FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[EwanM]

They are Formula One standard tethers so this will mean an entire review of the most single seater series, niot just f2.

[Amanda]

They are Formula One standard tethers so this will mean an entire review of the most single seater series, niot just f2.

In hindsight, it really should have been looked into earlier given what others have said about the Vettel-Kubica incident in Australia.

[Denthúl]

:( Very sad.

Does F2 use wheel tethers? I know in F1 they don't always work so that might need to be looked into.

Do F2 cars have the raised cockpit sides like F1? if not would that have made a difference?

I don't think raised sides would have made a difference, to be honest, the impact looked more like it was front-on (I cringed when it happened, thus missing some of it, and I can't bring myself to watch it again) so...

Palmer's comments are also scary, about how it only just missed Jolyon.

[EwanM]

Unfortunately there was no way of avoiding the wheel, high sides or not.

There are a number of factors behind the incident, i'm sure it'll be investigated with great care for not just the sake of the Surtees family, but also the entire single seater world.

[Frosty]

I think the F2 cars are built to the same safety regulations as F1 cars so this accident could of easily been in F1 and they are at the same risk. This terrible accident needs to be a wake up call to single seater motor sport on the issue of loose tyres they have been very complacent over the regulations of them.

[martracer]

I was deeply shocked and upset about Henry's death. As a father and grandfather I cannot imagine the pain that the Surtees family are going through right now.
For such a young man to lose his life in such circumstances is a terrible shame.
My heartfelt condolences to the family and friends.

[bud]

I think the F2 cars are built to the same safety regulations as F1 cars so this accident could of easily been in F1 and they are at the same risk. This terrible accident needs to be a wake up call to single seater motor sport on the issue of loose tyres they have been very complacent over the regulations of them.

i doubt that they are built to the same safety regs, F1 has tethers for the wheels should the suspension break the wheels stay connected to the car. This accident wasnt that major and the wheel if tethered like youre suggesting would not have come off.

[Hexagram]

I think the F2 cars are built to the same safety regulations as F1 cars so this accident could of easily been in F1 and they are at the same risk. This terrible accident needs to be a wake up call to single seater motor sport on the issue of loose tyres they have been very complacent over the regulations of them.

i doubt that they are built to the same safety regs, F1 has tethers for the wheels should the suspension break the wheels stay connected to the car. This accident wasnt that major and the wheel if tethered like youre suggesting would not have come off.

They are built to the 2005 F1 FIA standards.

There are a number of factors behind the incident, i'm sure it'll be investigated with great care for not just the sake of the Surtees family, but also the entire single seater world.

To be honest the whole accident reeks. The place Clarke crashed was weird, there was hardly any run off area and the wheel tether broke to easily.

In hindsight, it really should have been looked into earlier given what others have said about the Vettel-Kubica incident in Australia.

You can't make the tethers too strong either as a tyre with its suspension still attached flapping around beside a drivers head during a crash would kill far more.

I would still like to see/know the difference if any between the current 2009 FIA F1 regs on tethers & the 2005 ones.

[bud]

Wow didnt realise Williams designed the F2 chassis

The F2 Car

F2 chassis

The F2 car is designed by Williams F1 featuring ground effect aerodynamics and includes a sophisticated composite survival cell complying with the 2005 F1 safety regulations. The transmission is a six speed Hewland unit with pneumatically operated paddle shift.



All F2 cars will include standard components that will be identical within specified tolerances and all F2 cars will be of identical weight +/- 2kg and ballasted to a standard Driver weight of 80kg (including all race wear and Driver safety equipment).

F2 engine

The F2 car is powered by an Audi 1.8 litre turbo engine with 400bhp on standard boost and 450bhp on overboost. The engines on all cars will have identical power within 1.5% of the target. The overboost facility is actuated by a steering wheel button which increases maximum power by 50bhp.

Maintaining engine parity within a very close tolerance that will make no significant difference to the cars' performance throughout the season is one of the most important criteria of the championship.

Full Technical Specification:


Monocoque:
Carbon composite monocoque built to 2005 FIA F1 safety standards

Wings & bodywork: Carbon composite
Wheelbase: 2885mm
Track front / rear: 1590mm / 1475mm
Weight: 570 kg
Engine: Audi 4-cylinder turbocharged, 5 valves per cylinder
Displacement: 1781cc
Bore/stroke: 81.0mm x 86.4mm
Power-output: 400bhp @ 8,250rpm or 450bhp @ 8250rpm with overboost
Engine & gearbox control: Pi Research Pectel MQ12 ECU
Data logging and analysis: Pi Research
Gearbox: Hewland TMT with 6 forward gears and reverse. Sequential semi-automatic shift system
Brakes & Clutch: AP Racing
Tyres front / rear: Avon 250/570-13 / 300/600-13

hmm it says the monocoque is 05 standards but doesnt say anything about other safety regulations such as wheel tethers. so need to find out some more on that.

[EwanM]

"The Williams F1 designed Formula 2 cars comply with the FIA 2005 F1 safety standards, including the fitment of wheel tethers to reduce the risk of wheels coming off in accidents. The F2 car also includes the latest F1 standards of driver head protection with high cockpit sides and lateral deformable structures. As with F1 however, wheel tethers cannot provide an absolute guarantee that a wheel will not come off in an accident and in a single-seater race car the front of the head is inevitably exposed to the risk, however small, of being hit by another car or component.

Excerpt from Dr Jonathan Palmer's statement.

[bud]

well according to the FIA regs

ARTICLE 17 : SAFETY EQUIPMENT AND DRIVER INSTALLATION
17.1 Cars must comply with the requirements of Articles 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 14.4, 14.6, 14.8, and14.9 of the 2009
FIA Formula One Technical Regulations at all times during a race Event or Test.
17.2 The safety belts supplied with the car may not be changed for another type.
17.3 The safety belt fixing system to the monocoque may not be changed or modified.
17.4 The seat shell positioning system must not be modified.
17.5 Padding and minor modifications of the seat shell are allowed for driver’s comfort providing all the
functionality of the seat and its safety equipment is preserved.
17.6 An extraction test may be requested at any time by the FIA technical delegate. The seat must be
removable without the need to cut or remove any of the seat belts.
17.7 When seated normally with his seat belts fastened, the driver’s helmet must be at least at 70mm below a
line drawn between the highest points of the front and rear roll structures.
17.8 In order to ensure that the driver’s head is not unduly exposed and for him to maintain good lateral
visibility he must, when seated normally and looking straight ahead with his head as far back as possible,
have his eye visible when viewed from the side.
17.9 The driver, seated normally with his seat belts fastened and with the steering wheel removed must be able
to raise both legs together so that his knees are past the plane of the steering wheel in the rearward
direction. This action must not be prevented by any part of the car.
17.10 From his normal seating position, with all seat belts fastened and whilst wearing his usual driving
equipment the driver must be able to remove the steering wheel and get out of the car within five seconds
and then replace the steering wheel in a total of ten seconds. For this test, the position of the steered
wheels will be determined by the FIA technical delegate and after the steering wheel has been replaced
steering control must be maintained.
17.11 No less than 85 % of the rear light LEDs must be in order to work at the beginning of every session or
race.

they skip this FIA F1 reg...

14.7 Wheel retention :
All cars, whilst under their own power, must be fitted with devices which will retain any wheel in the event
of it coming loose.
After the wheel nut is fastened, these devices must be manually fitted in a separate action to that of
securing the wheel nut.
no tethers on an F2 car!!

[EwanM]

Hmmm It would interesting to learn what other shortcuts the F2 car has made. Seems that their "cheap low cost series" means they've compromised safety. Thanks for posting that Bud.

[Denthúl]

Hmm, interesting. Of course, that does work on the assumption that what Palmer says isn't true. Whilst it may not be mandatory, it's possible that tethers were fitted to cars. However, any images I've seen don't show anything that looks like one :S

[bud]

well i got that info direct from the FIA regulations section so who knows what Palmer is on about. seems he saw on the F2's website that the monocoque is designed to the 05 F1 safety regs and assumed that it meant all of F1's safety requirements.

[Denthúl]

well i got that info direct from the FIA regulations section so who knows what Palmer is on about. seems he saw on the F2's website that the monocoque is designed to the 05 F1 safety regs and assumed that it meant all of F1's safety requirements.

I think he would have more knowledge on it, to be honest - I doubt he wouldn't have a clue about his car.