed slightly useful.

Looked like he had a small water extinguisher which is going to be fairly useless, the 2nd guy looked to have a bigger CO2 extinguisher, again not ideal, but will at least dampen the fire down whilst you've still got CO2 left.

 

[Syla5]

The marshal which ran across the live track to get to Perez's engine barbecue can also never be allowed to happen again. I had flashbacks of Tom Pryce's crash and was watching that through my fingers. It literally made me angry.

While I completely agree, this should never happen, the situation is very different to Tom Pryce, no crested hill, completely open field of vision, drivers already under double waved yellows ("slow down and prepare to stop") etc.

 

[Syla5]

Yea from watching the video, either the first marshal's extinguisher wasn't suitable or he used it incorrectly. The 2nd extinguisher had a lot more 'power' behind it and actually seemed slightly useful.

It wasn't the correct type, but it did still help. It appeared to be a powder type extinguisher that's normally more for when they can get closer to the cars, inside them etc.

 

[Steampunk]

Looked like he had a small water extinguisher which is going to be fairly useless, the 2nd guy looked to have a bigger CO2 extinguisher, again not ideal, but will at least dampen the fire down whilst you've still got CO2 left.

What are the batteries made of? If there is any lithium in them, the last thing anyone should be doing is spraying water on a potentially cracked battery cell.

 

[Jokester]

It wasn't the correct type, but it did still help. It appeared to be a powder type extinguisher that's normally more for when they can get closer to the cars, inside them etc.

Ah you're right, the two guys on the other side are using powder. Didn't seem to be leaving much of a mess, but it might be the light conditions.

 

[Jokester]

What are the batteries made of? If there is any lithium in them, the last thing anyone should be doing is spraying water on a potentially cracked battery cell.

We're basically told not to waste your time with a water extinguisher like that for anything other than a basic paper fire/wood fire. Using it on a large fuel fire is going to be a waste of time and as you say, if there's chemicals involved water is usually a bad idea anyway.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

Commentary team kept saying how bad the Merc is in traffic, yet seemed to forget Hamilton's recovery drive about 4 races ago

He's useless in traffic, which is a shame because out of position cars tend to be a nice addition to a race.

Bottas’ race pace and race craft is embarrassing frankly.

 

[Mr Jack]

Looked like he had a small water extinguisher which is going to be fairly useless, the 2nd guy looked to have a bigger CO2 extinguisher, again not ideal, but will at least dampen the fire down whilst you've still got CO2 left.

The guy from across the track first runs in the opposite direction, so I guess (?) he went to find the more powerful extinguisher, whilst the 1st guy just ran in as quickly as possible. The combination worked well enough to get Grosjean out.

 

[JonnyT]

I wonder if Grosjean is rethinking his post-F1 options now? CAn't imagine a crash similar to that would end so well in IndyCar for example?

 

[Deleted member 651465]

Best not mention how they used the wrong type of extinguisher too. It looked like they were using CO2 which is shockingly ineffective considering the flammables they’re dealing with (co2 tries to choke the fire - pretty hard when the entire world of oxygen is against you ). Much better to go with a dry power and blanket the area as this chokes the fire, downside is the mess it leaves.

 

[Dave M]

Lucky Grosjean wasn't knocked out (or recovered quickly) and that he wasn't trapped in the car.

It was hard to see from the live broadcast due to cutting away and repeats, but it seemed to take several minutes to completely put out the fire. Perhaps they'd have been quicker if the driver was still in the car but still - it reminded me of races from Jackie Stewarts era, when it was considered an occupational hazard to be burned alive in your car

I hope they look at a way of bringing real fire fighting equipment into play more quickly - even if it means a fire fighting helicopter on station. Unlike most forms of motorsport F1 can afford that massive cost without even blinking (it's a few front wings). The advances in car safety are truly amazing, and the fact it's so shocking to see a car go up in flames like that shows the progress they've made with car safety. But when it goes wrong, as everything does eventually, you need an emergency response that is timely and effective.

 

[Dave M]

I suspect the other Marshall (behind the barrier) was downwind, and likely experiencing a LOT more heat from the fire, and was using the spray to try and let him get closer.

Its not fair to judge them with little to no experience of dealing with a fire. The guy was still running towards a very hectic situation, with burning race fuel and was also likely not sure there was a driver in that part of the wreck at all given how little he would be able to see/hear/comprehend with such a crazy situation!

There are only really a few people who would have the experience and training to run into an inferno like that - Naval fire fighters mostly - their training involves running into a real fireball in a metal box! Not even civilian fire fighter training expects fire fighters to run into a fireball.

 

[Countcussy]

Was there ever an explanation as to why the grid was rearranged after the crash. In commentary, Crofty said it was the position of the cars when the race was stopped. Despite re watching the coverage, I can't see the moment between the crash and the red flag that bottas passed albon and Danny ric. It just seems strange that it was never mentioned again.

 

[Deleted member 651465]

Was there ever an explanation as to why the grid was rearranged after the crash. In commentary, Crofty said it was the position of the cars when the race was stopped. Despite re watching the coverage, I can't see the moment between the crash and the red flag that bottas passed albon and Danny ric. It just seems strange that it was never mentioned again.

Race positions were taken from the 2nd safety car line, prior to the crash.

Did you have the volume on mute? I listened to the race and they said it a few times

 

[Countcussy]

I heard that bit, I just could not see where bottas got in front. Not that it mattered in the end. Perhaps I was not quite switched on. The crash upset me more than I thought something like that would.
It actually reminded me of where I was and who I was with when Senna died.

Edit. Just watched it again. I Get it now.

 

[this_is_gav]

Every second counts in situations like this, and I've only just noticed the medical car doesn't take turn 1 at all and instead takes the shorter and quicker inner track, saving probably 8 seconds or so.

There won't be many tracks in the world where you can do that, but thankfully this was one of them.

 

[kitfit1]

Looked like he had a small water extinguisher which is going to be fairly useless, the 2nd guy looked to have a bigger CO2 extinguisher, again not ideal, but will at least dampen the fire down whilst you've still got CO2 left.

The fire marshal that had the CO2 extinguisher was the marshal that ran from the other side of the track. If you watch the video, both he and the the medical car doctor were looking under the armco to see where Grosjean was before the extinguisher was activated. That activation forced the flames away from the safety cell and allowed Grosjean to get out. He didn't waste any time in getting out either, but i really do think that if that marshal had not been there with that CO2 extinguisher to clear a flame free path for Grosjean he would not have got out alive.

 

[steve45]

The fire marshal that had the CO2 extinguisher was the marshal that ran from the other side of the track. If you watch the video, both he and the the medical car doctor were looking under the armco to see where Grosjean was before the extinguisher was activated. That activation forced the flames away from the safety cell and allowed Grosjean to get out. He didn't waste any time in getting out either, but i really do think that if that marshal had not been there with that CO2 extinguisher to clear a flame free path for Grosjean he would not have got out alive.

Its absolutely crazy to think that one thing went very very wrong, that crash will be forever imprinted on my memory, yet so many things went so very right in this situation, after the crash everything just seemed fall into place to allow Grosjean to safely extract and survive with minimal injuries. If just one of those many things had gone wrong we'd be speaking in very different terms right now.
I'm not typically an emotional person nor do I usually get effected by events that have little to do with me. However watching that yesterday genuinely shook me up, and I was so genuinely happy to see Grosjeans posts with a smile on his face albeit with some slightly toasty hands.