Clicky

Jump to content

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

JHS

Serious Formula 2 Accident

Recommended Posts

By Steven English

Henry Surtees has been seriously injured in an accident in Sunday's second Formula 2 race at Brands Hatch.The 18-year-old son of 1964 F1 world champion John was struck on the head by a flying rear wheel after Jack Clarke spun into the wall exiting Westfield Bend during today's race.

Surtees was knocked unconscious and his car ploughed straight ahead into the barrier on the approach to Sheene Curve. He was extricated from the car and taken to the circuit's medical centre, where he was stabilised before being transfered to the Royal London hospital, the regional trauma centre, by helicopter.

There is no word yet on his condition or the extent of his injuries.

Formula 2 chief executive Jonathan Palmer said: "I would like to express my great sadness that Henry has been injured today.

"An accident like this would obviously raise high levels of concern and we await further news on Henry's condition from the hospital.

"This is clearly a very worrying time for John and Jane Surtees. Our thoughts are with them and we will be providing all the support we can."

Very scary accident and hopefully Henry recovers, there is very little news although there is worrying rumours.

Get well soon Henry Surtees

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thats so scary to hear, I hope he gets well soon...

We had a similar incident in F1, remember in 2005, in German gp? when Kimi's wheel broke lose n just missed Button's head or something.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

That is very nasty - especially as it was the most harmless looking incident you will see.

The thing is, how can you prevent such things happening in the future? Because the driver is most vulnerable at this point where there is little protection around the head from stray wheels. The chances of such a thing happening are so slim though that its the most unfortunate thing ever really....

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Isn't Formula 2 Mr Safety's latest the most loved child?

Is such accident technically posibble in F1?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Isn't Formula 2 Mr Safety's latest the most loved child?

Is such accident technically posibble in F1?

Yes it is, its incredibly uncommon however it is possible to happen. It has just happened that Henry Surtees was in the wrong place at the wrong time and its the most unfortunate thing ever.

I imagine that Wheel Tethers should be stronger in the series though as the wheel seemed to come off under low load to be honest. So I think we will see the FIA introduce far more important Wheel tethers that can keep the wheels on under far greater loads.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Isn't Formula 2 Mr Safety's latest the most loved child?

Is such accident technically posibble in F1?

As I said in my previous post, it is possible. JV's debry killed a trackside marshall, I don't rememeber which year, Kimi's flying whatever just missed JB's head in 2005.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Reports are still sketchy but the latest OFFICIAL news is that Henry is currently in intensive care.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

:(

"By Jonathan Noble

Henry Surtees, the son of 1964 Formula 1 world champion John Surtees, has died following an accident in a Formula 2 race at Brands Hatch on Sunday.

During the second of the weekend's races, the 18-year-old was struck on the head by a wheel and tyre from the car of Jack Clarke, who had spun into the wall exiting Westfield Bend.

Surtees was knocked unconscious in the accident and his car failed to negotiate the following Sheene Corner, running straight off the track and into the barrier.

Medical crews were swiftly on the scene to extract Surtees from the car, before he was taken to the track's medical centre. He was stabilised at the circuit's facility before being airlifted to the Royal London hospital.

A spokesperson for the hospital this evening confirmed that Surtees had died from his injuries.

Surtees graduated to F2 this season from Formula Renault and had taken his first podium finish in the series with third place in Saturday's race at Brands Hatch.

His step up to the category came after several seasons in karts, which included victory in the Junior Gearbox Championship in 2005, before a graduation to car racing in the Ginetta Junior Championship in 2006.

He switched to single seaters in 2007, taking a race victory in Formula BMW UK for Carlin Motorsport en route to seventh overall in the standings - and second in the rookie cup.

He also made a brief foray into the Formula Renault UK championship that year, contesting the final two rounds at Thruxton as well as the Winter Series.

In 2008 he remained in Formula Renault, taking 12th in the final standings before finishing runner-up in the Winter Series with one victory and three podiums from four races. He also contested last year's British Formula 3 season finale in a National Class car for Carin, taking one victory and one podium.

AUTOSPORT sends its sincere condolences to Henry's family and friends."

Worst news.....R.I.P Henry Surtees. 18 years old is too young. :(

Another bright talent leaves us. Gone but not forgotten

Condolences to friends and family of Henry Surtees.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

This is depressingly sad news. I was always very fond of John Surtees, who did it all: World Motorcycle Champion, F1 Champion; raced CanAm - he may have won a championship there as well - and endurance cars. And now none of it means a thing to the poor man. As a fan this is the dark side of loving motor racing.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

As I said in my previous post, it is possible. JV's debry killed a trackside marshall, I don't rememeber which year, Kimi's flying whatever just missed JB's head in 2005.

2001 Abbas, sad day indeed. The Marshal's name was Graham Beveridge.

I agree with Halfie more R & D needs to be placed into wheel teathers that work. Maybe this tradgic accident will place some more attention to this area of safety. Sad that something like this has to happen for more action to be taken.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Very sad day.

I doubt something can be done on flying wheels. Whatever you design it might break in the accident. Better protection of the driver and lighter wheels/tyres might help.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Very sad day.

I doubt something can be done on flying wheels. Whatever you design it might break in the accident. Better protection of the driver and lighter wheels/tyres might help.

Something can be done, it's just that the R & D has not been put into it as yet. I agree the forces involved as massive and would be hard to combat. Maybe more teathers let alone stronger taether are able to go someway to prevent this from happening.

Making the wheels and tyres lighter is something the wheel makers are always trying to do anyway. But when a wheel is on the loose the forces / energy it has are massive and being lighter is not going to help, keeping them attached to the car is. But then we have the problem with the teathers of having the tyre flap up an hit the driver.

Tough task but not impossible, when we have 0% chance of a death in Motorsport we can rest easy, sadly that day will never come so we should always be looking for solutions to make our sport safer and safer all the time.

Sorry this thread really should be kept as a respect thread not a raging debate on safety. My apoligies.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The bitter consolation for John Surtees is that his son died doing what he loved the best. Sad, indeed that a promising career & life was snuffed out so early.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Quote from the article on f1-live:

"After the death of a marshal in an F1 race in 2001 rule revisions introduced a wheel tether system to stop wheels flying off after an accident. This system was later adopted by IRL but is not in use in lower formula

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Despite the obvious idiocy of not including the safety measure on lower categories, truth is that no system will ever prove to be 100% safe.

The wheel theter system is actually very good. The common sight of wheels flying around in every accident is something unimaginable today.

Other than that, it is impossible to device a method to avoid this kind of accidents. All you can do is minimize them. Cars need to be very collapsable to absorb impact, the d#ckpit (ha! I avoided censorship there!) needs to be strong to ensure the drivers survivability. Any change on a safety measure brings uncertainities on others. That's just how systems work.

Then again, having a simple, cheap and effective system like the wheel tether and not applying it to the lower categories is just criminal if such is the case.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Quote from the article on f1-live:

"After the death of a marshal in an F1 race in 2001 rule revisions introduced a wheel tether system to stop wheels flying off after an accident. This system was later adopted by IRL but is not in use in lower formula

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The problem is, this series was designed to be cheap and at a low cost. Obviously with those low cost cuts there was a design flaw with these cars. This needs to be looked at.

Here to me, the car was the problem not the track. If an F3 car went off in the same way/same speed as Jack Clarke did, i bet wheels wouldn't fall of it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Then again, having a simple, cheap and effective system like the wheel tether and not applying it to the lower categories is just criminal if such is the case.

Yep. Having just seen a video of the accident - it looks so innocuous - anyone watching on would assume it was nothing serious. Just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Tragic.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yep, seen the video too. Just one of those things when you really look at it. How freaking unlucky and sad. Just a whisker in any direction and it would not have been serious at all. Such is life, and death.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...