Alonso's Crash

[turbof1]

Sport Bild quoted a team boss as saying: “If a plane crashes and there is even the slightest risk that it happened because of a system fault, other planes of that type are not left in the air.”

We all know that that is not true.

One boss calls for more clarity and suddenly all F1 teams want to boycott? Bild, build (pun intended) on excegerating anything to a sensational but otherwise useless and unfounded piece.

[Moanlower]

Oh dear...

Are we going to infer in a moment that the mgu-k shot right through the fuel tank into the monocoque into Alonso's spine, both breaking and shocking it?

It was a side-impact. The forces went sideways. If the mgu-k moved, it was not into the direction of Alonso.

I just want to point out that you don't have to get an electric shock in you back to feel it there since I once had an electric shock through my hand and felt like someone punched me hard in the back.

[SectorOne]

I read somewhere (i think it was the AMuS Article) that Ron Dennis said you can test the Blood and certain Enzymes (sorry don't know the right English word) would tell you if the Person had an electric Shock. The results in Fernandos Case were negative.

Had no idea about this, i´m curious on what´s really going on with the enzymes and stuff.

[wesley123]

Interesting development, if true....

TEAMS COULD BOYCOTT MELBOURNE OVER ALONSO CRASH

Oh wow, the Australian GP is going to get boycotted because Alonso didn't tell enough about his crash? Maybe he could tell his whole life story while he's at it?

[Moanlower]

I read somewhere (i think it was the AMuS Article) that Ron Dennis said you can test the Blood and certain Enzymes (sorry don't know the right English word) would tell you if the Person had an electric Shock. The results in Fernandos Case were negative.

Had no idea about this, i´m curious on what´s really going on with the enzymes and stuff.

Injury may occur to muscles, the heart, or the brain from the electricity or to any bones or other organs from being thrown from the electric source.

The doctor may order various tests depending on the history and physical examination. Tests may include any or none of the following:

- ECG to check the heart
- Complete blood count
- Urine test for muscle enzymes (would indicate significant muscle injury)
- X-rays to look for fractures or dislocations, both of which may be caused by a near electrocution
CT scan

[Richard]

It would make sense to let the FIA inquiry run its course. I wouldn't expect Mclaren to release any more information because that'd give out mixed messages.

As for Alonso's health, Mclaren have been quite explicit from the beginning that this should be determined by clinicians, not the baying media. If anyone hasn't noticed yet, head injuries don't have a clear cut prognosis so there is little to say other than wait and see how he gets on. It'd be barmy to fly him around the world and subject him to the stress of the F1 paddock - bear in mind that some neuro patients aren't even allowed to read in order to rest their cognitive function.

Interesting development, if true....

TEAMS COULD BOYCOTT MELBOURNE OVER ALONSO CRASH

"Could" ... PML That's journalist speak for "I'm clutching at straws". Lots of things "could" happen but that is a world away from "might" happen or "will" happen.

[turbof1]

Interesting development, if true....

TEAMS COULD BOYCOTT MELBOURNE OVER ALONSO CRASH

Oh wow, the Australian GP is going to get boycotted because Alonso didn't tell enough about his crash? Maybe he could tell his whole life story while he's at it?

Oh man, I wished you did not say that. Now we will surely got somebody to point out that he had amnesia and can only remember half of his life story. We can possibly conclude out of that, that only half of grid is allowed to race until Alonso remembers the other half (/sarcasm).

It's tempting to say "I hope he gets back into the car as quickly possible so that we can put this saga to and end.", but he does need to put some time between the moment of the concussion and the moment of risking another one.

[The_table]

Every inch of his body is covered in two to three layers of nomex, how are you supposed to get electrocuted wearing that...
A steering or braking failure seems much more likely (Right brake applying more pressure than the left one and the car veers to the right .... or something like that.)

(Can a strong sidewind "stall" the aero on the car?)

[turbof1]

(Can a strong sidewind "stall" the aero on the car?)

It can stall parts of the car that are already sensitive to stalling yes. Parts of the front wing near the wheel are sensitive to this, as well as the rear wing mid section. You'll never loose the full downforce, but loosing even a small part can be enough to throw you into going wide.

Going wide because of sidewinds is hardly abnormal in F1. Just look at a typical free practice day at Silverstone. I believe it happens in Bahrain also quite often.

Unfortunaly for Alonso this snowballed out of control. Sidewind -> momentarily loss of downforce -> going wide on astroturf -> completely loss of grid due being on astroturf -> trying to correct by counter steering -> sudden, unexpected return of traction when back off the astroturf -> into the wall.

[motobaleno]

will you forgive me if I go back to simple things less intriguing than all the stuff appearing on media now, but the first question I would ask is: is there someone who remember a F1 driver loosing control of his car during a cool down lap?
Do we have a case similar to this one in F1 story?

[mertol]

I call BS. If sidewind can do that then every overtake runs the risk of stalling both cars.

[motobaleno]

Every inch of his body is covered in two to three layers of nomex, how are you supposed to get electrocuted wearing that...

the gloves are not isolating.
in fact more informated media have just noted that, if electricity reached the driver, it should have passed through the steering wheel.
maybe i'm wrong but I guess that also the neck could be be a weak point from this point of view

[turbof1]

I call BS. If sidewind can do that then every overtake runs the risk of stalling both cars.

Remember Vettel at Spa in 2010? An extreme example of what you deem BS.



The difference between stalling due overtaking and stalling due wing, is that you expect the car to stall and loose downforce at the former. Well mostly, Vettel did not in the example above. Partly because of the flexible front wing suddenly popping out of the wake of Button into the mainstream air. The wing did very weird things to the airflow structures due the flexing and it stalled quite alot around the left side of his car.

However as said, while overtaking you expect the car to behave very differently and can aniticpate on that. You can't anticipate on sudden sidewinds.

[mertol]

You don't know if stalling was the problem + he lost control before going side by side so no side draft either.

[The_table]

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/8/8247.html .....How does an F1 car made entirely out of carbon fiber conduct electricity. (mechanic touched the steering wheel and the outside of the car)

And i still don't understand how the gloves can be conductive.

Edit: I do understand capacitive coupling but i forgot about it while posting this.....