As thou Questione is to say Halo or Goodbye to that
Bloody Contraption covering thou Formula 1 Drivers Heads...
Continuing playing Ketsup here in
Nofendersville, this is simply intended to be just a thought provoking exercise
for you, my "Valued" No Fenders readers...
As first I'll need to have My Gal Lucy', My
ARSE-Steamed Screen Reader read me whatever Felipe Massa said in regards to
proclaiming that IndyCar isn't doing enough for Driver Safety, following Robert
Wickens Horrendous Shunt at Pocono - Before commenting upon it.
Although as a
former Formula 1 Driver who's experienced a Severe Knock on the Head during the
'09 Hungarian Grand Prix. I totally feel Massa's entitled to voice his opinions
upon Driver Safety publicly...
Yet as a Formula 1 "Purist,"
having grown up with the sport since the late 1980's, albeit missing the early 1980's era where the Drivers Cockpit
saw multitudes 'O lower extremity injuries due to their "Cab Forward"
design. When the front axle's centerline was behind their feet during the Dawn
of the initial turbo era!
Part of the allure to Formula 1 for Mwah was
their being the Baddest Land Sharks Open Wheel Racing machinery on the Planet!
and thus, naturally I'm not a Fan of F1's HALO contraption.
That being said, I'm not opposed to improving
Drivers Safety, especially when it comes to costing their life's. Yet it seems
like there's an interesting Divide, or Dare I Say It? There seems to be a Political
War 'O Words going on, with obviously the FIA being Pro-Halo.
As the opening lap of this year's Grand Prix
of Portland IndyCar race made me think about this safety issue, since Marco
Andretti's Dallara DW12 Somersaulted as part of a five car "Pile-up"
in The Festival Curve's Turn 2. Ultimately Breaking his Roll Hoop and leaving
him stranded upside down, with his helmet being mud stained afterwards!
As Marco Dryly said, it's a good thing NOBODY
Hit Him when he was in this precarious position! Whilst I believe that 'Ol R',
aka Robin Miller spoke to Ed Jones during the race, who was also involved in
the first lap shunt and had streaks of rubber upon his crash bucket...
As these two close calls made me Flashback to
the 2017 Indy 500? Or wherever it was that HULIO' had Alexander Rossi's tyre up
close 'N personal when leaving the Pits.
Ah, thou Beauty of getting old-ER... Since actually
it was the 2016 Pocono 500 race No less, which is somewhat ironic, since that's
where Wickens Horrendous accident occurred.
Yet two current Formula 1 Drivers are less
than impressed with All of the Halo Ballyhoo, with Max Verstappen's comments
being the most interesting to me. As he debates whether or not current F1 Cars
can cause such a problem of Striking a Driver's Head or if they'll simply ride
up 'N over instead?
While I'll say it again. I'm Not an Engineer
or know Anything about Safety or Designing Racing Cars. But I certainly would
Dispute the Claims that Indy Cars isn't doing enough for their Drivers Safety. As
I'd argue they're constantly trying to improve their racecars, which after all
are built by Dallara. Ironically the very
same outfit involved in the current Haas F1 chassis. And one of the primary
reasons for IndyCar introducing the DW-12.
Would the Halo have saved Justin Wilson and
Harry Surtees? Most likely, yet in the same inference, the Halo probably
wouldn't have helped Dan Wheldon and certainly not Jules Biancci!
As I'm very curious how Halo would impact a
crash into Catch Fencing at let's say for sake of argument, 220mph! Even though
Indy Cars, and Formula 1 exceed 230mph in certain instances.
Would the Halo's front center post rip off
and impail a Driver? Would the Halo's ring be caught upon the catch fencing and
also subsequently impact the Drivers Head? Or cause this hurtling projectile
into unforeseen reactions?
While I've still yet to read anywhere how
Formula 1 Drivers are supposed to extricate themselves and "Bunny-hop"
down the nose of their stricken racecar during an ERS electrical failure, a la
what Nico Hulkenberg endured Onboard his Renault during the 2017 Mexican Grand
Prix.
And I could go on 'N on, since although I
cannot see how UGLY the HALO is, and it certainly hasn't detracted from the
racing this year, other than possibly emboldening Drivers to be more reckless?
I cannot help but think of the negative
initial reaction to the HANS Device, but at the same time I'm also nauseatingly
Sick of hearing the FIA, presumably at Monsieur Todt's direction Beating it's
Drums over how Fantastic the Halo is...
