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[darwin dali]

Canopies shouldn't happen but if they did, at circuits such as Malaysia and Bahrain the drivers would cook even more, no?

With a spicy sauce, yummy!

[woody2goody]

Also, if you add canopies to these cars, then you'd need windscreen wipers, then what happens if they fail in the rain? You have another safety risk.

I know I shouldn't say this, but I agree with Rubinho, I've got a bad feeling about tomorrow. I just want the Hungarian GP to be over and done with, and all the drivers to finish safely. And for Felipe to be ok.

Today was just too scary. If I remember, Senna visited Barrichello in hospital at Imola in 1994, and ironically, it was Barrichello who visited his fellow countryman Massa this weekend. I'm encouraged though by the care Felipe has received.

[EwanM]

I'm not really sure that a canopy would work on an F1 car...

As Longbow says "Motorsport is Dangerous". It's on your ticket, its mentioned on the TV and in the print media and hell it's even on a sign at my local kart track (which is in a field... with sheep)

Again I have to side with those against such a measure. Sadly the past few weeks have seen incidents of a freakish nature. Both unprotectable and both unexpected. However you cannot simply cover up the cars, then they wouldn't be a single seater.

Drivers still die in covered Sportcars and tin tops, you cannot escape of reality of death in motorsport. Any measures taken would be a knee-jerk reaction. What happened over the April-May weekend 1994 was different. Motorsport for a longtime was in need of an overhaul in safety. It is just unfortunate that two drivers had to lose their lives for that to happen. At least the safety drive is ongoing at the moment.

Maybe we are too used to drivers ploughing cars into barriers at huge speeds, and then walking away uninjured?

It is sad to say this, but it is the truth: Sometime in our life time there will be another fatality in Formula One. I know it is awful to say that, but it is true. You can never cheat death! You can try and protect the driver's head as much as possible, but what if in this period a driver dies in another way? Do you just drop tools and folk over to improving that area? You cannot keep up with these things, sadly life isn't like that

That shouldn't mean that steps aren't take to continue to improve safety for the drivers, spectators, pitcrew etc - for it lessens the chance of fatality.

Sadly nothing could have prevented Massa or Henry Surtees from being struck. The object was head on and at speed. It is just something we have to accept in Motorsport.

[madbrad]

I dunno, I think if they put a can of pee on top of the car, the drivers would have to drive really slowly not to spill any.

[EwanM]

I dunno, I think if they put a can of pee on top of the car, the drivers would have to drive really slowly not to spill any.

That is just as ingenius as the triangle tyres.

[billindenver]

Oh my god! Someone got hurt! In motor racing?!?

Listen folks, the fact of the matter is it is MUCH safer today than it was in the past and our forefathers weren't all twitterpated over the danger. The danger is the damn point. Drivers used to burn to death, get impaled by steering columns, crushed by flipping cars, thrown from cars without seatbelts...its racing, injuries happen. If you want the drivers lapping in armored tanks...perhaps you are watching the wrong sport.

No need for canopies...racing incidents happen. They happen. They JUST.....HAPPEN. You shake your head, thank the gods he is ok and move on.

[bud]

Nicely put Bill!

[digitaleye]

For example you are more likely to be injured playing Football, Rugby and Especialy American Football there has been over 300 deaths from american football in 25 years.

I see your point but these are really apples and oranges.
In Professional American football there have been 78 deaths since 1930. In a given year there are about 1500 players playing 16 games vs 20 drivers doing 18 races in F1. Statistically that makes American football a lot safer than F1.

In any case I do agree that canopies are not a practical or even effective for a lot of good reasons already mentioned.

In the photo it looks like the spring crashed through the edge of Massa's visor. Perhaps the answer is to strengthen that weak link. Perhaps some type of thicker shatterproof material?

[bud]

For example you are more likely to be injured playing Football, Rugby and Especialy American Football there has been over 300 deaths from american football in 25 years.

I see your point but these are really apples and oranges.
In Professional American football there have been 78 deaths since 1930. In a given year there are about 1500 players playing 16 games vs 20 drivers doing 18 races in F1. Statistically that makes American football a lot safer than F1.

In any case I do agree that canopies are not a practical or even effective for a lot of good reasons already mentioned.

In the photo it looks like the spring crashed through the edge of Massa's visor. Perhaps the answer is to strengthen that weak link. Perhaps some type of thicker shatterproof material?

If you want to isolate F1 and not all open wheel racing then there has been 24 deaths out of 813 Grand Prix drivers since 1954.

as for the helmet visor, the top part of the visor overlaps the actual helmet so i doubt it would have penetrated the helmet, just the sheer speed of 200 km/h + with an object denting the helmet is enough to cause damage to the head. If the object hit his head directly Felipe would be dead.

[8-ball]

Oh my god! Someone got hurt! In motor racing?!?

Listen folks, the fact of the matter is it is MUCH safer today than it was in the past and our forefathers weren't all twitterpated over the danger. The danger is the damn point. Drivers used to burn to death, get impaled by steering columns, crushed by flipping cars, thrown from cars without seatbelts...its racing, injuries happen. If you want the drivers lapping in armored tanks...perhaps you are watching the wrong sport.

No need for canopies...racing incidents happen. They happen. They JUST.....HAPPEN. You shake your head, thank the gods he is ok and move on.

We cannot start putting canopies in F1 on the back of a freak, one in a million accident.

[Gaz]

For example you are more likely to be injured playing Football, Rugby and Especialy American Football there has been over 300 deaths from american football in 25 years.

I see your point but these are really apples and oranges.
In Professional American football there have been 78 deaths since 1930. In a given year there are about 1500 players playing 16 games vs 20 drivers doing 18 races in F1. Statistically that makes American football a lot safer than F1.

In any case I do agree that canopies are not a practical or even effective for a lot of good reasons already mentioned.

In the photo it looks like the spring crashed through the edge of Massa's visor. Perhaps the answer is to strengthen that weak link. Perhaps some type of thicker shatterproof material?

Your right statistcly F1 is more dangerous i'm not debating that.

What i'm saying is More people have died from American Football but you don't see them banning it as a sport or suggesting they run around with Hans Style devices to prevent spinal injurys.

Like Bill says its safter than it was back in the day and we should try and make it safer but also we should accept that there is a danger.

Besies its not like tin top racing is any safer in nascar there has been 42 deaths since the 1960s.

Obv nascar has more competitors but the point is sticking a canopy on an F1 car might cause more problems

[EwanM]

Cover me

[EagleF1-27]

We have heard before about the strength of the Schuberth helmet both Ferrari drivers use, as Schumacher used one and the companies marketing says you can driver a tank over one. That makes you wonder how well he would have faired with another make of helmet. Massa certainly owes his life to Schuberth.
Stray wheels have always been a problem, as have whole cars coming over the sides of the cockpit. Ironically with all the side padding the drivers head is pretty much held in one place with nowhere to move. One possible solution could be having two bars extending back from in front of the cockpit to the roll hoop above the drivers head. It may not look pretty and wont stop small objects but would deflect wheels away from the head and any cars that may come over the side of the cockpit.

[scotty]

Canopies won't happen for several reasons, but this may spark new regulations for higher helmet impact strength...

[richindarlo]

I just watched a bit o Moto GP for the first time properly and 2 people went off their bikes in almost as many minutes. I think that maybe helmet design should be looked at but we need to accept that this things happen. I must admit i went cold yesterday, and was unsure as to if he was gonna be ok, but we need to just be glad he is and carry on.
The sport is much safer than was and car racings bike riding cousins dont have the luxury of even debating canopies. We all know the risks of motorsport, no-one more so than the drivers and teams.
Be glad he is ok, and then continue to enjoy F1, its what any driver would want