#drivers #security #Miami #race
Formula 1 drivers have urged Miami Grand Prix organizers to change the type of barrier used at the corner where Carlos Sainz and Esteban Ocon collided heavily.
The Miami International Speedway hosts its first Grand Prix this weekend and the concrete barrier used at Turn 14 has become a point of criticism after two accidents in 24 hours.
Sainz and Ocon lost control of their cars in separate incidents at Turn 13 on Friday and Saturday and both hit the barrier at Turn 14. Ocon did so with enough force to break his chassis, preventing him from participating in the races. ratings.
“Carlos complained to the race director, we are all there listening to him and nothing has been done.” Ocon said. “There was an argument last night, Carlos said the impact was too big for what it should have been and today it was huge, probably the biggest accident of my career. So yesterday Carlos got injured, I got injured today too. The FIA should work hard. more for our safety. But the important thing is that we can run.”
His team-mate Fernando Alonso says that Sainz’s accident made it clear that a different type of barrier is needed at this corner.
“We’re in the car and we know what it feels like when you hit the wall. And Carlos made it very clear that it wasn’t right to have the wall there with no other protection. So, we had another accident, same place, same angle, another driver got hit. So we have a second chance to get something going for the race.”
Speaking after qualifying, Sainz echoed Ocon’s thoughts that the impact of the crash shouldn’t have been that big given the speed he was driving.
“Sorry to be critical, but I told the FIA yesterday that my accident in second gear shouldn’t be that bad, and today I had a bit of pain in my neck. Sainz said.
“I told them, we are going to put some Tecpros there, because it is a very hard cement wall. Esteban crashed, and surely he felt it too. Her response from him? Any! It’s one of those things I’ll never understand.”
Valtteri Bottas felt there was “all the reasons to have a Tecpro barrier at the exit of turn 13”and i hoped it was “a subject of debate in the next drivers’ briefing in Spain”.
Lance Stroll said it was “ridiculous” that the curve be lined with concrete barriers instead of TecPro, a widely used alternative that absorbs impact through layers of plastic and polystyrene.
“They should put it on. I don’t know what it is, no one wants to hit a concrete wall. It’s a joke!”
And Lando Norris to echo him. “Lance called it a joke, it’s the same for me. There are some things that we understand and know better than what they can see. Because we know where the extra risks are and where the car is on the limit and things like that. .”
“So since it was brought up, and it’s a security issue, and it’s something that we gave advice about and nothing was done about, so I think it was… yeah, a joke.”
The severity of the crashes has alarmed drivers, according to Sergio Pérez. “We were surprised by how many G’s Carlos and Esteban had taken in those crashes. Such small crashes and so many G’s, over 50 for Esteban!”
“We don’t want to see this again. We want extra precautions in the future and to avoid all these kinds of serious accidents. To be fair to the FIA, it may not have been possible to change from Friday to Saturday, but there is race time.”
Sebastian Vettel was unsure if an immediate change was possible, but insisted it was necessary.
“It will still damage the car when you go off the track, but the question is where do you land, is there concrete or TecPro? I don’t know what can be done overnight, but by the time we get back in 2023, it’s important to look at all the places and see if you can improve.
“Also around the straightaways, I think we should have safer walls, we shouldn’t just have these concrete blocks. The Steel and Foam Energy Reduction (SAFER) barrier is widely used in American motorsports. You don’t even have to commit a mistake, you can get a puncture and it’s not your fault and it’s always better to hit something softer than harder”.
While he was in tension with the FIA at this point, Lewis Hamilton sounded less alarmist this time.
“When we get to these new tracks they do the best they can. I think they’ve done a great job on all these new tracks safely. You can’t predict at every corner where we’ll need TecPro. “
“Of course after this weekend’s experience we can see where the FIA can improve, but that is part of the lessons we are learning.