I thought we’d stopped killing racing drivers?
I’ve loved motorsport for as long as I can remember. From F1 to the BTCC to Bikes to Rally to the variouis American Series. Basically if it’s got wheels and an engine I’ll watch it. In recent years I’ve got involved in the local speed sport stuff too, helping a good friend who competes, and photographing the various events.
With all this exposure to racing it’s inevitable that I’ve seen some fatal crashes - Senna, Earnhardt, Greg moore and Geoff Krosnoff, all witnessed live on the TV.
However, in modern times it’s easy to become somewhat desensitised to big crashes. The hans device, super strong safety cells, tracks with more run off, all contributing to an era where motorsports has become much safer. This year alone we’ve seen some massive accidents where drivers have got away relatively unscathed - McNish and Rockenfeller at Le Mans springs to mind immediately.
So last night’s untimely demise of Dan Wheldon was a sickening reminder of how dangerous motorsport is, even in a series that has made massive improvements in safety in recent years.
However - As I watched the first few laps of last night’s race I felt something that I never usually feel when I watch a race - dread. In NASCAR restrictor plate racing there’s always that threat of “the big one”, but those are cars with full safety cages enclosing drivers. The threat of “the big one” in an Indycar race, in open wheel, open cockpit cars did not sit well with me. On lap 13 that feeling of dread turned to shock as what is easily the most violent crash I’ve ever seen unfolded.
Last night Dan Wheldon didn’t die in an accident. He was killed by a series that gambled on running a track that was too dangerous for its cars.
As the title says - I thought we’d stopped killing racing drivers? Hang your head in shame Indycar.
