Although it was unlucky for Perez, I’m happy for Norris. More significantly, it’s put McLaren in a very strong position to get 3rd in the constructors race.
Stroll should be fucking embarrassed that Daddy is keeping him in a drive. To think Hamilton gets called privileged........ that takes it to a whole new level.
Checo shouldn’t be having to look for another drive - but would love to see how he fares at RB
Thought for certain I'd seen a fatality this afternoon, incredible work from Dr Ian Roberts and Alan Van Der Merwe to get Romain out. Yet again the Halo has done it's job.
Checo deserves to be on the grid next season , I hope he does go and get that Red Bull seat. Albon seems like a nice enough kid but he's nowhere near Verstappen.
The question must be, how did he go through the barrier. He shouldn’t be climbing back over from the other side !
It’s just as well he did go through the barrier, and has the halo to thank for being alive. The benefit of Armco compared to a concrete wall is that it has a certain amount of ‘give’ in it, to absorb the energy of the crash. Most people don’t realise that Armco like that is designed almost like 3 pieces of rubber band, kept in the ground by softer wooden ‘legs’ which are designed to give way on impact, in order to dissipate the energy created by impact over a longer distance.
Grosjean ended up crashing into the wall perpendicular to it, at 150 mph or so - that’s a hell of a lot a force. Remember the accident was on a straight - you don’t normally crash there, let alone at a perpendicular angle. On corners, where a perpendicular impact is more likely to occur, they put softer objects such as tyres/ techpro barriers to absorb the impact, but they don’t really work for impacts at shallower angles, such as those on straights. Where you impact at a shallower angle, you ‘slide along’ the barrier to dissipate the energy.
However as Grosjean went in at an perpendicular angle, energy from the impact was dissipated through the Armco warping, resulting in less of the energy ‘rebounding’ back into the car (though there was still a substantial amount, as it turned into a twisting force, causing the car to split in two). If that was a blunt impact, like a concrete wall, all the energy of the crash would have been ‘rebounded’ back into the car.
I’m speculating but I suspect that if he had hit a blunt wall like concrete as opposed to the Armco, Grosjean would have had even higher forces put through his body, likely knocking him out, making his escape from the inferno less likely.
He’s a very lucky boy, and no doubt has the Halo to thank for still breathing
Thought for certain I'd seen a fatality this afternoon, incredible work from Dr Ian Roberts and Alan Van Der Merwe to get Romain out. Yet again the Halo has done it's job.
Checo deserves to be on the grid next season , I hope he does go and get that Red Bull seat. Albon seems like a nice enough kid but he's nowhere near Verstappen.
To be fair, Romain got himself out. They showed courage as did the marshals rushing to the scene though. I hate to think what would have happened if Romain had lost consciousness. Also, if the car didn't have a halo, his helmet/head would have gone through the barrier.
I’ve been watching Formula One since I was about 10 years old and I’m nearly 40 now - I can’t remember ever seeing a car burst into flames like that as a result of a crash. Maybe in footage of the bad old days in the 60s and 70s but not since at least the 90s.
Ironic that Grosjean wasn’t for the halo when it was brought in. It flat out saved his life today. Being speared through jagged metal, well who knows how horrific the injuries could’ve been. At the very least he’d likely have been knocked unconscious and if that happens he’s probably stuck in those flames for too long to survive. As it was, watching the over head shots, I counted he spent something like 25 to 30 seconds engulfed in flames which must have felt like minutes to him and been utterly terrifying. Even on top of all that, given he exited from the other side of the barrier to which he hit, it must’ve been a matter of millimetres that he was able to get out of the car in time to avoid really serious burns or worse. And then you see the front end of the car completely disintegrated except for the safety cell and halo. It showed in one incident why F1 is both now incredibly safe yet still mortally dangerous. He’s been an incredibly lucky boy.
Lewis Hamilton tests positive for COVID and will miss this weekends GP.
Aside from expecting the vile comments to now flood social media, my thoughts also turn to who will replace him:
1) Hulkenberg?
2) Russell?
Please don’t be somebody shit like Guiterrez or Vandoorne......, although would probably highlight that it isn’t just the car.
Don't think they can get Stoffel in from Spain where he's testing Formula E. Might have to be George because he's already there and tested.
Where that would leave Williams I don't know - Di Resta?
Now obviously Williams have their own constructors point (s) to go for which is worth money, but then again they are on a banging deal with their engines.
If Merc want Russell, then a way will be found.
Still think it will be someone else, but really hope George gets a chance.
Vandoorne is reserve driver for them right? Makes no sense to bring in someone else when he's the designated backup. Like people asking why Fittipaldi is driving instead of Hulkenberg at Haas. a) Hulkenberg is affiliated to Mercedes and b) Fittipaldi is the reserve driver for Haas.
Yeah, I guess if they were under more pressure to be competitive then they might go for Hulk just because he has gotten up and running in a 2020 car whereas I assume Vandoorne hasn't done any running in one at all. But as everything is wrapped up and doesn't really matter, they might as well just let Stoffel do his actual job
Vandoorne is reserve driver for them right? Makes no sense to bring in someone else when he's the designated backup. Like people asking why Fittipaldi is driving instead of Hulkenberg at Haas. a) Hulkenberg is affiliated to Mercedes and b) Fittipaldi is the reserve driver for Haas.
I agree it will most likely be Vandoorne. Unfortunately third drivers are normally in place for purely financial reasons (Fittipaldi) or other reasons (Vandoornes Formula E team involvement). So we will never get a third driver take a seat who truly deserves it in sporting merit.
I mean Stoffel didn't do that badly when in F1, he just had an absolute dog of a car, being compared to teammate Alonso, and then got replaced by shiny new boy Norris. He absolutely obliterated the rest of the field in GP2, won the championship by over 100 points, so there's a decent driver in there, certainly more accomplished than the likes of Fittipaldi
But Russel is realistically pushing for valuable points. I can't see Williams wanting to let him go for that reason. I think they will go with Vandoorne. They have won the constructors and Bottas can win the race.
Massive wave of support from other drivers in the paddocks past and present (including Nico Rosberg) for George to get the seat. Few journalists reporting Mercedes are actively in dialogue with Williams to release Russell for the two races.
Cmon Merc - I really believe he is quicker than Lando. Lewis' ready made replacement for British F1!
Also positive Lewis will be pushing for George to take the seat - he has been very complimentary towards him in the past.
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Pleased as well for Alex Albon, got given to him but that performance will hopefully do his confidence a world of good
More significantly, it’s put McLaren in a very strong position to get 3rd in the constructors race.
Checo shouldn’t be having to look for another drive - but would love to see how he fares at RB
Thought for certain I'd seen a fatality this afternoon, incredible work from Dr Ian Roberts and Alan Van Der Merwe to get Romain out. Yet again the Halo has done it's job.
Checo deserves to be on the grid next season , I hope he does go and get that Red Bull seat. Albon seems like a nice enough kid but he's nowhere near Verstappen.
Ironic that Grosjean wasn’t for the halo when it was brought in. It flat out saved his life today. Being speared through jagged metal, well who knows how horrific the injuries could’ve been. At the very least he’d likely have been knocked unconscious and if that happens he’s probably stuck in those flames for too long to survive. As it was, watching the over head shots, I counted he spent something like 25 to 30 seconds engulfed in flames which must have felt like minutes to him and been utterly terrifying. Even on top of all that, given he exited from the other side of the barrier to which he hit, it must’ve been a matter of millimetres that he was able to get out of the car in time to avoid really serious burns or worse. And then you see the front end of the car completely disintegrated except for the safety cell and halo. It showed in one incident why F1 is both now incredibly safe yet still mortally dangerous. He’s been an incredibly lucky boy.
Thats another historic name that Raikkonen has raced with then given that he's the Grandson of Emerson Fittipaldi
Aside from expecting the vile comments to now flood social media, my thoughts also turn to who will replace him:
1) Hulkenberg?
2) Russell?
Please don’t be somebody shit like Guiterrez or Vandoorne......, although would probably highlight that it isn’t just the car.
Where that would leave Williams I don't know - Di Resta?
If Merc want Russell, then a way will be found.
Still think it will be someone else, but really hope George gets a chance.
Cmon Merc - I really believe he is quicker than Lando. Lewis' ready made replacement for British F1!
Also positive Lewis will be pushing for George to take the seat - he has been very complimentary towards him in the past.