We almost saw ourselves a beheading!

[ioan]

How the hell was Wurz to expect DC to arrive twice as fast as he should in that corner?
DC only got alongside AW because he went to fast there, I doubt he would have made the corner anyway.

[Erki]

Reminded me this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IW_4QaRRYVw
In this case, Tracy literally ran over Seb as his car was on top of Seb's helmet.

I think in Melbourne 2002, Ralf's car also hit Rubens' helmet. A few years ago at Malaysia, Webber and Fisichella also had a pretty close call.

But still, Pedro Diniz @ Nürburgring 1999 is in a league of his own.

[SteveA]

And that, in turn, reminded me of this!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=DRXymgWiRcY

[BDunnell]

Must say that I agreed with Martin Brundle's original assessment, namely that Coulthard's pass was basically OK. Then he changed his view when Coulthard held his hands up to being in the wrong.

Someone else will probably remember better than I do, but I recall there being a feature in MotorSport magazine about 10 years ago in which Gordon Murray sketched out his vision of the F1 car of the future. I'm sure this involved an enclosed cockpit. Sadly, I don't have that copy of the magazine in order to find out Murray's reasoning, but the very idea is interesting in itself.

[sonic_roadhog]

After looking at the youtube video I think that Wurz could have been a bit smarter as D.C. was nearly all the way alongside him as they contacted as DCs left front wheel made contact with Wurzs right front wheel! Hardly a mistake only by DC!

Have to say I don't see how you can say this. Watching the replay there is no way on earth Wurz could see him coming, DC was in his blind spot and by the time the RBR could be seen DC was ontop of the Williams.

[airshifter]

Very close call, and though I like DC I think it was entirely his fault. He came into the corner with so much speed that Wurz probably never had any idea he was trying to make a move. I doubt DC could have made the corner regardless of what Wurz did.

[tintop]

I'm agreeing with your post here. Wurz gave no space at all to Coulthard, and sometimes giving room, not a lot, but just enough, is part of good racecraft. I was at the track cheering Coulthard because he was right alongside Wurz and I thought he would make it, but then, BAM! Wurz should've conceded that he lost the corner, I reckon. Some of us here are playing the role of armchair critics critisising any attempt at an on-track pass, and its a bit hypocritical, in my view. But MAN was Coulthards car close to his head!

Wurz didn't need to give Coulthard any space in that corner because Coulthard wasn't even close to Wurz when he turned in - Classic late hero move on DC's part.

[V12]

Must say that I agreed with Martin Brundle's original assessment, namely that Coulthard's pass was basically OK. Then he changed his view when Coulthard held his hands up to being in the wrong.

Someone else will probably remember better than I do, but I recall there being a feature in MotorSport magazine about 10 years ago in which Gordon Murray sketched out his vision of the F1 car of the future. I'm sure this involved an enclosed cockpit. Sadly, I don't have that copy of the magazine in order to find out Murray's reasoning, but the very idea is interesting in itself.

I remember that article - it was actually concerned with what Murray would come up with if there were no rules in F1 (aside from sensible basic dimensions like length and width) and a bubble cockpit would be more aerodynamically efficient so it makes sense in that way as well as from a safety point, but given that they banned closed wheels from F1 in the early 1960s I doubt the FIA will ever let F1 go that route...

[Erki]

Closed cockpit, closed wheels F1? Done already.



mokin:

[BDunnell]

I remember that article - it was actually concerned with what Murray would come up with if there were no rules in F1 (aside from sensible basic dimensions like length and width) and a bubble cockpit would be more aerodynamically efficient so it makes sense in that way as well as from a safety point, but given that they banned closed wheels from F1 in the early 1960s I doubt the FIA will ever let F1 go that route...

Thanks!

Of course, if F1 did go down that route, it would immediately be accused of 'pandering to the nanny state', 'destroying the ethos of the sport' or some such — in the latter case, possibly with some justification. Doesn't stop it having been an extremely interesting exercise on Murray's part, though.