Massa crashes after being hit by heave spring

[timbo]

Surgery successful, spring was about 800 grams

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77288

Wow...
A heavy freaking thing!

[ISLAMATRON]

Surgery successful, spring was about 800 grams

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77288

Wow...
A heavy freaking thing!

less than 2 lbs(1.76) for a spring is still pretty light to me.

[tk421]

i was just watching the replay on my DVR, you can actually hear the spring hit his helmet!

[santoni]

the explosion in an exploding bolt can easily be self contained, it wouldnt even have to blow off the canopy like in a jet, but merely release the canopy.

I would hate to see canopies, I just don't believe it would release every time, especially when the car is badly damaged which is exactly when you require it to release. Also, if a spring can detach from a car, then a bolt can go off and then you have a large canopy flying about the track, just imagine it detaching on a fast straight, this would be disastrous.

There is always potential for faults and I would not like to be fixed within a car with a full race length of fuel. One faulty component and it could easily be fatal.

Personally I would be more concerned that wheel tethers are still not 100% reliable.

[santoni]

Surgery successful, spring was about 800 grams

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77288

Wow...
A heavy freaking thing!

less than 2 lbs(1.76) for a spring is still pretty light to me.

Nevertheless, I wouldn't appreciate driving into one at 150mph+!

[jon-mullen]

My hope is this, paired with last weekend's F2 tragedy, doesn't push the powers that be into a knee-jerk reaction that fundamentally alters the face of the sport. Now is a time for critical thinking and reflection, not mad scrambles to cover F1 cars in bubble-wrap.

+1

Glad to hear Filipe's surgery was successful.

[DaveKillens]

Of all injuries, this kind of damage is the scariest. There are countless examples of a person suffering what appears as minor concussion, only to have complications that lead to death. Mark Donohue and Natasha Richardson are two such examples.
The fact that Massa is being aggressivley treated is a great comfort to me. It is possible he may miss the remainder of the season.

There is a rush to examine alternative driver protection methods. Yes, a canopy may appear safer, but it has huge drawbacks, that introduce more risks. For example, loss of vision in rain or humid conditions. But from my impressions so far, it appears to be just a freak accident. Notwithstanding understanding how this large piece of metal became detached. That's the real question, and it has to be examined in every detail so we can understand how it failed, and how to prevent it from happening again. It may have been just a case of a small bolt shearing off, who knows, it's much too early to be certain.
I remember when seat belts were first introduced, some people were concerned that they would restrain and trap the person if the car rolled over. Of course, we have now learned that this is a rare occasion, and even if it happens, it can be dealt with. Explosive bolts? Are you crazy? Introduce an explosive device onto a race car? That would make it all a lot more dangerous.
I believe the FIA has done due diligence. The track was clear of debris, all safety procedures were in place and working, the problem came from another car.

[timbo]

I think higher windscreen that would direct objects away from the driver's head is enough.

[StrFerrari4Ever]

I wish Felipe a great recovery that was a freak accident which is very rare and was very unfortunate. Looking on the better side Felipe seems to be recovering well and it's better the accident occured in Qualifying with him on a clear track and not in the race where there could have been absolute havock. What do Ferrari do now do the regulations allow them to replace Massa with lets say Schumacher or must he have done practice or qualifying? My prayers are with Felipe tonight

[RacingManiac]

Surgery successful, spring was about 800 grams

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77288

Wow...
A heavy freaking thing!

less than 2 lbs(1.76) for a spring is still pretty light to me.

Assuming the 800g spring hits Massa with a relative speed of 290kph(as if the spring is stationary and the car travels at 290kph), it exerts something like 250J or energy....consider a .22LR bullet has about 150J, a 9mm has about 500J, the hit is not insignificant.....

[ISLAMATRON]

Wow...
A heavy freaking thing!

less than 2 lbs(1.76) for a spring is still pretty light to me.

Assuming the 800g spring hits Massa with a relative speed of 290kph(as if the spring is stationary and the car travels at 290kph), it exerts something like 250J or energy....consider a .22LR bullet has about 150J, a 9mm has about 500J, the hit is not insignificant.....

Absolutely, never meant the hit was insignificant, what I meant was that the spring is extremely light, but even still it is deadly at those speeds obviously.

[timbo]

Assuming the 800g spring hits Massa with a relative speed of 290kph(as if the spring is stationary and the car travels at 290kph), it exerts something like 250J or energy....consider a .22LR bullet has about 150J, a 9mm has about 500J, the hit is not insignificant.....

Check your math - 0.8*75^2/2=2250J.
Quite an impact.

[DaveKillens]

What do Ferrari do now do the regulations allow them to replace Massa with lets say Schumacher or must he have done practice or qualifying? My prayers are with Felipe tonight

FIA Sporting Regulations ..

Code: Select all

19) CHANGES OF DRIVER
19.1 a) During a season each team will be permitted to use four drivers. Changes may be made at any time before the start of the qualifying practice session provided any change proposed after 16.00 on the day of scrutineering receives the consent of the stewards.
Additional changes for reasons of force majeure will be considered separately.

This definitely falls within the "force majeure" category, and I expect that a replacement driver will be premitted.
The team's current drivers are Felipe Massa and Kimi Räikkönen, and its test drivers are Luca Badoer and Marc Gené. So either Badoer or Gené are eligible, but not Mr Michael.

[ISLAMATRON]

Whoever they put in the car would have to start at the back or in the pits right?

[jonathan189]

Of all injuries, this kind of damage is the scariest. There are countless examples of a person suffering what appears as minor concussion, only to have complications that lead to death. Mark Donohue and Natasha Richardson are two such examples.
The fact that Massa is being aggressivley treated is a great comfort to me. It is possible he may miss the remainder of the season.

My thoughts exactly.

At least, unlike Natasha Richardson, he was taken straight to a hospital, which is where he needs to stay right now.