Japanese GP 2011 - Suzuka

[Traction]

that could have been nasty..

[raymondu999]

I'm not sure but do you have TV helicopters recording in Suzuka? I know that in some other countries FOM TV has a TV helicopter around and gives some angles of the action from above; such as the Singapore Grand Prix when they show you far out views to show the lighting of the circuit. Surely if there were TV choppers then those paragliders couldn't be there in the first place?

Also, how exactly did race control send them away? I mean if the SC came out because of the paragliders surely that meant that there was SOMETHING the FIA were doing during the SC period to send them away?

[Giblet]

This is the one from Canada. Going off the tail numbers its a Canadian chopper.

https://picasaweb.google.com/1081893751 ... 5746075314

[Richard]

Wasn't the safety car sent out to recover Massa's debris from the racing line?

No one knows if they were sent away or if they simply wandered off on their own accord.

It does seem odd considering the proximity of the helicopters at the track. Could be an optical illusion, or could be some thrill seekers not bothering about aviation regs.

[raymondu999]

That's what I thought too - that it was for debris on track for Webber's front wing (colliding with Schumacher) and for the turning vane off Massa's endplate.

My comment about how they were sent away was that IF the safety car was sent out FOR those fliers, then the safety car would only come in BECAUSE the fliers weren't there anymore... no?

[Kaneda]

My comment about how they were sent away was that IF the safety car was sent out FOR those fliers, then the safety car would only come in BECAUSE the fliers weren't there anymore... no?

*10 minutes before the SC was sent, I was at the back straight, and I noticed the fliers above.

* Shortly after, the TV helicopter came close to them (in 100 meters). Then the chopper moved away from them immediately.
http://youtu.be/cnAEg7rUb3o (..ignore the dude coming across the front of camera)

* SC was sent. At the time I was busy watching the cars and taking videos on the track. I'm not sure the two paragliders were warned by the chopper with speaker or something. Later I looked up, they were gone somehow. My guess is, they obviously came to see the race, then the cars slowed down and they got bored and left the circuit by themselves.

[raymondu999]

Lol!
Charlie: "there are two stray para gliders. Let's bore them with a safety car so they go away"

[Mandrake]

I think the Paragliders wanted to profit from the hot exhaust gases! That meant they could use the warm air upstream to gain height or at least stay at a steady height level. Clever guys these two!

[raymondu999]

Maybe they were weather spotters for the teams

[Richard]

Later I looked up, they were gone somehow. My guess is, they obviously came to see the race, then the cars slowed down and they got bored and left the circuit by themselves.

Gravity was probably more dominant in their minds than the speed of the cars.