101st running of Indianapolis 500

Petr Hlavac wrote:

Matthew Hull wrote:

Alberto Ibañez wrote:

other guys have broken pelvis and back and continued succesfully.

But still, Seb is 38. A similar injury ended Franchitti's career at a similar age. Drivers like Aleshin who have recovered were much younger.

I think he will fully recover and will race again, but I wouldn't be surprised, if he never drives an Indycar again.  At least on an oval. He never liked ovals, he's 38, a father of two. Driving an Indycar at 230mph simply might not be worth the risk anymore. I'd love to see him at LeMans, though.

Maybe in a Peugeot if they return to LeMans?

As much as I detest the Dallara crapwagons, it must be acknowledged that the tub withstood that incredible hit. I'm sure the modern barriers helped absorb some of the energy as well.

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Maybe in a Peugeot if they return to LeMans?

Whatever makes him be able to race again and live his passion is good

@Petr I agree he was more a road racer because of his roots and preferences. His talent allowed him to be quick at ovals, but his heart never was at it. I always thought that a good part of his dominance in the old champcar series was down to there only being one oval those years, the Milwaukee mile.

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As much as I detest the Dallara crapwagons, it must be acknowledged that the tub withstood that incredible hit. I'm sure the modern barriers helped absorb some of the energy as well.

+1 but that's down to modern tecnology and tub design, rather than aesthetics. You could nowadays make a car from the 90s as safe as that and keep the same great looks. The SAFER barriers also likely played a role. Funny that it was the NASCAR who forced Indy to install that, despite the open wheeler series always having been so much quicker around it.

Agree with you guys. BTW, Marshall Pruett posted a nice article about the contributing factors that saved Bourdais from more serious injuries. Impact speed 227mph, 100G. Terrifying numbers...

http://www.racer.com/more/viewpoints/item/140694-pruett-six-shifts-that-saved-seb

Dale Coyne was just interviewed live on the IMS network. He said Sebastian is in good spirits, had two surgeries already on his hip and pelvis; doctors said they went well. So good news. Dale also acknowledged that the construction of the car and the SAFER barriers saved Sebastian's life. He said, "That was a Gordon Smiley accident. And we all know what happened there."

The Fast Nine is about to start. The conditions are a bit tricky today, as the track is warmer and there's some backing in T2, where most of the trouble happens

After today I can't even look at the real race. SO disappointed I can't even put it in words.

Stunning drive by Dixon. And the crowd sounded and looked the best in decades. Awesome stuff.

Jason, I feel your pain. But I'm sure it will be all good

Seb is up on his feet already!!!

 

Such good news bring some comfort after we lost Nicky hayden

Jason White wrote:

After today I can't even look at the real race. SO disappointed I can't even put it in words.

That's the biggest bummer there is. Sorry mate.

Cool pour Seb', un de mes pilotes préférés, il a eu beaucoup de chance !

Un autre qui a eu beaucoup, mais vraiment beaucoup de chance, c'est Jack Miller lors du Moto GP au Bugatti.
Ça fait 40 ans que je suis commissaire sur ce circuit, je n'ai vu ça. Preuve que tout peut arriver n'importe où, n'importe quand.

Purée, j'apprend pour Nick Hayden   . Après l'agression de Chris Froome, je finis par penser qu'il y a un réel problème de cohabition autos-vélos. Moi qui ne roule qu'en vélo, ça ma fait un peu peur.

Mais dans le cas de Hayden, j'ai lu dans L'Équipe que, selon une caméra de surveillance d'un maison proche, il n'aurait pas observer un stop face à la route sur laquelle roulait la voiture qui l'a percuté.

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Après l'agression de Chris Froome, je finis par penser qu'il y a un réel problème de cohabition autos-vélos

There is, and in Spain things have gotten out of control recently. As motorbike rider I emphatize with my fellow two wheel bycicle riders, there needs to be a solution for this. Unfotunately I  think the only really safe one will be to reserve full roads and make separate lanes for bycicles on those shared. No matter what the laws say, and how many legal guarantees are given to the bycicle rider, if the drivers don't respect them the result is the same sad one On a positive note, here in Valencia recently a "bycicle ring" was created by taking a full lane from several main streets, and bycicles are now separated both from pedestrians and cars. There are more traffic jams for cars, true, but overall everyone is safer now, pedestrians, bicycles and cars, no accidents have happened at those lanes so far!

Basel just said no to such a ring(Around 58% no) - Probably mostly because the costs - 25 Million CHF - weren't quite explained as to how to they'd be used and if it warrants that amount of money. There was also uncertainty as to how the rules would be interpretated if the ring met one of the bigger streets or how the roads would be "modified" to accomodate for bycicles(removing poor trees or parking spaces for example).

Then again, bycicle riders here are sometimes quite cocky and arrogant, driving on sidewalks, crossing zebra stripes without going off their bike, ignoring the right of way or diving into roundabouts.

So those not riding bikes, probably also pedestrians, said no(because they don't want to give them more privileges). But some cyclists probably said no aswell, as theyprobably think that they don't need such an expensive ring.


I am one of those that gets annoyed by cyclists ignoring the fact they should drive on the street and not on the sidewalk, but I also don't want them to be driven into.

Whoever "killed" Nicky and crashed Froome's bike(not to mention the one that killed Scarponi a few weeks ago) should go to jail if they were clearly at fault


@Alberto might understand the text here:



"Inconvenient from A to B? Direct is better! NO to the unnecessary luxury bycicle-ring!"

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Then again, bycicle riders here are sometimes quite cocky and arrogant, driving on sidewalks, crossing zebra stripes without going off their bike, ignoring the right of way or diving into roundabouts.

Yeah, we have many of those here, doing the exact same things (crossing zebra stripes without going off their bike is a classic and they are at fault in case of accident though they seem not to know it), but then again we also have the same number of cocky and idiotic automobile drivers ... 

In the end we all have to live in the same city/roads, so I guess everyone shall have his space.

Apparently Hayden didn't stop at an intersection where he should have.

Guillaume Siebert wrote:

Apparently Hayden didn't stop at an intersection where he should have.

This is true. Security footage has confirmed it from the last thing I read. Such a shame.

Actually and unfortunately, strictly separating motorists and cyclists doesn't neccessarily make things more safe for the cyclists, at least as long as it isn't garantued both parties can see each other where their ways cross. 1980s thinking of designing bike lanes had the road, a lay by, a bike lane, and parallel to the bike lane a sidewalk, either separated by different surfaces, or less costly, a white line. Sometimes, if they wanted to make it especially beautiful, they added avenue trees between the parking cars and the bike lane. Deathtrap! Motorists turning right often don't see the cyclists at all, until they are slamming into their passenger door or appear on the bonnet...
Not separating pedestrians and cyclists on that kind of bike lanes comes with a lot of grief, too, as its usual to walk side by side, and if the group is larger, it includes the bike lane. My last ride last of the last year ended with some patches of skin missing and a bent derailleur hanger, as some stoopid b!t@h crossed the bike lane never raising her blond head of her friggin smartphone. That airhead never realised why I was so upset. I swear, next time, I don't try to avoid them, I raise my fist and take them with me!

That, and the negative attitude of motorists towards cyclists (Sufficient distance when passing? Right of way? Don't coun't on them!) here make cyclists the poor suckers in traffic having to take most of the risks, even if they ride very defensive. Though I can't deny I sometimes shake my head in disbeliefe about the stunts and shunts of some suicyclers...


...but then, if I got the road all alone for me, my Cinelli is a constant source of joy

It might still be mostly a spec car, but a crapwagon? Nah, not in my eyes, for sure. This car is another step in the right direction for Indycar, keep it coming!

http://www.indycar.com/News/2017/05/05-24-New-car-images-2018

Not directly related to this year's Indy 500, but boy, i LOVE these Racer videos. This one with Robin Miller about all A.J. Foyt's cars. Amazing to watch

I don't like the 2018 aero kits. There are still way too many aero bits on them, especially the sidepods. I don't think the racing at Phoenix will be a lot better if they run this. I like the speedway rear wing, but that's about it.

The day has come! Weather forecast doesn't guarantee a trouble-free run, as some T-storms might hit the speedway around 3pm, but let's keep the fingers crossed.

Any link to follow the race live?

Alberto Ibañez wrote:

Any link to follow the race live?

Not sure if i'm allowed to post stream links here, will send you a PM.