Official 2014 Japanese Grand Prix Thread #ForzaJules

Doesn't look like it Morbid. The cockpit is intact afterwards, but the roll-hoop area was severely damaged.

Bianchi's car, being carried away after the accident

I have seen pictures where the car was wedged under the truck, angled back and side first. I have also seen pictures of the medical team working on him in the car. The airbox was not on the car. You could see the engine. I won't post the link to those pictures. If you want to see them, throw me a pm.

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It's only after we've lost everything, that we are free to do anything.

There's also quite a few clearer images on the daily mail if you go onto the sport section that have popped up on reddit. Won't post them here for obvious reasons but still, I have a very sick feeling about this one. There was not a lot left of that car :/

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That is the same pictures I have seen. The scratches on top of the monocoque right in front of the driver well is what has me really worried. It shows how deeply the car was wedged under the truck.

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It's only after we've lost everything, that we are free to do anything.

Having just seen the pictures of the accident scene , I would be amazed and obviously emensely relieved if Jules pulls through this.

It doesn't look good

But it doesn't do to speculate past that until we have some actual news straight from the actual source.

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Seems though.. Regarding the oohing and erring about the race schedule knowing full well the weather forecasts, some @#$%& will be hitting the fan.

J i m Wrote:
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> Having just seen the pictures of the accident
> scene , I would be amazed and obviously emensely
> relieved if Jules pulls through this.
>
> It doesn't look good
>
> But it doesn't do to speculate past that until we
> have some actual news straight from the actual
> source.
>
> ---
>
> Seems though.. Regarding the oohing and erring
> about the race schedule knowing full well the
> weather forecasts, some @#$%& will be hitting the
> fan.

The promoters will bear the full brunt of that - they had the option twice of starting the race earlier before the forecast heavy rain, but told the FIA no.

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L'Equipe reports that Jules has arrived at Mie University hospital, which is 15 km from the track. Also, Daily Mail apparantly decided to pull some of the pictures.

According to Hartstein, who wrote the code on these situations, the Chief Medical Officer can decide to go on with the race, when the helicopter cannot fly, IF the drive to the nearest capable hospital is less than 20 minutes. It would seem then, that the evac transport method is not related to a specific type of injury.

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It's only after we've lost everything, that we are free to do anything.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/05/2014 11:54AM by Morbid.

It was raining most of Sunday so earlier start may not have helped, and logistically Saturday race was difficult. At the end of the day, we got more laps than probably anyone expected.

Race control's decision not to put out the SC is more under question I would say.

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X (@ed24f1)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/05/2014 11:53AM by SchueyFan.

Morbid Wrote:
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> L'Equipe reports that Jules has arrived at Mie
> University hospital, which is 15 km from the
> track. Also, Daily Mail apparantly decided to pull
> some of the pictures.

They'll have had a tap on the shoulder from Bernie, no doubt.

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SchueyFan Wrote:
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> It was raining most of Sunday so earlier start may
> not have helped, and logistically Saturday race
> was difficult. At the end of the day, we got more
> laps than probably anyone expected.
>
> Race control's decision not to put out the SC is
> more under question I would say.

Was it really that difficult? We've been aware of the threat of heavy rain and this super typhoon for just shy of a week if I recall. They could have held a single practice session (not ideal for the teams I'm aware, but still better than nothing given the logistical threats they are currently facing to reach Sochi for next week), held qualifying Friday afternoon and ran the race on Saturday.

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SchueyFan Wrote:
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> Race control's decision not to put out the SC is
> more under question I would say.

There was double yellow at that section, so drivers are tasked to reduced speed and even be prepared to come to a full stop. Sutil has reported that several drivers went full bore through the corner while the marshalls worked on his car. So even IF the safety car would have been deployed ASAP, it probably would not have stopped Bianchi from passing the corner when he went off.

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It's only after we've lost everything, that we are free to do anything.

I think refunding the Sunday ticket holders was a considerable barrier though. In hindsight it's obviously a lot different to look at but as I said I feel that this was preventable even with a wet race.

Even more than a SC, I feel F1 needs to look towards Code 60 to ensure slow speeds through accident sites such as that.

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X (@ed24f1)

Morbid Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> SchueyFan Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Race control's decision not to put out the SC
> is
> > more under question I would say.
>
> There was double yellow at that section, so
> drivers are tasked to reduced speed and even be
> prepared to come to a full stop. Sutil has
> reported that several drivers went full bore
> through the corner while the marshalls worked on
> his car. So even IF the safety car would have been
> deployed ASAP, it probably would not have stopped
> Bianchi from passing the corner when he went off.

Yes, but at least it may have given a greater impetus for drivers to slow down. Drivers should not be going off 1 or 2 minutes after a crash.

As I said above, Code 60 should be the way forward, whether in conjunction with SC or not.

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X (@ed24f1)

Regarding the decision to not hold the race earlier, the reason was that the vast majority of spectators arrive at Suzuka by train. When you buy a train ticket there, it is stamped for the time you specify. Which means that those that already had bought train tickets would be in a pinch, and the organizers feared mass refunding due to the audience not being able to get train tickets to arrive on time.

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It's only after we've lost everything, that we are free to do anything.

Regardless, the rain was worse earlier in the day anyway. The conditions on the track were worsening but not too bad when Sutil and Bianchi went off. Bianchi was still on inters when he went off. Sutil too I guess.

Regarding the safety car, it took around another lap or so after Bianchi went off for the safety car to come out. Given Sutil had already been off for a lap before that, I find that quite staggering considering the location of Sutil's car, the tractor, the worsening conditions and that most cars were on the wrong tyre. I understand he's under immense pressure from fans and Bernie, but suspect Charlie will have some explaining to do.

Personally I do think they started the race too soon though (the 2nd start). The conditions were fine (obviously given the immediate change to inters for some), but the new wet tyres lift much more water and the level of spray had me cringing at times.

[twitter.com]

#F1 Japanese police is at the track. Confiscating whats left from Bianchis car. No news about his condition yet. #JapaneseGP

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Given that there Sutil and Bianchi were on the same spot, and some 20-25 seconds into the lap at the accident point, there would have been less than 90-100 seconds to get the safety car out, measuring from when Sutil spun to the point where the Bianchi would pass the pit exit. That includes the time it takes for the marshalls to check on Sutils car, report back to HQ, deliberation time, communication time to Maylander, and the time it takes to actually get the safety car on track. With stellar precision and immediate action from all parties, it's still very close to being impossible.

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It's only after we've lost everything, that we are free to do anything.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/05/2014 12:28PM by Morbid.

But if a SC was called, they could have perhaps delayed bringing the tractor out. Hitting a parked car is unlikely to be as dangerous as the alternative we saw.

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X (@ed24f1)

They don't do that. Hamilton said, that the marshalls did exactly what they always do. It's standard procedure. And we all know, that even if the SC comes out, the drivers race full bore until they reach traffic and que up, or when they have to take the mandated delta time into consideration. With the current procedures, it is a freak accident. Perhaps we should have the same recovery vehicles they have at Monaco, or recovery vehicles should have an impact box surrounding them. But as the info is now, nothing was done, that wasn't according to regulation.

Remember Brazil a few years back, when we had like 5-6 cars go off at the same corner? We had a car that slid off when the recovery vehicle was working and almost hit it. We didn't get SC back then either.

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It's only after we've lost everything, that we are free to do anything.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/05/2014 12:37PM by Morbid.

Yes, fair point, whether he would have gone slightly slower in a SC compared to a double yellow is a moot point i guess.

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X (@ed24f1)