People I follow on Twitter think the car performed well and there injuries sustained were acceptable considering the size of the impact. Before they introduction of the DW12 that crash would have been fatal.
That's worse than I had hoped would be the case. Hopefully he will make a full and swift recovery after the operation.
Are these injuries typical of crashes? From what cause? If it was the restraint system wouldn't there be injury to the chest, so maybe not that. I hope that they can discover something that will enhance safety. However it was a very direct impact, nearly head on, so the safety system worked well.
Fingers still crossed for Sebastien's recovery...
People I follow on Twitter think the car performed well and there injuries sustained were acceptable considering the size of the impact. Before they introduction of the DW12 that crash would have been fatal.
Reminds me of Gordon Smiley's fatal crash way back when. He also turned into the skid and when the car gripped he headed straight for the wall. Glad to see Bourdais got away relatively lightly.
It's dry at the moment...but there is rain in the area (link). Although it's not as big a storm as yesterday's, there many need to be some more track drying.
Update: It's not dry anymore...the big puddle is back. The good news is that the storm looks to have passed through, people are out and about and the drying cars are out on the track. Maybe a delayed start to today's proceedings, but the qualies should go ahead.
17h00 BST...now live, but not a lot happening yet.
Sebastian Bourdais update: Two operations last night...3+ hours. 4 screws and plate for hip joint, 6 screws and plate for pelvis. Lots of pain last night...good spirits today after the ops. Aren't drugs wonderful? Looking forward to racing again, but has an expected 4 month recovery period to get through.
As regards my earlier questions about safety...it's a modern miracle that he's alive. Looking again at the crash (link) he had to get some type of injury from the impact. The safety wall did a job and there's no room for much of a crumple zone given where the driver's legs are. The restraint system did it's job, even if it caused his injuries in doing so (and I don't know that it did). Simply stopping him from smashing his chest forward is remarkable...as is the way the chassis held together and stopped the engine from doing greater damage.
Last edited by PickleB; 21st May 2017 at 17:33.
Track is green...cars are out. The best I understand that the sequence will be:
- 45 mins practice - positions 10-33 from yesterday
- 45 mins practice - Fast 9 from yesterday
- Qualifications - positions 10-33
- Qualifications - Fast 9
Alonso: I will beat anyone in the same car
An article which gives an insight into the proactive thinking behind Indycar safety standards:
http://www.racer.com/more/viewpoints...that-saved-seb
Meanwhile, to help him feel at home, Fernando Alonso's car has required an engine change.
^^^^^^
Thanks for the link to that article. "Fractures in his pelvis and hip possibly as a result of the lap belts that restrained his body's explosive forward deceleration were the only forms of significant physical damage", when the recorded deceleration was 100g says a lot for the head restraint system. Without that technology we'd be looking at (I think) neck and chest injuries predominating.
Over and above my comments at post #55...thinking about it, if the legs are not restrained, and the rest of the body is, decelerating their weight must stress the hips, knees and their support, ie the pelvis. Perhaps that's how his injuries arose, rather than as a result of direct pressure from the restraints? Just a thought.
saw this on another forum
That's not so dusty for FA...new engine and all.
Got to feel sorry for Bourdais and Dale Coyne, I really thought 2017 was going to be their year. His speeds during practice suggested a good showing at the 500 too.
There is something about IndyCar car names.
While Fernando is driving a McLaren-Honda-Andretti Honda, Ed Carpenter's car is a Fuzzy's Vodka Chevrolet!
If nothing else it has given Alonso a happy smiling outlook for a few weeks :)
It's a shame there is no real option to watch the race on Sunday. I don't want to sign up to BT Sport just for one race, and there is no day pass or PPV option.
Has anybody else noticed that one of Chip Ganassi's Fords is short of a driver at Le Mans as a result of Sebastian Bourdais' crash? An opportunity to learn about the third leg of Alonso's much talked about "Triple Crown" from the relative obscurity of GTE-Pro in a few weeks?
Le Mans doesn't clash with a Grand Prix weekend.
No need to guess who this is:
...on his discharge from hospital (link).
The precipitation probability for the start time is 70%...link...but decreasing.
This is currently live on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwgleNTeOJ8
90/200 laps down - first 60 was round and round and then there was an almightly crash.
Alonso doing very well, has been in front and back to sixth but keeping out of trouble.
Unfortunately Alonso is out with a blown engine. I think Honda may be off his Christmas card list this year.
Honda's shit!
Gutted for Alonso. He seems to be cursed by Honda.
Well at least it was an (ex) Formula 1 driver that one in the end, even though it wasn't the one we all hoped for.
Unlucky Alonso failed by a honda again! Buy well done to Sato on the win and Chilton with the 4th place.
Fish
All those professional photographers with long lenses:
...but whose shot is in all of the newspapers?
I watched the race on BT, and enjoyed it, despite the studio sections which were absolutely cringeworthy - somebody should tell Suzi Perry that if she doesn't know anything about a subject, she shouldn't be presenting it. Mike Conway is a very accomplished driver (Indy, WEC) but he's a very dull presenter, and the same applies to Richard Williams.
That apart, the racing was certainly spectacular, and Scott Dixon is a very lucky chap.
I've been a fan of Sato since his F3 days, and he's not lost his ability to wring the neck of a racing car. It's a shame that he never had the chance to shine in Formula 1, even with BAR, when he was overshadowed by Jenson Button. He's a spectacular driver, and yesterday's win was well deserved. I was impressed by Max Chilton, who led most of the last quarter of the race, and looked a potential winner.
Alonso was the big story, of course, and he delivered. The ovation from 300,000 people when he got out of his car was proof enough that he won over the American public, not usually the easiest of audiences. He impressed many from within the Indycar community as well. He wants to go back next year, and I expect that Indy will welcome him with open wallets.
I'm still trying to process how close to the edge they drive their cars. The carnage (~lap 85) that I referred to above followed one car clipping another, whereupon they were both out of control and sliding around and across the track. I don't think that recovery was an option. Some of the following cars were able to miss the accident, but quite a few couldn't help but join in.
Last edited by PickleB; 29th May 2017 at 11:41.
I've read that they're so close to the limit in the faster corners (F1 and the ovals) that if you could just give the rear wing a slight push sideways as a car went passed you'll send it in to a tailspin. Quite incredible that they can be driven like that for lap after lap, particularly on an oval with the constant change in tow/drafting/clean air running.
I'm both happy and sad for Alonso. I very much doubt that it was beginner's luck that he competed so well, however as someone has already said Honda aren't going to be No.1 on his Christmas card list.