Monaco GP yesterday was such a borefest. Very important race in the calendar, but when no cars can overtake each other it is dreadful to watch. On the other hand the Indy 500 was great to watch and very exciting from start to finish. It also featured one of the biggest crashes I have ever seen at a Motorsports event where the driver escaped from the crash injury free. Scott Dixon was very lucky. The driver who went under 'his flying car', Helio Castroneves eventually finished 2nd in the race. A different form of Motorsport, ITV4's excellent coverage of the bikes from the Isle of Man beginnings tonight a programme every night for the next two weeks.
Those drivers in the Indy were absolutely blessed.... Actually, it's a bit deceptive as any the racing cars generally don't look like they offer a driver much protection and yet over time, quite a few drivers have survived accidents that you'd think would have killed them. I was lucky enough to get along to Monaco for the F1 many years ago - fantastic atmosphere, but it's all down to the race on the day. I love most types of car racing, but have never taken to the bikes anywhere near as much - well actually let me rephrase that, I like the scrambling and also the drag racing, but not the likes of the Isle of Man stuff and I can't put my finger on why. While I'm never going to get along to see all of the sports events I'd love to see, stuff like the Daytona 500 are staying on my list... just incase I get lucky with the old lotto or something
https://m.independent.ie/sport/othe...es-f1-champion-has-died-aged-70-38132417.html If you haven’t seen it, Rush is a great film about himself and Hunt
Jesus, turn 3 of the grand prix today - Roman Grojeans car just got literally torn in two hitting a barrier, and then goes up in a ball of flames. He's out and alive - walking with assistance to the ambulance. Fair dues to the designers of those cars - looking at it my first reaction was "hes dead"
The guy was blessed - someone mentioned that he was lucky that he stayed conscious, as if he'd been knocked out, he wouldn't have been able to get out of the car without help, and that could have resulted in severe injuries etc
If he'd been knocked out I cant see any way he gets out of that alive. I know theyre in fire retardant suits, boots, gloves and jocks but it wouldve taken at least an extra 30 seconds to a minute to get him out without his help and thats IF they couldve gotten to him in that space of time at all. Visor was melted off his crash helmet too - show you the level of heat he was sitting in Lucky lucky boy Was funny though on the restart when Stroll (I think) ended up upside down on the side of the track and the team radio comes over all concerned asking if hes ok, and the driver comes back across the airwaves - "yeah Fine, just sitting here.....upsidedown" - he sounded like he was on the beach sipping a mai tai
The HANS device saved the driver from getting knocked out tbf aswell they do continuous training simulated in that kind of situation, but haunted to escape wit small burns.
Yeah I heard that about the escape training. What was freaking them out is that the driver to "pass" training has to be out of the car in under 10 seconds, and today at 18 seconds everyone was still looking at an inferno in the cars cockpit, and then he scrambled out. Say the doctor that was first on the scene (really fast too) was quietly relieved to see Grojean appearing out of the flames for the obvious reason he was "ok", but the guy was probably thinking to himself "he's not able to get out himself - I'm gonna have to go get him" No doubt the HANS was a major contributor to his survival, but Johnny Herbert was saying that the G's youre pulling on flat out corners is close to the line for consciousness. Add into that going from 140 pmh to 0 in under a second could knock you out from sheer G force alone. They were lucky too that the marshals for that corner were on the other side of the track. ~Between the explosion of flame and the front wheels ending up 50 ft into the desert, could have been so much worse
Doubt Pirelli are excited. Obviously no definitive results yet but highly suspicious to to two of the same compound tyre on the same position on two cars just give out. Both drivers were incredibly lucky to get out with nothing more than hurt feelings. If Strolls tyre had gone 50 yards sooner he wouldve stuck the car in the end of the dividing wall between the track and pit lane. Same with Verstappen - you can see as he loses the car he just misses the end of a wall leading into the straight. Both cars doing over 200mph. Whatever else you need balls of steel to drive those cars. Found it surprising that Hamilton was allowed restart for the last 2 laps. It was obvious to even the most non car savy people (i.e. me) that his brakes were about to burst into flames and he would have ZERO braking capability and that track is NOT the one you want your brakes taking a holiday - which Hamilton proved 20 seconds later. After having 2 close calls I really thought putting him back out there with at best compromised driving capabilities was an unnecessary added danger
Ive watched a few now, and almost gave up again on it after the Monaco grand prix - it has got to be the most POINTLESS exercise in sports. You CANNOT pass another car in the race so unless you (or someone else) sticks the car in one of the many walls, you will finish exactly where you started in the order. Its that boring I actually head the commentators trying to justify its existence by quoting its history, and reminding everyone that the next race was Baku - the fastest one on the calendar. What has that got to do with Monaco? Like buying a pint and its flat and having the barman telling you " yeah but the next ones a new barrel and will be lovely". If every race was like the one today, you'd have an awful lot more people interested in the sport. It really demonstrated the importance of aerodynamics more than any race Ive seen before. Watching a car that was 10mph slower than the one in front of it just blow by it like it was in reverse was crazy......of course once the slower one passed it, it was usually swallowed back up again by the faster car that NOW had the aerodynamic edge. Anyway thats what F1 should be - cars being driven like theyre stolen and passing each other like a couple of boy racers on the motorway By the way I'd say Botas must be sick to the teeth of being the number 2. They had one new rear wing and Hamilton got it (hard to argue against that I know) He must feel like the poor relative that was asked to the wedding out of pity
Hadn't watched F1 since late 90's but that last 10 laps today was ultimate drama. Was Aguero like I'm how it played out. Delighted Hamilton lost.
I thought Max got shafted early on in the race when Lewis had to drive off the track and get a massive advantage over it
I don't know the rules so I don't know Hamilton got shafted,but it was great to watch. A question for people who know the sport. I've seen people say Hamilton should have pitted when the virtual safety car came out, but to me it doesn't make sense for him to give up his position from there. Yes it left him vulnerable when the safety car came out in the last few laps but surely giving up a 25+ second lead on the chance there's an accident later in the race isn't playing the odds,which is all you can do in a situation like that?