WRC - Safety Upgrades

[bt52b]

MJW pointed out these pictures, from the 1000 Lakes Shakedown:
http://www.rally-live.com/wrc/en/pho..._shak_03.shtml

http://www.rally-live.com/wrc/en/pho...iapo_056.shtml

http://www.rally-live.com/wrc/en/pho...iapo_057.shtml

http://www.rally-live.com/wrc/en/pho...iapo_058.shtml

Anyone seen anything more on this.

It looks like improved cockpit protection, but it looks like half measures. I could be wrong, but there doesn't appear to be any crash aborbing structures.

The FIA have been asleep at the wheel for along time, as far as WRC safety is concerned, I hope they wake up soon.

The FIA Institute CLOSED CAR RESEARCH GROUP is supposed to be working improving WRC safety, but are wheels turning at all?

[Sulland]

With basis in Øsberg/Barth accident, does FIA need to revisit the safety issues, with focus on side impact?

[denkimi]

With basis in Øsberg/Barth accident, does FIA need to revisit the safety issues, with focus on side impact?

The only thing you could do is make the cars wider so there's room for a crumble zone. And that could actually be done pretty easily, since the cars are already wider at the wheels.

[rallyfiend]

With basis in Øsberg/Barth accident, does FIA need to revisit the safety issues, with focus on side impact?

I don't think there was anything particularly remarkable about that accident that needs changes to cars.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

The only thing you could do is make the cars wider so there's room for a crumble zone. And that could actually be done pretty easily, since the cars are already wider at the wheels.

You mean make fatter doors that are as wide as the wheel arches ? A nice idea, but all these cars would need these fitted retrospectively and the costs may be significant.

The Rally1 cars already have thicker side protection so they should be ok, as several big crashes have proved.

https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/why-r...y-to-wrc-cars/

[Fast Eddie WRC]

I don't think there was anything particularly remarkable about that accident that needs changes to cars.

Occupants of much more severe crashes have walked away uninjured, but the effect of this 'unremarkable' side-impact was pretty bad (co-driver unconscious, bleeding with broken jaw and hip)...

[WRCStan]

Occupants of much more severe crashes have walked away uninjured, but the effect of this 'unremarkable' side-impact was pretty bad (co-driver unconscious, bleeding with broken jaw and hip)...

Is there evidence to suggest more door material will prevent that? When the driver also broke a rib, perhaps it's something else can be improved related to lateral impacts? Seats, harnesses etc.

[Mirek]

Occupants of much more severe crashes have walked away uninjured, but the effect of this 'unremarkable' side-impact was pretty bad (co-driver unconscious, bleeding with broken jaw and hip)...

20 years ago this accident would likely end being fatal. A lot was done even though it is not that visible.

As denkimi said the only major thing you can do is to add width at the door area but that is not possible within Rally2 rules using stock bodyshell and door. You can therefore either go full Rally 1 (it's not only about the door depth but also the crew in the Rally 1 sits closer to each other) or you can somewhat help by using special prototype door on the Rally 2 bodyshells. It is most likely doable but It will be expensive and I don't think anyone wants to bring very expensive solutions to the customer-oriented Rally 2.

[speederbee]

This looks like a very dangerous crash to me. The car is traveling at decent speed when it hits an immovable object directly where someone is sitting. That's a huge amount of force in a concentrated area in a sudden impact.

Don't be fooled by crashes that "look big" but actually don't result in big forces on the occupants. For example, a car that goes off the road at 120kmh, and rolls ten times, before finally coming to a stop 400m away in a field. Looks big, but all that energy is dissipated gradually over time as the car slows down during the crash. Much less dangerous.

[becher]

The 17 cars had a pretty neat solution already, that could be doable for Rally2 with reasonable cost I would guess. But probably something for a future regulation change not as a add on for now.