Maria de Villotta injured in testing

[myurr]

Racecar engineering

This sounds very much like the cars anti stall system engaged at the end of the run. Inexperienced drivers having their first runs in a F1 car can be caught out by this. As they slow to stop the car or make a low speed turn (for example into a garage) they lift off the throttle and let the revs drop. The ECU senses this and sets throttle to around 50% with the car still in first gear resulting in a sudden acceleration such as the one described.

When you see the cars come in for pit stops they pull in the clutch pretty early whilst they still traveling at a decent speed. Sounds like she hasn't done this and let the revs drop too low. Real shame if she's been caught out so badly just through lack of experience.

[astracrazy]

i did think perhaps she might have accidentally released the clutch or something along them lines.

But the anti stall reason confuses me. I always thought the anti stall just automatically pulls in the clutch (which is why drivers bog down on the grid, not getting a 'push start'). Maybe its me miss understanding how the system works...

Great shame. Brings it home how dangerous open wheel cars can be even at 10-40mph. Addenbrookes is a good hospital though (i live in Cambridge)

[Forza]

The latest news is that his medical condition is stable. No official conformation.

Here is one picture from the scene

[KubicaFAN]

http://twitpic.com/a3duh9/full

[andartop]

Let's just hope she will be fine and let's wait for further official announcements before jumping to any conclusions.
Addenbrooke is the major trauma centre for the east of England, so she is in the right place.

[enri_the_red]

Racecar engineering

This sounds very much like the cars anti stall system engaged at the end of the run. Inexperienced drivers having their first runs in a F1 car can be caught out by this. As they slow to stop the car or make a low speed turn (for example into a garage) they lift off the throttle and let the revs drop. The ECU senses this and sets throttle to around 50% with the car still in first gear resulting in a sudden acceleration such as the one described.

this makes little sense to me, because the technical regulation states that the anti-stall must fully disengage the clutch

[n_anirudh]

http://twitter.com/#!/crosaleny

She is conscious and has spoken to her parents...

[morefirejules08]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyLOmQ43 ... e=youtu.be

crash audio

[astracrazy]

this makes little sense to me, because the technical regulation states that the anti-stall must fully disengage the clutch

otherwise things like this would happen on track when cars are facing towards on coming cars, or cars would be flying out of pit boxes into passing cars or crew.

We can only wait for an official announcement.

Either way, it doesn't matter at the moment.

[element]

That's really BAD LUCK, the truck with the lifting deck just at head level... arghhhh

I hope she gets well soon and has a complete recovery, inexperienced or not, man or woman, this is just very bad luck, in any other conditions this would have been just a very minor incident. Sometimes luck is just not on your side.

[Lurk]

F1i (belgian magazine) reports that she hitted the truck then the lift fell off on the top of the cockpit and her helmet.
http://www.f1i.com/infos/de-villota-sta ... au-visage/

Even if it is still not good news, it is at least less bad than hitting directly the lift

I hope Marussia will make a statement soon. One was expected 1 hour ago, I don't like that...

[Mr Alcatraz]

Bad news. Get well soon Marie!

[Forza]

I agree with @astracrazy its not important at the moment.
They have all the data stored in car's secu so they have good insight in what happened.

Maria is conscious and medical assessments are ongoing - according to @Marussia_F1Team statement just released

The latest statement in full: “Further to the accident involving the Marussia F1 Team’s Test Driver Maria De Villota this morning the team can confirm that Maria was transferred by ambulance from Duxford Airfield, where the accident happened, to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. Since Maria’s arrival at the hospital at approximately 10.45hrs this morning, she has been receiving the best medical attention possible at the hospital, which is the region’s major trauma centre. Maria is conscious and medical assessments are ongoing. The team will await the outcome of these assessments before providing further comment. The team’s first priority at this time is Maria and her family.

[Callum]

Due to the seriousness of the accident I believe that the entire car plus transporter will need to be held as evidence. Does Marussia have a third tub? It obviously it isn't important but I was just wondering.

[Polarbear]

Yeah, Marussia have a third chassis.

The issue might be that the new upgrades they were testing may well have been impounded too, and they might well not have extras of those.

The images look terrible - her head appears to have made contact with the tail lift on the lorry as the first point of contact...