Felipe Massa is lucky to be alive

[JulesMaximus]

Text

Good news for Formula One driver Felipe Massa and his fans, as it appears he is out of life-threatening danger resulting from a horrific wreck this weekend. While qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix, Massa was hit in the head by a spring from Rubens Barrichello's car. Unconscious, his helmet shattered, Massa piled straight into the retaining wall and fractured his skull in at least two places. In Brazil, Massa's home country, fans and family anxiously followed news of his recovery even as they were reminded of the death of three-time F1 champion Aytron Senna in a similar accident. Massa's wreck shortly followed the tragic death of F1 driver John Surtees' son, who was hit by a flying wheel. There have been calls for additional safety measures, naturally, but the question is, what could be done? Were these preventable injuries, or just simply terrible coincidences? Here's video of Massa's crash, for as long as it lasts before getting yanked off YouTube: Terrifying stuff there; hopes and good wishes for Massa and his family.

Video link on this site.

 

[zerocool84]

And now they are wanting to put restrictor plates and make things even slower cus of this accident and the other one that happened. HELLO PEOPLE RACING IS DANGEROUS!!!! You know the risk going into the sport. Yes I understand making it as safe as possible but make it as safe as possible with the given conditions. Making it slower is just stupid to me.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

more on the topic here.

after henry surtees was killed last week and massa nearly killed this week, some are calling for an end to open-cockpit cars. also, many are underestimating massa's injuries. today, his eye was stitched back together. yesterday, they relieved pressure from his swollen brain - that means the top half of his skull was removed. not quite a "knock on the chin" is it, eddie jordan?

 

[RichUK]

It was a freak accident. Shit happens.

 

[punjabiplaya]

He is lucky to be alive, but you understand the risks when you enter the sport. If you don't, you don't belong on the track.

 

[Bignate603]

This is more obvious proof that cars don't need airbags.

Wow, that guy is lucky that he's ok. That could have ended up much worse.

 

[sindows]

Exactly why are F1 cars open cockpit? I'm pretty sure that closed cockpit cars are much better in terms of aerodynamics but I suppose there are other factors at work.

 

[Bignate603]

Originally posted by: sindows
Exactly why are F1 cars open cockpit? I'm pretty sure that closed cockpit cars are much better in terms of aerodynamics but I suppose there are other factors at work.

They are open cockpit and open wheel because the rules say they must be like that. Closed wheel and closed cockpit would be safer and more aerodynamic but the rules limit them to stick within a certain basic design. It keeps the playing field a bit more level to keep some regulations on it and allows the governing body to have some control over the direction of the engineering effort that goes into improving the cars. They limit what they don't want developed and allow the stuff they do.

My bet is the open cockpit/open wheel design is used because of history. In past history that was the design, so while cars and regulations have evolved that has stayed.

 

[helpme]

Originally posted by: Bignate603

Originally posted by: sindows
Exactly why are F1 cars open cockpit? I'm pretty sure that closed cockpit cars are much better in terms of aerodynamics but I suppose there are other factors at work.

They are open cockpit and open wheel because the rules say they must be like that. Closed wheel and closed cockpit would be safer and more aerodynamic but the rules limit them to stick within a certain basic design. It keeps the playing field a bit more level to keep some regulations on it and allows the governing body to have some control over the direction of the engineering effort that goes into improving the cars. They limit what they don't want developed and allow the stuff they do.

My bet is the open cockpit/open wheel design is used because of history. In past history that was the design, so while cars and regulations have evolved that has stayed.

Here's a take on why they are not closed cockpit:

http://bleacherreport.com/arti...-answer-to-f1s-worries

 

[thescreensavers]

Here is a 3D animation reconstruction of the accident

 

[The Boston Dangler]

Positive update: Massa now able to speak!

 

[DivideBYZero]

This is a real shame. Massa is a great driver and his career is now potentially over. Ultimate comeback in a year or two would be fantastic, but I very much doubt it.

 

[funboy6942]

I feel that not only did he survive the spring hitting him, but it was a damn luck again that when he was knocked out, he held the wheel straight, and unlike other people that get knocked out he didnt floor his car, but rather let off the gas slowing him down for the crash with the tires.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Originally posted by: funboy6942
I feel that not only did he survive the spring hitting him, but it was a damn luck again that when he was knocked out, he held the wheel straight, and unlike other people that get knocked out he didnt floor his car, but rather let off the gas slowing him down for the crash with the tires.

He was actually braking all the way into the tyre wall, but the wheels were locked up and not giving the maximum braking effect. You can see a set of 11's all the way across the turn and right into the tyre wall.

 

[BlackTigers]

Originally posted by: funboy6942
I feel that not only did he survive the spring hitting him, but it was a damn luck again that when he was knocked out, he held the wheel straight, and unlike other people that get knocked out he didnt floor his car, but rather let off the gas slowing him down for the crash with the tires.

He did floor it. Look at the graphic overlay on the screen. The green bar was pegged, but the brakes were pegged too.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: BlackTigers

Originally posted by: funboy6942
I feel that not only did he survive the spring hitting him, but it was a damn luck again that when he was knocked out, he held the wheel straight, and unlike other people that get knocked out he didnt floor his car, but rather let off the gas slowing him down for the crash with the tires.

He did floor it. Look at the graphic overlay on the screen. The green bar was pegged, but the brakes were pegged too.

That graphic was not accurate. After the car hit the tire barrier it still showed the engine at full throttle but the car was clearly idling.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: BlackTigers

Originally posted by: funboy6942
I feel that not only did he survive the spring hitting him, but it was a damn luck again that when he was knocked out, he held the wheel straight, and unlike other people that get knocked out he didnt floor his car, but rather let off the gas slowing him down for the crash with the tires.

He did floor it. Look at the graphic overlay on the screen. The green bar was pegged, but the brakes were pegged too.

That graphic was not accurate. After the car hit the tire barrier it still showed the engine at full throttle but the car was clearly idling.

that might be a function of the impact sensor.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: The Boston Dangler

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: BlackTigers

Originally posted by: funboy6942
I feel that not only did he survive the spring hitting him, but it was a damn luck again that when he was knocked out, he held the wheel straight, and unlike other people that get knocked out he didnt floor his car, but rather let off the gas slowing him down for the crash with the tires.

He did floor it. Look at the graphic overlay on the screen. The green bar was pegged, but the brakes were pegged too.

That graphic was not accurate. After the car hit the tire barrier it still showed the engine at full throttle but the car was clearly idling.

that might be a function of the impact sensor.

Could be. Honestly, it didn't look or sound like he was on the throttle after the spring hit him in the head despite what the graphic showed. His front tires weren't at full lock as the car skipped across the paved runoff either. They were rolling/locked/rolling/locked all the way to the tire barrier.

 

[thescreensavers]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: The Boston Dangler

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: BlackTigers

Originally posted by: funboy6942
I feel that not only did he survive the spring hitting him, but it was a damn luck again that when he was knocked out, he held the wheel straight, and unlike other people that get knocked out he didnt floor his car, but rather let off the gas slowing him down for the crash with the tires.

He did floor it. Look at the graphic overlay on the screen. The green bar was pegged, but the brakes were pegged too.

That graphic was not accurate. After the car hit the tire barrier it still showed the engine at full throttle but the car was clearly idling.

that might be a function of the impact sensor.

Could be. Honestly, it didn't look or sound like he was on the throttle after the spring hit him in the head despite what the graphic showed. His front tires weren't at full lock as the car skipped across the paved runoff either. They were rolling/locked/rolling/locked all the way to the tire barrier.

yea, as soon as he got hit, it just looks like he took his foot off the gas, you can hear the engine slowing down.

 

[geno]

I see the spring, but where the hell did it come from? There are no other cars visible. It looks like it's just floating there when it gets him in the head...scary stuff for sure.

 

[alpineranger]

Ironically, I think the high cockpit sides mandated two years ago after Alex Wurtz almost got decapitated by David Coulthard's car flying past his head may have contributed to this accident. The worst thing they could do is to mandate some sort of cover that could compromise safety when a driver needs to exit the car quickly.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: geno
I see the spring, but where the hell did it come from? There are no other cars visible. It looks like it's just floating there when it gets him in the head...scary stuff for sure.

The spring came off of Barrichello's car which was farther down the road. Because of the speeds these cars travel that spring was bouncing along the track for quite a while (long enough for Felipe to come along and collect it unfortunately).

Racing is inherently dangerous, I really don't think you can do much to prevent this type of accident though. It was just one of those freak things. Thank god he's okay though.

 

[punjabiplaya]

BMW withdraws from Formula 1 for 2010 season

 

[mk52]

Schumi is baaack!!!!

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: mk52
Schumi is baaack!!!!

Oh man, Raikkonen in a Ferrari against his old rival M. Schumacher? This will be fun.