Life I'm sorry that anyone takes offense to that. Call me facetious, whimsical, flippant, arrogant, <Edit r1:>sarcastic, cynical, crude</Edit r1>, an arse, I'll even take <Edit r1>knut cant</Edit r1>. I'll call myself that last one when sometimes driving on the road, after doing something out of frustration that, I didn't really want to do. However I am not callous. My personal experiences with danger in motorsport are; watching my brother high-side, breaking his wrist (I had time to look away, twice). Seeing a driver get knocked unconscious and his leg going limp on the throttle whilst in neutral, this being the scariest thing I have ever witnessed. Later I heard the news that a similar thing happened, but this driver was still circulating at full speed, it took another driver to get in front and break for the two cars to stop it. http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/local/driver_knocked_unconscious_in_race_day_drama_1_3050526. Thankfully this stuff is as bad as I've personally known. I remember, and never take names in vein. With great regard I hold the lives of many drivers, and lets not forget spectators and marshals either. I wish that they were still around. Most of all I reserve a special place in my mind for the venerable Scottish farmer James Clark. Another thing, when I was 10 and at a karting birthday party, I pooed my pants so much at the thought of driving a kart, so much so that I wouldn't participate. The fellas at the place encourage me, but I refused. You see I'm more like Phil Hill, driving is very serious to me. You exist on the other side of a cultural divide from me. My friends and I have this complex attitude to death. There has been a BBC documentary on the subject of the unusual way that drivers think. <Edit r1:> , It was a long time ago so couldn't get information for yous. It featured a psychologist that did research around the 70's. I feel I may have over stated that. Here is Graham Hill, see points around 3.5, and 9 minutes. And Dr Keith Johnsgard, uses "psychopathic" when describing drivers.</Edit r1>. What my comment was (and it is only a comment neither suggestion nor demand) is that there are many great drivers facing a bottleneck, and was simply trying to liken that to the past. I have been deeply saddened by the passing of drivers in recent years, the first one I remember is a karter at Silverstone. More recently (I have deliberately chosen something slightly obscure to 'Joe' public here) was an F2 driver at Brands Hatch. So then it boils down to my worldly attitude that nothing is above laughing about (Jester), and a special attitude towards life and death that I know isn't exclusive to me. Ridiculous? <Edit r1:> Yes, see my characteristics at the top. and as such, should be disregard.</Edit r1>. Insensitive? Well I am an INTJ. <Edit r1>I can not even get all the way through this without being completely serious</Edit r1> Nasty? There was no malice to my words. Small minded? Only on the surface. What I said was a world away from YouTube comments, one of the nicest being "lol professional car racing. Pointless death.". I hope I have demonstrated the underlying meaning sufficiently to change your minds.
Personally I think the problem is more the fact mediocre drivers are keeping their seats purely because they bring a wheelbarrow full of sponsorship money with them, sometimes at the expense of a promising young driver.
I would argue that my attitude toward death is probably based on the fact that I, both my brothers, my mother and father and uncle all serve/have served in the armed forces. I understand where you are coming from, but from what I have seen premature death is a terrible degrading and wholly unpleasant thing. I quite agree, and it really sad to see a team like Williams go down that route. Pastor Maldonado, to me at least, sums up everything wrong with pay drivers
Maybe more to do with the lack of in-season testing, it's easier for a team to opt for a known quantity than a newbie. I also find you original comment rather distasteful.
Kimi Raikonnen has been involved in a snowmobile crash and hurt his wrist http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/formula_one/16131089.stm Not serious though apparently, will be checked again tomorrow.
Really surprised Renault haven banned there drivers form other extreme sports altogether. They must invest huge amounts of cash into setting the cars up to drivers ect in addition to the salerys. To have all that go up in smoke as with Kubica must be a blow they want to avoid a second time.
The Kubica incident was a freak accident. The inside of a WRC car is probably one the safest places you could be and I reckon it would be a lot safer than a F1 car.
http://www.redbull.com/cs/Satellite/en_INT/Video/Milton-Keynes-Home-Run-021243135554224 I agree, phoenixes like Pedro can't be good for the "sport". What I really think is that it's just a shame that many good drivers are left at at the quay side. Also that there isn't an actual problem, and that it elevates the prestige of being world champion. Oh crap, it's the mods! I'm so sorry *bows* it won't happen again, *kisses feat*, please don't do anything, I'm begging you *sobs*. So this is getting off topic, so here. I've also edited my explanation of where I'm coming from (tagged). Rude (that's sounding a bit limp to me at the moment), WRC cars are made out of malleable materials. Anyone remember Peter Solber crashing in Germany on Panzerplatter? That was close! And there was the unusual incident of Timo Rautiainen's injury. But I've lost touch with more modern WRC rules, I don't know if any improvements have been made. By the virtue that your head is inside the car, I'd be happier in a tin top.
Are you referring to the Peter Solberg crash where the only footage was from inside and with every roll the roof got lower and lower and lower? That was ****ing terrifying.
A tin top won't often be safer than a carbon vehicle - the weight is the key. A carbon safety cell will let the rest of the vehicle disintegrate off and protect the occupant, a tin top can't do the same unfortunately. Just look at the Audi LMP1 accidents this year for how safe carbon safety cells are. The problem with open cockpit is protecting the driver's head, but the cell itself is absolutely amazing. I'd rather take an F1/F3000 car than a WRC car.
The torygraph has an article on this. While they don't mention it, one of the comments below cites Ben Edwards as having experience commenting on the Eurosport channel, from the Damon Hill / Michael Schumacher era. Stick 'Ben Edwards F1' into youtube and there's a lot to watch. This is one example you get...
Oh yes, and this was Timo's different kind of cockpit intrusion: And I don't care how safe the car is, when it's possible to do things like this (the second one), the car isn't taking much energy: Ben Edwards has been doing BTCC coverage for ages, quality commentator. Edit: easily better than James Allen
I remember watching that GP2 one live and just havign my jaw on the floor. So, so lucky. When you look closely it rolls and lands upsidedown on the wall about an inch infront of his head.
Well it's goodbye Alguersuari and Buemi, hello Ricciardo and Vergne at Toro Rosso. Slightly harsh on the Spaniard in particular; perhaps there'll be a place for him with Pedro at HRT? http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/formula_one/16187987.stm