That was horrible - is Interlagos fit for F1?

[mac]

Fix up the turn 3 drainage issue and you've got a perfectly fine racetrack.

PS. Welcome back Muzza!

[paul-collins]

Originally posted by EERO
Paul, I don't disagree. However, the large paved runoff area on the uphill side didn't allow for percolation of the runoff from the hill above it and allowed the runoff to flow across it to the track. Was it the source of the water? No. Was its impermeable surface a direct cause of water on the track in that location? It seems so.

Absolutely right. Professionally, I use gravel traps occasionally as infiltration pits - and the gravel trap that was removed and replaced by pavement would have been able to store a huge amount of water.

Now, mind you, it may not have been able to store all the runoff from the hill (as Muzza indicated this was a significant storm - that would have been a design storm here in Toronto!). We may have had a situation where the gravel trap reservoir would have overflowed partway through the race, and if it overflowed onto the track, we'd have had a dry track suddenly becoming wet again!

As for all you who are sure that the tires were the problem, answer me this - how would the full wets, which would be required for turn 3, have withstood the remainder of the lap on dry track?

[paulzinho]

Originally posted by twig


Also what i have been concerned about before, was the tyre barriers, which Alonso hit, why do they need to be there, of course, if a driver ever goes off there, as did Alonso, hitting them would slow the car down so fast, with huge G-forces, causing a big accident. Why dont they just put flat armco there, so they just slid down it, because in my opinion, the tyre barriers only cause harm.

If you looked there was a marshalls post directly behind where Alonso hit and I for one believe thetyres there did a hell of a job in helping to protect them.

[Lee Janotta]

Originally posted by Peter Mallett
What happened to the tethers?

I dunno. They broke?

The tire barriers probably saved Alonso from serious injury, twig. You don't want to see what they accident would have looked like without them!

[Bononi]

Well, after reading 4 pages and people saying so much non sense and bashing, I can only back up Muzza's post.
If anyone care to take a look at "Will it rain on sunday" thread, you can read my post where I explained what could happen - and it did happen. Even living 650 km north west from São Paulo, it rained all day here, and my fears became true.
I certainly agree that some arrangement must be done at turn 3. But under that special circunstances the track was almost perfect.
When you are driving usually you meet some problems that you have to deal with, and if you can't do it you're in big trouble. Around 10 cars went off ton turn 3, and some others managed to get to the track again. I can only praise those who manage to get through that every lap, special mention to Mark Webber, who spun and held the car on the track.
About the tyre problem, I think they should take a look at it again. This sunday I had an awful feeling - that I had many years ago in a certain sunday - that the gods of speed are sending us a warning...

[mac]

So much for the one wet weather tyre being a cost-saving issue. I would suggest that the amount of damage to be fixed for some teams would outstretch any cost of two wet tyres.

I also happen to think that the cost of the drivers' lives is pretty high as well. This rule needs to be changed immediately.

[golem]

Had nothing to do with the tyres, mac. Absolutely nothing. That one corner and that's pretty much all, stayed constantly inconstant with a river of water. Take a look at the race for a second. they start late and under pace car. Booyah. we lose three laps. No biggie. I'll deal.

They got under way just fine. 12 cars dropped out including webber and alonso.

Firman had suspension failure and tagged panis. Barrichello just got plain unlucky with fuel. Heidfield oil cooked. 6 of 12.

Turn 3 claimed Wilson, Verstappen, Schumacher, Montoya, Button, Pizzonia. Other 6. Now, they would have run with similar tyres anyway because for the most part after lap 10 the track had dried enough to make the tyres workable all but turn 3.

Wetter tyres would have burnt up too fast. Maybe seen use for, 13-15 laps. No, I say the tyre rule was fine and if they're worried, next time bring wetter tyres then.

Personally though, the best would be a rim limit and they can bring what they jolly well want. You've got 48 rims per car for the weekend, each rim one tyre per weekend. Do what you want.

[Peter Mallett]

Bon,

You make a good point. It was not exceptional rain for the date or the location. Therefore how come there was so much water flowing across the track? It has to be bad design.

As an aside I remember racing at Castle Combe some years ago. We had a massive downpour at the start and the track was soaked, by half distance it was drying and there was a flow of water across it just after the start finish line. I was on a flyer and had overtaken loads of cars when I hit the water and spun off. All of which makes me as bad as JPM. AAAARGH!!!!!

[Tristan]

I think the cars would have coped with "that turn 3" had they the proper tyres. I don't think the circuit was at fault per se, rather the "cost saving rules" that resulted in millions of dollars worth of carbon fibre cars to smash themsleves to peices.

[BootsOntheSide]

Originally posted by Tristan
I think the cars would have coped with "that turn 3" had they the proper tyres. I don't think the circuit was at fault per se, rather the "cost saving rules" that resulted in millions of dollars worth of carbon fibre cars to smash themsleves to peices.

They would've been onto Inters already before the problem at turn 3 emerged, because the rest of the track was way too dry for full wets - full wets would've burnt up within 5 laps. The rules were at fault for the delay and the safety-car start, but not those spins. That was the circuit at fault.

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Peter Mallett
All of which makes me as bad as JPM. AAAARGH!!!!!

But worse than Michael, Justin, Jos, Jenson etc etc??

[Hugh Jarce]

I always what the mechanics and engineers must feel like to see all that hard work disintegrate.

I know it's part of the deal - but it must be a pain.

[EERO]

Originally posted by paul-collins
...Now, mind you, it may not have been able to store all the runoff from the hill (as Muzza indicated this was a significant storm - that would have been a design storm here in Toronto!). We may have had a situation where the gravel trap reservoir would have overflowed partway through the race, and if it overflowed onto the track, we'd have had a dry track suddenly becoming wet again!

A frightening propostion I hadn't considered. How would you deal with it?

Originally posted by Peter Mallett
... I was on a flyer and had overtaken loads of cars when I hit the water and spun off. All of which makes me as bad as JPM. AAAARGH!!!!!

However do you sleep at night?????????????


And finally joking aside, Bon, your gloomy forecast has certainly brought me up short. We were very lucky yesterday as there were at least 5 incidents that could have caused real harm:

Pizzonia into Montoya
Firman into Panis
MSchumacher into course workers and tractor
Webber
Alonso into Webber's debris. All were either hard hits or close run things. Scarry and I, for one, am thankful no one was hurt.

[paul-collins]

Yeah, all of those crashes were horrific - it was the last one which put the fear in me most, though. I was thinking that hitting that tire head-on, if he had've gotten it off the head... (shades of Senna) shudder

[Bononi]

I'm glad I stayed at home (wife was right...once again), but I can't wait until tomorrow to hear what stories my friends will tell about the race.