FIA ruining F1 in the name of safety

[Jolle]

There is (or should be) a big difference between "racing is not without risk" and "racing should be dangerous".

In racing you should be at risk to loose time because of a mistake, to risk to end your race when you go off, the risk of damaging your car, the risk to be a bit shaking up after a big crash.

Racing should be as safe as possible, no injury (apart from some bruises) is worth it. Racing wasn't helped with Senna's death, or Surtiees, or Kubitca's accident. They were all very unnecessary.

A big crash is only heroic when the driver gets out, shakes his head and walks off, next to the desperation of the leading car stuck in the gravel trap....

But... traveling at 300 km/h in a prototype with just a few inches of protection is always dangerous.

[langwadt]

Let me first state that I am not a fan of super safe tracks and tarmac run-off areas. But I have just realized something. In my opinion, if f1technical existed back in the '60s there would be similar topic with ranting about the spirit of F1 being ruined by some drivers group that want the trees that grow next to the track being cut. Maybe current driver safety innovations are also something that in half a century would be considered as normal.

everytime the safety precautions in track racing is discussed I wonder how rally is still allowed

How many fatalities there have been in the WRC championship in the last decade? I guess the number must be high for you to say this, right?

no, that wasn't how I meant it. I just find it curious that while one kind of racing is adding
safety features like bigger runoff areas, safety fences etc. another (somewhat slower but still plenty fast) kind of racing is the way it has always been, with trees, houses and cliffsides

[marmer]

there are huge benefits to a safe area around the racetrack. more cars on track is better for on track action. if you loose 5 cars at the first corner their would be less on track battles later on. in a car locks up going into turn 1 looses time and is able to carry on and have battles with others later i don't see how being safe has damaged the race.
the other way is does a safe track allow more battles. would you charge up the inside of someone and try and out brake them if you knew you would be out of the race if it went wrong.
put a gravel trap at turn 1 at monza instead of the runway there would be far less moves attempted

[Sniffit]

http://www.autosport.com/premium/featur ... ack-limits

[Giblet]

Safety is an ongoing process.

The person who started this thread thinks racing "should be dangerous" which is nonsense.

It IS dangerous, and it always will be to a point. But the 'balls' argument is not a real one. Not a single thing added for safety has ruined the sport.

[zac510]

It's kind of ironic that people like this thread OP are so afraid of safety.

[Andres125sx]

It's kind of ironic that people like this thread OP are so afraid of safety.

I wouldn´t say ironic, I´d call it Playstation mentality. It´s easy to ask for a competition where drivers risk their lifes when you´re confortable sitted on your armchair watching the show... More blood! Without blood this is not entertaining!!


Playstation mentality

[Vasconia]

F1 should be as safe as it can be without ruinning the spectacle. For some reason drivers receive millions for the job they do.. There must be a balance but risk is an essential part of the sport.

[turbof1]

I feel the moral question about safety is quite easy to answer in theory: maximum risk to the car, minimal risk to the driver.

I think that in practice, too much effort is being spent on keeping the car out of harm's way. Aborting or delaying starts, tarmaq instead of gravel traps, moving walls away, filling up holes and bumps next to the circuit. I mean: sure, that'll also keep the driver safe which is great, but what about focussing on safety designs on the car that keeps the driver safe and secure to the point he can wreck his car in all safety?

Nothing gets a crowd more excited then a car smashing itself to thousands of bits, just as long as the driver can simply walk away shaking his head why he had to miss his braking point.

[zac510]

I wouldn´t say ironic, I´d call it Playstation mentality. It´s easy to ask for a competition where drivers risk their lifes when you´re confortable sitted on your armchair watching the show... More blood! Without blood this is not entertaining!!


Playstation mentality

Yeah I know what you mean, but there are some old(er) posters that are afraid of safety too.

(Although, playstation is at least 20years old now I think about it!)

[Sniffit]

"When you missed a corner in the old days you were dead or hurt. Today, you miss a corner, you run wide and rejoin. But not in Monte Carlo, maybe not in Spa, maybe not in Monza, and maybe not in Suzuka.

"We need to go back to tracks where you realise who the best are. This [Monaco] is one of those tracks. This is where we need to go back."

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-n ... 10596/?s=1

[strad]

Could not agree with what Toto says any more fervently..