IndyCar driver Justin Wilson has died of a head injury
- Thread starter ElTorro
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theignoramus
Member
Fuck. RIP
TheLostBigBoss
Banned
Horrible, but I'm kinda shocked this doesn't happen more often in open cockpit racing.
Fuck so soon after Dan Wheldon too
Jules Bianchi recently passed away after a head injury that he suffered in F1. The cockpit is the Achilles' heel of open-wheelers. I am expecting renewed efforts to change this situation.
Fox Mulder
Member
Sad, even with all thr safety changes, there's only so much they can do with an open cockpit.
KefkaPalazzo
Member
Horrible. RIP.
RIP
Yeah, tradition can only go so far. Hopefully they use jet fighter-like cockpits in the near future.
In fact, FIA has already tested this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e87HIlOIYFA
ReturnOfTheRAT
Member
Horrible to hear that. So sad. Racing is God damn dangerous and I hate to see stuff like this.
RIP Justin Wilson.
Edit:
Oops. I had the incident wrong.
RIP Justin Wilson.
Edit:
Oops. I had the incident wrong.
buddha0991
Member
I watched this happen live, what a freak accident and tragedy, may he rest in peace.
I remember watching that and didn't think he was going to last all that long. It was scary.
RIP Justin
User 479360
Banned
I just read this on the SportsNet ticker. Sad news.
May he Rest in Peace
May he Rest in Peace
akachan ningen
Member
They do plenty. But it'll never be perfectly safe. That's the nature of motorsports and most sports in general.
RIP
A Fish Aficionado
I am going to make it through this year if it kills me
It just might be the kind of tracks Indy does.
s_mirage
Member
RIP
Tragic as these events are, there is only so much that can be done to mitigate risk without completely compromising the nature of the sport. Everything possible should be done to improve driver safety within the bounds of the sport, but at the end of the day it is dangerous and drivers accept that risk when they step into the cars.
People suggest closed cockpits; that's all fine and dandy until a driver dies due to becoming trapped in one.
Tragic as these events are, there is only so much that can be done to mitigate risk without completely compromising the nature of the sport. Everything possible should be done to improve driver safety within the bounds of the sport, but at the end of the day it is dangerous and drivers accept that risk when they step into the cars.
People suggest closed cockpits; that's all fine and dandy until a driver dies due to becoming trapped in one.
Rhomega Beta
Member
Haven't followed IndyCar in years, but this still hurts, especially after Dan Wheldon died.
Squirrel Killer
Member
Maybe there is something to that, both this and Dan Wheldon were on ovals. I've never particularly cared for oval racing, especially open-wheels on an oval.
I'll miss the open cockpits, but a understand the need to get rid of them.
RIP
Hope this causes Indy to take a long look at enclosed cockpits and maybe some of the tracks they race at.
Granted, Pocono is tame compared to the shitfest that was Las Vegas, but there are other high banked ovals they have on the calendar that probably shouldn't be there. Not to say this accident couldn't happen on a road course, it's just a freak accident.
Thoughts are also with Sage Karam, a young driver who will live with this for the rest of his life, even though he did nothing wrong.
Hope this causes Indy to take a long look at enclosed cockpits and maybe some of the tracks they race at.
Granted, Pocono is tame compared to the shitfest that was Las Vegas, but there are other high banked ovals they have on the calendar that probably shouldn't be there. Not to say this accident couldn't happen on a road course, it's just a freak accident.
Thoughts are also with Sage Karam, a young driver who will live with this for the rest of his life, even though he did nothing wrong.
DarkJediKnight
Member
I watched him in F1 from his Minardi to Jaguar. I thought he was good. His height and weight became a problem. I think he was the tallest driver in F1 around 2003.
ElectricBlanketFire
Member
Terrible.
NihonTiger90
Member
Awful news to hear. Justin Wilson has always been a class act and the kind of driver IndyCar needed, much like Wheldon was. I just saw him run an awesome race at Mid-Ohio and was so incredibly happy when Andretti said they'd keep him in the #25 for the remainder of the season.
Some kind of partial canopy, a la what NHRA has done with top fuel dragsters, is probably at least part of the solution here.
Changing what tracks they race at, too, is part of the equation, and they've already decided not to return to Fontana next year. I'd imagine based on this and comments from the track CEO before this year's race, that Pocono will also not happen going forward.
Some kind of partial canopy, a la what NHRA has done with top fuel dragsters, is probably at least part of the solution here.
Changing what tracks they race at, too, is part of the equation, and they've already decided not to return to Fontana next year. I'd imagine based on this and comments from the track CEO before this year's race, that Pocono will also not happen going forward.
Pocono was built for IndyCars actually. I really don't want to see less ovals because of this. They put on some of the best racing of the year in all motorsports.
But this is so sad. RIP.
The racing was actually pretty tame compared to the stupid shit Indy pulled with Las Vegas and Fontana.
I hope they return too, but could see them not wanting to race there next year.
I thought Fontana was the best race in any motorsports this year, but I understand it being too dangerous for IndyCar. But jeez it was great. But this race was great in its own respect and was the right mix of passing and handling. Just sucks such a great race was struck with such tragedy. IndyCar has been the best open wheel racing all year. I think it beats out F1 quite regularly, I just wish more people watched it and went to the races.
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