Should f1 run coupes?

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Originally Posted by schmenke

I can't help but think that a canopy may hinder extraction of an imobile driver in a serious accident.
What if the canopy is jammed and is difficult to be removed?

(...apologies if this has already been mentioned in the previous 37 pages of this thread... :uhoh: )

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Yep, had been discussed previously.
We all believe that F1 engineers are smart enough to provide a solution.

Also, nowadays they need to remove the headrest to be able to extract the driver, what if it got jammed? And what if the safety belt buckle got jammed?
A long time ago drivers were opposing safety belts because being catapulted out of the car was regarded as being safer, we all know how this own turned out in the end.

Wheel fenders and canopies will come into F1 sooner or later, let's hope it is before other drivers die or get injured.

Sorry to butt in, but dont they use canops in F1 power boats, seem to rember years ago when the raced in Bristol docks.

F1 powerboats do have canopies but this is because of the danger of a boat nosediving into water at high speeds. It is like hitting concrete.

F1 cars don't have this problem as the concrete is concrete and cannot enter the survival cell unless the rollover bar breaks which is practically impossible.

But is it not something to look at, i dont recall problems with extracting drivers in an emergacy. Ive heard people talk about wipers and visabilty, that exsists with other forms of motor racing Le Mans for example.

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Originally Posted by big_sw2000

But is it not something to look at, i dont recall problems with extracting drivers in an emergency. Ive heard people talk about wipers and visibility, that exists with other forms of motor racing Le Mans for example.

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I think the question should be what sort of problem are we trying to solve by enclosing drivers with a canopy? What is the risk to drivers safety of enclosing them in a shell as opposed to leaving the cockpit open as it is.?

Daniel will argue that it's almost suicide continuing to run as F1 is at the moment but what is the current risk. The only meaningful accident in recent years was the spring striking Massa where the injury in that incident was caused by a helmet failure that has since been rectified. Are we going to change a whole series just for that?

Then we have the potential increased risk of running canopies. There is a enhanced risk that one might jam or even come loose in the event of an accident and cause injury. Can you imagine a canopy spinning off at over 150 mph and striking a Marshall or Spectator. If someone can tell me this is impossible then I challenge them to prove it otherwise it seems to pose as likely a risk as a spring falling off a car and striking a driver.

Then we have the problems associated with reduced visibility and potential fire in a crash, the increase in top-end weight of a car, the problems with rain etc.

All in all, it seems to create more problems than the negligible risk of having an open cockpit.

Motor Racing carries an element of danger but that doesn't mean we should have a gung-ho approach to safety. If Canopies make sense then I cannot see why they shouldn't be introduced but I don't see what benefit they will bring.

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Originally Posted by Knock-on

Daniel will argue that it's almost suicide continuing to run as F1 is at the moment but what is the current risk. The only meaningful accident in recent years was the spring striking Massa where the injury in that incident was caused by a helmet failure that has since been rectified. Are we going to change a whole series just for that?

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It is an argument akin to suggesting that motorcycle racing is too dangerous in its current form, and that the riders need to be enclosed by canopies. After all, that might have saved Simoncelli. No-one in their right mind would consider that train of thought sensible. Why apply it to F1?

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Originally Posted by BDunnell

It is an argument akin to suggesting that motorcycle racing is too dangerous in its current form, and that the riders need to be enclosed by canopies. After all, that might have saved Simoncelli. No-one in their right mind would consider that train of thought sensible. Why apply it to F1?

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Because some people don't understand the sport. Some people get more excited over a new winglet or piece of technology rather than the sound and smell or a race track. Some think that statistics are the be all and end all whereas some like to see two drivers going at it hammer and tongs like Hammy and Webbo even though there wasn't a pass.

Each to their own but lets hope the wringing hand brigade don't bugger it up and make it worse.

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Originally Posted by Knock-on

Because some people don't understand the sport. Some people get more excited over a new winglet or piece of technology rather than the sound and smell or a race track. Some think that statistics are the be all and end all whereas some like to see two drivers going at it hammer and tongs like Hammy and Webbo even though there wasn't a pass.

Each to their own but lets hope the wringing hand brigade don't bugger it up and make it worse.

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I hope you knew as you typed those words that I would agree!

Unsurprisingly , there are two camps , one against the canopy idea , and one for the canopy idea .

Is there any one of the posters in this thread , now running to 740 posts , who has had a change of heart , and decided to vote differently on this issue ?

I still don't like the idea , but I think there is work to be done , and some of it could be to deal with some of the issues that having a canopy would address .

A beginning is to respect yellow flags.