Motor Sport

[Giles]

I am following @LewisHamilton on Twitter, let's see what he has to say…

[Mild7]

Something like.. Blah blah JB has a better aero package, blah, cry.

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[Mild7]

But seriously, Grosjean completely at fault.

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[Giles]

Looked like that way to me too…...

[babyknight]

100% Grosjean at fault - he should get a multiple race ban for that.

[Giles]

What like one race for each driver he took off?

[babyknight]

that would seem reasonable to me.  and wtf was maldonado doing at the start - another clown.

spa-francorchamps still the greatest circuit of them all though.  well done belgium…

[Giles]

Although he has lived his entire life in Switzerland, he does race under the French flag, and quite frankly has just confirmed the worlds prejudice as to the quality (or lack) of French drivers

[Giles]

Paula has just pointed out that Prost was French, so I have to admit there is the odd exception to the rule…..

[Seul]

He had that other French thing going though: being an insufferable arsehole…

[babyknight]

LOL…

[Giles]

Not F1, but what a cock up…..

[CLJ]

Grosjean should thank his lucky stars that fuck up didn't end up killing Alonso. I can't imagine what possessed him to just dive into Hamilton's car like that. A real testament to the safety of these cars now. Knocked two WC's and title contenders out of the points for this race, changed the championship up a bit. Spa is always an exciting time for better or worse.

Just glad everyone got away breathing and upright.

[zwer]

Cars in the air is always a scary thing. Looks like there will be full head protection for 2014.

I think a lot of the problems at the start were caused by the smoke coming out of Kobyashi's car. They should have red flagged the start, got the car off the grid and started again.

[Mild7]

Yeah I agree.. I was just waiting for flames to emerge from each corner of Sauber!  I also think that Maldonado's jumped start helped to add to the confusion from the get go.

All of that aside, Grosjean is damn lucky Alonso is still walking.  Bonehead move of the season, and that's saying something..

Head protection worries me a bit. I can't see how they can achieve something useful without it turning into closed cockpits.  What then, enclosed wheel arches?

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[zwer]

My thoughts exactly. Is the logical conclusion sports cars?

Supposedly they're working on a 'cage' system that minimizes the amount that the driver's view is blocked. I reckon the other big challenge is how do you get the driver out in event of a rollover/fire?

[CLJ]

@zwer:

My thoughts exactly. Is the logical conclusion sports cars?

Supposedly they're working on a 'cage' system that minimizes the amount that the driver's view is blocked. I reckon the other big challenge is how do you get the driver out in event of a rollover/fire?

Asked and answered the big question right there. A rolled over car with a closed cockpit thats bursting into flames. Thats the nightmare situation trying to be avoided.

I don't believe a close cockpit and closed wheel arches are able to go away and the sport still remain 'Formula 1'. I think a higher shelf around the drivers head but still remaining open would be a 'best possible' solution.

[zwer]

IndyCar is running a rear bumper system on their new car and it's not terrible looking. Preventing cars from launching off of the rear wheels is more important than closing in the cockpit in my mind.

[Giles]

Call me head in the sand if you like.  But without some risk, they may as well be playing tiddlywinks, and I would contend that a lot of us watch it to see the big prangs.  And the last death in F1 was 1994 and a cage would not have helped….

[Chris]

Senna got impaled on his steering column, didn't he?  Safety has gotten dramatically better since that tragedy.