Pit stop safety

[schmenke]

Apologies if this has already been discussed...

Am I the only one who feels that perhaps the FIA should address the safety of pit stops, specifically in light of at least three incidents (that I could see from ITV's feed):
1. There's the obvious flash fire during Massa's first stop. It seemed that his car was rolling slightly as it was let down from the jacks. The fuel hose was still attached.
2. Similarily, during his second stop Massa's car seemed to be rolling slightly, which I found rather disturbing considering his first stop.
3. Heidfeld's obvious wheel-nut incident

All three incidents looked rushed, specifically with the lollipop-man possibly releasing the car too early

[Henry Cutts]

The only way to stop incidents like that is to have a minimum pit stop time (I think some endurance championship use it to make sure driver changes are not rushed)

They all know the risks, there will always be human error / mechanical failure.

[Spoonbender]

Every time I've been to Silverstone, there is a big warning on the back of the ticket stating that "Motorsport is Dangerous"??

[Dave B]

Surely it's not beyond the wit of man to programme the car to remain in neutral all the time the fuel rig is connected? It would make pit stops fractionally longer, but it would be the same for everybody.

[SteveA]

I've never understood why there isn't a safety switch in the fuel filler of each car, to stop the clutch engaging before the hose is removed. It would stop one of the most dangerous of pit accidents (which seems to happen in other racing too, not just F1)

[SteveA]

Dave - great minds!

[ioan]

Surely it's not beyond the wit of man to programme the car to remain in neutral all the time the fuel rig is connected? It would make pit stops fractionally longer, but it would be the same for everybody.

And thus introducing a new means for electronics malfunctioning to destroy a drivers race. RedBull had troubles making their fuel flap open and close, and that is much simpler to do.

[GRAVETT]

why why why when a team member/driver so much as stubs thier toe do we have to a great big safty debate. motorsport is dangerous. too much unessasary safety debate will lead to motorsport become far too dull and controlled. its a dangerous sport please acept this. the fia or anyone involved in motorsport ( apart from maybe the btcc drivers) ever purposefully do anything that would put in danger any other member of the f1 community. just accept accidents can happen anytime anywhere.

[CarlMetro]

just accept accidents can happen anytime anywhere.

So we should just let these accidents happen, rather than try and prevent them? Yeah good call

[GRAVETT]

accidents are accidents, you can do all you can to prevent them but in doing this the quality of what you're trying to make safer suffers greatly. the only thing you can do to completly rule out pitstop danger is to ban pitstops ( not going to happen) if the fia was to address the latest incidents then another danger would rear its head that no one was aware of. we dont want f1 to become governed by a nanny state, which is what will happen if when any little ACCIDENT happens everyone has an over the top reaction.