Lewis Hamilton's Crash at Spa - Unconscious?

[Steven]

[...] still finding it weird he didnt hit the brakes, he stayed in his car for an awful long time too. At the moment of the crash I just thought the brakes were broken or something.

That's quite an interesting point you make there.

Remember the brake fluid containers are ahead of the front bulkhead, so ahead of the monocoque's crash structure. Given that Lewis went head-on into the barriers and seeing the nose completely gone, I suspect brake fluid for both circuits was gone too, hence disabling the brakes.

[beelsebob]

[...] still finding it weird he didnt hit the brakes, he stayed in his car for an awful long time too. At the moment of the crash I just thought the brakes were broken or something.

That's quite an interesting point you make there.

Remember the brake fluid containers are ahead of the front bulkhead, so ahead of the monocoque's crash structure. Given that Lewis went head-on into the barriers and seeing the nose completely gone, I suspect brake fluid for both circuits was gone too, hence disabling the brakes.

Wow, that's a really interesting point – I'm very surprised that they're not mandated to be inside the monocoque.

[strad]

I think the master cylinders are mounted just ahead of the footwell bulkhead which is behind the crash structure.

[Steven]

strad, the master cylinders are visible when unmounting the nose cone, so they are ahead of the rigid carbon fibre structure that protects the driver. However, they are obviously in the deformable crash structure that is the nose cone, but that was entirely gone when he rolled into the tyre wall (second impact).

[raymondu999]

Either the nose wasn't completely swiped off on Sunday, or the brake fluid was caught also. Isn't it those white canisters you often see when the car is in the pits with mechanics swarming over them? Those weren't visible at all after the collision.

Lewis once (i think Nurburgring 2007) wiggled his legs very vigorously after he shunted into the tyre wall to check that they were fine. He didn't this time, and when the martial nudged his head it just stayed limp; which was why I feared the worst.

[FrukostScones]

brake system looks fine too me...
I think he was koed from the polystyrene advertising thing...

[Tim.Wright]

The front crash structure is not even completely finished(!?)

Tim

[piast9]

I think he was koed from the polystyrene advertising thing...

He might be. I remember a race at old Hockenheim many years ago when some driver hit the styrofoam blocks that were put at the entry to the stadium section at the full speed and was in a lot of pain because of that. That blocks were lifted by the front of the car and hit the driver in the head.

[Thebreed]

I can see that he was still conscious after the first impact but with the second impact into tyre wall his helmet clearly hits his steering wheel at which point he stays completely still as if he is unconscious, the Marshall walks over and checks him and it appears he is also signaling that he is KO. obviously they won't want it to be public because of obvious reasons. Most of the initial impact had been absorbed and I'd say he didn't hit the "tyres" with much speed. He became unconscious fairly easily in comparison to mark webbers flip last year who climbed straight out.

[Richard]

Head hit the wheel? Have you not heard of seatbelts and HANS? The drivers can barely move their heads once they are strapped in.

[myurr]

I think he was just badly winded by the first impact, not unconscious. If he looked like he was in pain or gasping for air then the marshall would have reacted in the same way as he did when he first came over. I'm sure Charlie would have asked that marshall if Lewis had been unconscious when he first came over, and he would have dragged him in to the medical centre if that were the case.

There's no evidence he was unconscious other than it looked like he may have been on the on board video. It's not the kind of thing that the teams or marshalls would keep from the FIA. If they think the driver is okay then they have nothing to hide, and if they think he's got a problem then they wouldn't dare keep that from the medical staff or risk letting him race like that.

[andyjones]

Having marshalled for about 10 years (ages ago!!) and followed the sport for more years than I care to remember I think LH might well have been "out" for just a few moments, because:

1.
The brakes did not appear to being applied at the end of the accident; he rolled fairly slowly to a halt, but was stopped by the second thing he hit


2.
His head was lying over to one side and motionless after the vehicle stopped


3.
The attending marshal took one look at him and as I recall summoned immediate medical assistance (exactly what I would have done)


4.
The dear chap seemed a little confused in his post race interview, which can sometimes be indicative of mild concussion

[rock1]

I think he was out just for a moment. It was a bad enough shunt and just think that peoples bodies react differently to each situation. I would not have liked to have been in that car, it would knock the wind out anyones sail's.

Funny thing to is that he was away via helicopter before the race even ended. Maybe just needed time to get himself straight.

Main thing is that he is ok and can go on racing.

[FrukostScones]

quite an impact

[RickRick]

First post!

If the brakes were applied before any damage to the Reservoirs they would still work till the pedal was released, also if they were applied once the Reservoirs had been damaged, they would still work for atleast one press of the brakes, as the first tiny movemeant of the pedal shuts off the port to the Reservoirs so the system can be pressurised by the rest of the mastercylinder movemeant.