- 27 Jun 11, 12:38#262852
"I knew I had been beaten by the best driver in the world." Rene Arnoux.
Trouble with F1 cars, by their very nature they are designed at the limit of whats possible to save weight, but yet have enough strength to survive a crash. It is possible to build one that would be indestructible if it had to weigh at least the same as a family car. Trouble is at the speeds they race and the momentum such a vehicle would have, it would survive but the driver would be mashed against the inside of the cockpit! Thats why they design them so that during an accident pieces fall off to reduce the momentum, that causes whole new problems though as Senna found out when a piece of the suspension went through his helmet.
I also remember vividly watching the race on TV with my sister, I was about 18 at the time, and saying out loud I dont think he will be racing for a while. Fully of course expecting him to survive, as apart from Ratzenberger the day before, we were in a period of F1 where no driver had died for over a decade. So it was total shock when we heard later that evening that he had been killed. The fact that he was such a skilled 3 times champion made it even more so.
I also remember the disbelief hearing about the crash the day before (at the time I dont think qualifying was broadcast on the BBC so didnt see it) and the death of a relatively unknown driver.
I also remember vividly watching the race on TV with my sister, I was about 18 at the time, and saying out loud I dont think he will be racing for a while. Fully of course expecting him to survive, as apart from Ratzenberger the day before, we were in a period of F1 where no driver had died for over a decade. So it was total shock when we heard later that evening that he had been killed. The fact that he was such a skilled 3 times champion made it even more so.
I also remember the disbelief hearing about the crash the day before (at the time I dont think qualifying was broadcast on the BBC so didnt see it) and the death of a relatively unknown driver.
"I knew I had been beaten by the best driver in the world." Rene Arnoux.