rec.autos.simulators

Count the time from front brakes locking until the impact and you'll notice
that poor Schumy didn't have that much time to think, I think its about 2
seconds.
140mph -> 0mph in about 2 seconds...thank god for that tyre wall, i hate to
think what we would have seen happen if the tyres weren't there, he was very
lucky to get away with those 'minor' injuries (Minor compared to losing your
legs, you can fix a broken leg).

Well, it's just a stupid theory by someone who knows exactly nothing about
racing (that's me), but anyways that's my theory:

When you watch the replay of the crash from the helicopter cam, you can see
that Schumacher was _very_ close to Irvine's Ferrari (I hope I didn't mix
the names) at the straight, just before he took over. It seems like he
nearly collided with him, what I think would have happened, if Irvine hadn't
pulled to the left and let Schumacher pass.
I think the throttle got stuck before he passed Irvine, but he didn't
realize it at that time.
Right after passing Irvine, he must have noticed, that something wasn't
right, because he locked the wheels _very_ early. I think they normally
start braking at the point where he already locked, so he must have noticed
it long before.
Well, that's my theory, it's probably all wrong, but for me it's reasonable.

BTW, I don't think that the steering broke, because here in Austria they
said that he didn't turn the wheels to avoid rolling over, although I don't
think that that would have happened, and if, it would have been less
dangerous, because there wouldn't have been such a hard impact.

All in all, I'm very interested about  what Schumacher will tell us about
the crash when he has recovered....

Greets!

Dex

Personally I think *any* crash where a driver is injured is very bad
for Formula 1.

In this specific case there was a close fight for the championship between
Schumacher and Hakkinen which if Schumacher is out for a few races, Mika will
now runaway with, even today despite Mika's bad luck he was almost a full
second faster than anyone on the track, at least it looks like we will see
a great fight between Coulthart, Irvine and Frentzen.

Just to keep this on topic, wouldn't it be great to run the new Silverstone
configuration in GPL?! there's a section of consecutive fast corners that
looks like it would be a blast with the new FF!

Seeyas on the track.

--John (Joao) Silva

Hardly seven seconds - one or two maybe, and that because Irvine
messed up and overshot his mark. In any case Coulthard was easily the
quicker in the final stint and could adjust the gap at will.

Cheers!
John

Why is it "very bad for Formula One"?
For F1 in general or for the fact that he (Schumacher) will be out of
several races and therefore has no chance of winning the Championship?

In either case....that's life.  It's neither good nor bad, just "is".

John,

I watched the replay.  It took 7 seconds for them to get the fuel hose
on.  I think the total stop was something like 12 seconds...

wrote...

Sorry Rob.... not aimed at you personally, just a jab at the tendencies
within this ng... ;-)

Jan.
------

Ferrari says it was a failure of rear brakes, but from the camera car,
it is possible to see that Michael turns the wheel, but the front
wheels remain pointed in the straight direction, so it is possible to
think about some kind of steering failure
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On Mon, 12 Jul 1999 07:39:41 +1000, "Bruce Kennewell"

It is anyway a bad day, for Formula One and for motor races, as it is
for all the times when a driver is injured in an accident. I know it
is a part of the game, but it is always a bad moment when we see this
kind of accidents, no matter which driver is involved.
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Also, if the failure was on therear brakes, Schumacher could have put
the car in a spin, to decrease speed, but he couldn't even if he tried
to turn the car for the Stowe, so I think that some failure in the
steering is also possible.

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