“We are lucky to be OK both. It is 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, March 20, at the Australian Grand Prix Formula 1. “It was a scary time and I am happy to be here before you. I am very grateful to the FIA [International Automobile Federation] for security measures it has implemented. That’s the only reason I’m still alive “, the Spaniard said after the race.
17 th lap, Alonso hung the left rear wheel of the Haas Esteban Gutiérrez, he tried to overtake at full speed before the turn 3. the wheel is lifted, the front wing destroyed his McLaren has skyrocketed before chaining four barrels and crashed against a guardrail. The McLaren driver emerged unscathed from his destroyed car, with only a sore knee, but visibly shocked. The first fright passed, the images have been around the world on social networks.
“I was very scared, has in turn entrusted the former Sauber driver Esteban Gutierrez. I got out of my car as soon as possible and I ran towards him. I was damn relieved when I saw it was going. “
Much progress has been made to safety in Formula 1 under the aegis of the FIA since the fatal accident of the French Jules Bianchi at the Japanese GP in late 2014.
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So the cockpits of the cars have been further strengthened and the side head restraints have been enhanced, pending possible closed cockpit in 2017. In addition, the resistance to crushing force has increased by 3 and pilots are now equipped with a high definition camera for the thorough analysis of accidents – it is not yet known whether that fitted the McLaren Alonso was able to function. Finally, a virtual safety car (light panels) is reinforcing the safety car “real”
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At 34, Fernando Alonso was playing Sunday its 253 th F1 Grand Prix since 2002, but he rarely went as hard to track. Last year, he had to forfeit this first race after his accident in the winter testing in Barcelona.
2015 catastrophic
Past at Ferrari McLaren in 2015, the first Spanish driver to provide a title of world champion for his country (Renault, 2005 and 2006) had a disastrous 2015 season (ending 16 th and teammate Jenson Button 17 th ) both penalized by a Honda engine inefficient. “This is an engine of GP2, Grrr …” had cursed under his helmet Fernando Alonso at the Grand Prix of Japan, in September 2015, when he had just overtaken by Max Verspatten ( Toro Rosso) – Suzuka, home of engine maligned, whose CEO was in the stands … Japanese and Europeans are actually not on the same timing, the first giving himself a decade to reach the top when McLaren wants to run for the title in 2017 .
This winter, the relative success of the Barcelona winter tests had given confidence to McLaren drivers. The two former world champions are hungry for success. “We have to be every race in the points and fighting for the podium in the second part of the season” , said Fernando Alonso. After a winter in the garage working on the engines, his attitude appeared more positive. “The progress is enormous,” confirmed Jenson Button, who has managed to complete just 13 Grands Prix last year. In Barcelona, “we have had no reliability problem” , a difference that the British compares to racing last season, during which “we were losing six tenths at every turn. “ Gold to 34 and 36 years, Alonso and Button have no time to lose.
In Melbourne, Sunday 20 March, the race director held that neither Fernando Alonso nor Esteban Gutiérrez were responsible. The race resumed after a break of 20 minutes, the time to clear debris on the track. Nevertheless a big blow for McLaren and his team manager Eric Boulier
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