Worse conditions have been raced in numerous times before, if you have a huge wall of spray in front of you then it's pretty obvious another car is there, just focus on hitting your braking points and keeping your car on the circuit. Wet weather racing is not about going full speed and overtaking it's about still being on track at the end of the race. If the cars weren't able to race then they wouldn't have done 4-5 laps behind the safety car.
Poll: Belgian Grand Prix 2021, Spa-Francorchamps - Race 12
- Thread starter Shimmy
- Start date
Caporegime
They've already said they will discuss rules changes in the aftermath. But, with the rules as they are, that was the correct course of action.
They're claiming that they thought there was going to be a break in the rain that would allow some racing. The teams seem to agree. I dunno, it seemed like a cynical stunt to me, and they certainly did run what they did to the 2 lap rule, but I thought the conditions looked better and I can see that there's an argument it was worth trying to have the race if at all possible. Until the cars are on track I don't see how they can make a final judgement on whether it is safe to race.
That was probably the best part of the race weekend. The poll at the top of the thread should have included "Lewis Hamilton's radio chat".
Deleted member 651465
D
Deleted member 651465
Come off it, there’s much worse.
In no way was the rain Hamilton’s (or any other drivers fault). Why should they have to pay for the circus of the “event” that FOM put on yesterday?
in my view, the drivers are right to raise their concerns over the fans getting shafted. It’s those fans that support the sport they race in.
Remember footballers refusing to take a pay cut during COVID? They got off Scott free whilst the average joe had to take furlough or nothing.
Man of Honour
- Joined
- 21 Nov 2004
- Posts
- 46,139
This post is a new low even for this thread. Why should the drivers have to pay? The buck, literally, stops with the race organisers and their lack of a wet weather plan.
It’s funny how you also only mention Hamilton by name when many of the drivers, ex-drivers, pundits and team principals have said the same, but sure, channel that hate to him.
Last edited:
Associate
Oooof that was nasty.. Had heard about it during the F1 commentary but hadnt seen the video yet.
Man of Honour
- Joined
- 21 Nov 2004
- Posts
- 46,139
I wasn’t a fan of halo, but that argument is over, it’s proved it’s worth too many times already. I don’t even notice it anymore.
The Indy 500 has been postponed a couple of times due to rain and run during the following week.
There have also been a couple of Le Mans 24hrs where the racing has been suspended during the night due to the weather conditions.
Soldato
"The FIA rejected the claim that the final two laps were a cynical move to make the event official.
Race director Michael Masi said officials thought there could be a weather window in which some racing could take place, and the cars were sent out to assess conditions."
Now excuse me for being cynical, but the safety car and the medical car were both sent out to "assess conditions" at various times yesterday. So, prey tell me Mr Masi...................if the F1 cars were sent out to "assess conditions" why were they also classed as racing for 2 laps ?
It's complete and utter hogwash. They were sent out to do those 2 laps so as to make sure the paying fans would not be entitled to a refund...................plain and simple. Anyone that honestly believes any other explanation is living in cloud cuckoo land.
Race director Michael Masi said officials thought there could be a weather window in which some racing could take place, and the cars were sent out to assess conditions."
Now excuse me for being cynical, but the safety car and the medical car were both sent out to "assess conditions" at various times yesterday. So, prey tell me Mr Masi...................if the F1 cars were sent out to "assess conditions" why were they also classed as racing for 2 laps ?
It's complete and utter hogwash. They were sent out to do those 2 laps so as to make sure the paying fans would not be entitled to a refund...................plain and simple. Anyone that honestly believes any other explanation is living in cloud cuckoo land.
Soldato
I don't want to be drawn into the halo talk much as I'm not against the halo, but I've seen about 5 or more drivers/accidents listed saying the halo saved them. Really all in a season and a half? We weren't having 5 drivers die every 18 months without the halo.
Don
Accidents are kinda unpredictable. You may have none of a certain type for ages, then a few in a row? It's just how these things happen.
The N24 is frequently red flagged due to weather, this year's race having a 13hr stoppage and last year 7hrs.
Soldato
Spa 24 regularly gets red flagged for bad weather. 2019 there was about 6 hours of no running until 11am ish due to rain/fog.
Caporegime
They did detailed analysis of Grosjean and Leclerc's accidents and concluded that was the case. Some of the others may be more questionable but, of course, preventing a head injury seems like a worthwhile win even if it didn't save a life. In any case, the Halo has been in place since 2018, 3 and a half seasons, and it's not just in F1: some of the incidents come from other formulas. Since 2018, 8 drivers have been killed in various kinds of motorsport.
In the 26 seasons I've been watching F1, only one driver has been killed. In the 26 seasons before that there were thirteen drivers killed in races, plus two more during testing. I am glad to be watching in an era where they have taken safety so seriously.
Soldato
Whether every one of those crashes would have ended with a serious injury or worse is usually subjective, but I think we can say with near 100% certainty that without the halo Romain Grosjean wouldn't be with us today. Without the halo the next thing to come between the barrier and the rear of the safety cell was his head and the helmet on it. He wouldn't have stood a chance.
Soldato
Have to say that F1 is a complete joke if they labelled this as a 'race' it stinks of money grabbing and isn't what I'd expect from the supposed pinnacle of motorsport.
Associate
- Joined
- 30 Mar 2021
- Posts
- 22
This is going OT, but I think Grosjean’s Bahrain crash highlighted how obsolete and dangerous Armco barriers at many F1 tracks have become. That barrier he hit was clearly installed back in 2004 when the track was being built, when F1 cars were considerably smaller and lighter than what Grosjean was driving. At 100+mph, the extra 150KG of mass creates a significant increase in kinetic energy, and it’s clearly gone beyond a critical point where it overwhelms the structural integrity of those barriers if a car hits at a certain angle. A 2000s-spec car might bounce off it and make a dent, a car now might split it wide open - and like Gav says, if it wasn’t for the Halo, Grosjean would’ve met the same kind of fate as Helmuth Koinigg.
Whenever I see unprotected Armco barriers at F1 circuits now, I fear there’s a chance the same kind of accident could happen again.
It’s an issue which seems to have gone too much under the radar so far.
Whenever I see unprotected Armco barriers at F1 circuits now, I fear there’s a chance the same kind of accident could happen again.
It’s an issue which seems to have gone too much under the radar so far.
Last edited:
I showed my wife the W Series crash and she was horrified but then relieved when she noticed the halo doing its job... I never wanted the Halo but it has definitely saved lives. How many we will never be sure of but if its a non zero number then it was worth it. IMHO