Alonso looked a bit groggy getting out of the car. Not supprising when you get launched in the air and land on your tailbone.

Maldonado jumps the start, Grosjean runs into Hamilton... the new kids are looking amateurish this year.

I wonder if they'll pre-empt a possible decapitation and start fitting a wide rollbar over the heads of the drivers? Don't know how structurally strong that would be but something similar perhaps?

They've talked about it, and the FIA has done some tests, but there are down-sides to all their current proposals and nothing is likely to happen soon.
>> ^Deano:

I wonder if they'll pre-empt a possible decapitation and start fitting a wide rollbar over the heads of the drivers? Don't know how structurally strong that would be but something similar perhaps?

>> ^Deano:

I wonder if they'll pre-empt a possible decapitation and start fitting a wide rollbar over the heads of the drivers? Don't know how structurally strong that would be but something similar perhaps?


Yeah they've been testing designs like fighter pilot style shield/bubble, over the top of the drivers cockpit:

http://player.vimeo.com/video/26098946?autoplay=1

In terms of safety it would bring some benefits, because the driver would be protected but what happens when you have to rescue the drivers?

Romain Grosjean has been given a one race suspension for causing the first-lap collision at the Belgian Grand Prix, and also imposed a €50,000 fine.

We just witnessed a $20M car crash

*dead

This video has been declared non-functional; embed code must be fixed within 2 days or it will be sent to the dead pool - declared dead by paul4dirt.

Fixed.

>> ^ZappaDanMan:

Romain Grosjean has been given a one race suspension for causing the first-lap collision at the Belgian Grand Prix, and also imposed a €50,000 fine.


I personally don't get what a penalty like that is supposed to accomplish, you mean next time when he's wheel to wheel with someone he should just yield the position without trying?

I mean, he fucked up, but this kind of crap happens all the time further back in the line, and people don't get suspended from the next race for it. I guess the standard now is if you knock out a star like Alonso or Hamilton you face a much stiffer penalty than if you knock out Timo Glock or Heikki Kovalienen.

I guess it's a much bigger safety risk if you endanger the FIA's bottom line than it is if you endanger someone's life by being stupid...

>> ^NetRunner:

>> ^ZappaDanMan:
Romain Grosjean has been given a one race suspension for causing the first-lap collision at the Belgian Grand Prix, and also imposed a €50,000 fine.

I personally don't get what a penalty like that is supposed to accomplish, you mean next time when he's wheel to wheel with someone he should just yield the position without trying?
I mean, he fucked up, but this kind of crap happens all the time further back in the line, and people don't get suspended from the next race for it. I guess the standard now is if you knock out a star like Alonso or Hamilton you face a much stiffer penalty than if you knock out Timo Glock or Heikki Kovalienen.
I guess it's a much bigger safety risk if you endanger the FIA's bottom line than it is if you endanger someone's life by being stupid...


Agreed.. unless you have a rich father to payoff official for penalties like Pastor Maldanado. He failed to slow down at the scene of an accident at Monaco in GP2, despite the presence of warning flags, and struck and seriously injured a marshal. He was banned from the sport, until his father stepped in and payed large sums of money.
He continues to be a reckless drive (not aggressive, reckless) and will injure someone in F1, with the likes of his multiple incidents he's had this season. Give someone like him fines means nothing.

He should not have a super licence.