Jackie Stewart F1 legends question (aka is F1 too safe)

[SeijaKessen]

Ah yes, that whole turning the dials on the steering wheel skill.

Forgot about that.

Yeah, while pulling 4gs in Maggot's-Beckett's.

Oh yes, I suppose the drivers of those days wouldn't be able to handle it.

After all, they used to drive well in excess of the roughly 300KM GP races of today are.

Why, back in the 1960s, they used to run 395KM at Spa, all whilst having the sides of the track lined with telegraph poles, buildings, and spectators. None of that pesky safety stuff like armco barriers were around back then.

Who were those mortals in comparison to the amazingly skilled and talented drivers of 2012?

[timbo]

Oh yes, I suppose the drivers of those days wouldn't be able to handle it.

This one's certain. The problems with fitness drivers suddenly faced when provided with ground effect cars are well documented.

[SeijaKessen]

Oh yes, I suppose the drivers of those days wouldn't be able to handle it.

This one's certain. The problems with fitness drivers suddenly faced when provided with ground effect cars are well documented.

After all, fitness didn't come along till recently!

[timbo]

After all, fitness didn't come along till recently!

It did. If you read Ayrton Senna's book, there's a whole chapter devoted to fitness, with great emphasis on stamina and neck muscle training.

[SeijaKessen]

After all, fitness didn't come along till recently!

It did. If you read Ayrton Senna's book, there's a whole chapter devoted to fitness, with great emphasis on stamina and neck muscle training.

A whole chapter???

[timbo]

A whole chapter???

It's in this book http://www.amazon.com/Ayrton-Sennas-Pri ... 1874557403
The chapter 22 "Fitness training"

[strad]

You're vadlidifying my comments in another thread where it was disputed that the ground effects cars beat the crap out of the drivers. ..which they did as they effectively had no suspension,.
Yes a different type of strength and stamina was necessary from the late 70s on. But never discount the strength of Fangio or the Pamas Bull.

[timbo]

Yes a different type of strength and stamina was necessary from the late 70s on. But never discount the strength of Fangio or the Pamas Bull.

I guess that was one of the important factors in his favor. But there were also stories of a drivers like James Hunt jumping in the racecar after a night bender.

[SeijaKessen]

Onboard lap with Ronnie Peterson at Anderstop in 1972 while driving the March 721.

You can get a sense for how good Ronnie was at controlling the car. At 57 seconds in the back slides out and he just slides the car through the entire turn.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHjiVzwXCAE[/youtube]

[Cam]

Nice video. Reckon if they did that now you'd get, what, 1 maybe 2 laps out of the Pirellis?

[timbo]

You can get a sense for how good Ronnie was at controlling the car. At 57 seconds in the back slides out and he just slides the car through the entire turn.

Bo disrespect for Ronnie, but it's not like drivers today never do that.
E.g.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gMEriCPqAc[/youtube]

[Nando]

It´s obviously just a hologram the last video. We all know todays driver´s are pussies, they are weak, both physically and mentally and Ronnie would beat them all.

When in reality, what Koba did there takes a gazillion more skills to keep on track then Ronnie´s car.

It´s like comparing a butter knife with a ceramic kitchen knife.

[f1316]

Of course, it's not just drivers who benefit from greater safety. If I can drag the thread back to its original subject, wikipedia also has this on the Masta kink:

Another particularly gruesome story comes from the 1972[6] 24 hour touring car race. During one of his pitstops at night, Hans-Joachim Stuck shouted to his co-driver Jochen Mass over the noise that he should "look out for body parts at the Masta Kink". Mass arrived there expecting to see bits of car all over the road but was appalled to discover it was in fact the remains of a marshal.

[SeijaKessen]

It´s obviously just a hologram the last video. We all know todays driver´s are pussies, they are weak, both physically and mentally and Ronnie would beat them all.

When in reality, what Koba did there takes a gazillion more skills to keep on track then Ronnie´s car.

It´s like comparing a butter knife with a ceramic kitchen knife.

That's ok Nando.

I know you need to believe Hamilton and Vettel are the epitome of greatness.

[SeijaKessen]

Of course, it's not just drivers who benefit from greater safety. If I can drag the thread back to its original subject, wikipedia also has this on the Masta kink:

Another particularly gruesome story comes from the 1972[6] 24 hour touring car race. During one of his pitstops at night, Hans-Joachim Stuck shouted to his co-driver Jochen Mass over the noise that he should "look out for body parts at the Masta Kink". Mass arrived there expecting to see bits of car all over the road but was appalled to discover it was in fact the remains of a marshal.

That's a training issue.

Improperly trained marshals results in Tom Pryce, Kyalami 1977.