“We are lucky to be OK both. Thanks to the safety of these cars we are still alive,” admitted the Spaniard Fernando Alonso after his spectacular crash with the Mexican Esteban Gutiérrez, Sunday to Australia F1 Grand Prix.
“It was a scary time and I am happy to be here before you. I am very grateful to the FIA (international Federation of automobile, ed) for security measures it has implemented. This is the only reason I’m still alive, “said Alonso to the press after the race.
McLaren driver emerged unscathed, with only a sore knee, this accident could have been dramatic. These images were breathless spectators for several seconds and then went around the world on social networks.
On lap 17, Alonso hung the left rear wheel of the Haas Esteban Gutiérrez, that it was attempting to pass at full speed before the turn 3. Spoiler destroyed before his McLaren’s part in the sandbox, barrel into the air and came crashing against a guardrail.
Obviously sounded, the Spanish waved to the crowd after being uprooted from what was only a jagged wreckage, compressed in the manner of contemporary sculptor César.
Gutiérrez, who returns to F1 after a year as reserve driver for Ferrari, Alonso rushed to after the accident.
“I was very scared. When I saw what was happening in my rearview mirror, I was worried, “he told the former Sauber driver. “I got out of my car as soon as possible and I ran to him. I was damn relieved when I saw it was going.”
“We have not talked a lot. We were really shocked them both. He’ll have to look at the images to better understand what happened,” said the Mexican.
– enhanced security –
much progress has been made to security in F1 under the aegis of the FIA since the fatal accident of the French Jules Bianchi, very close to Alonso, the Japanese GP 2014.
So the cockpits of the cars have been further strengthened this winter: the side walls were enhanced (20 mm) and must now withstand a crushing force of 50 kilo-Newtons (instead of 15 until last year).
In addition, each car is now topped by a high-definition camera for the thorough analysis of accidents. The virtual safety car (VSC) can effectively control the speed of all cars on a circuit portion deemed dangerous.
Finally, in 2017, two semi-enclosed cockpits projects are currently under study, called “halo” and “canopy”.
Alonso, 34, playing his 253rd F1 GP since 2002 but rarely went as hard to track.
“It was a racing incident. Sometimes we forget that driving at 300 km per hour,” he commented. Last year, he had to forfeit the Australian GP because of a concussion in a crash in winter testing in Barcelona.
The Spaniard has not sought to accuse Gutierrez: “It’s not his fault, it was fighting on the track, I tried to pass it to the aspiration, the better possible, and I pointed at the last moment. It may be too late … “. The race director said neither pilot was responsible.
After the clash, the race was interrupted for nearly 20 minutes while clearing debris on the track.
03.20.2016 12:31:11 – Melbourne (AFP) – AFP © 2016
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