Lee Holdsworth's 2016 Hidden Valley Crash

[GTRMagic]

Mr Holdsworth had a MEGA hit!

An odd landing spot, but it had to have hurt the car.

Conflicting reports as to Mr Holdsworth's wellness.. Hip/leg injury apparently

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Mr Holdsworth had a MEGA hit!

An odd landing spot, but it had to have hurt the car.

Conflicting reports as to Mr Holdsworth's wellness.. Hip/leg injury apparently

Broken pelvis is the word, out for at least the Townsville event

[peckstar]

do we have more injuries under COTF than under the older structure?

I dont have much recollection of top level drivers missing races because of incident related injuries before COTF, really only lowndes at calder in the 90s

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by peckstar

do we have more injuries under COTF than under the older structure?

I dont have much recollection of top level drivers missing races because of incident related injuries before COTF, really only lowndes at calder in the 90s

If there are more injuries it's probably just random luck tbh. In Lee's case, he thumped a concrete wall - in the past that was an earth filled tyre bank, the hit would most likely have been a little less severe but he likely would have bounced back out into the middle of the pack, risking greater injury.

There were plenty of injuries prior to COTF, even a couple of fatalities of course. There have been a lot of changes since then across a vast range of variables so pretty hard to pin it purely on anything to do with COTF

[Umai Naa]

Would sooner crash one of these than an ex-cab with an alloy cage in it, circa the '70s, '80s and early '90s.

[peckstar]

More comparing to pre COTF cars though. Dont remeber any real incidents at the top level where drivers had to miss at race, yes at DVS level, but not at the top

[Tourer]

Did a (really) quick Google search & from memory:
Karl Reindler (burns after the Perth shunt - with the relocation of the tank on COTF, would the same occur now?)
Paul Dumbbell (broken finger from Darwin round)
Paul Radisich after Bathurst shunt - didn't he miss some racing?
Didn't Scott Pye have to sit out a race or two after one of his shunts?
I seem to recall Todd sitting out a race or two - I think that was how Rick had his first race, subbing for his brother?
I have a feeling that Brighty missed some races when he was at HRT didn't he?
I really don't know where you'd go to accurately compare pecky but like I say, there are always plenty of factors at play and the build of the car is simply one part of the puzzle.

[GTRMagic]

A broken pelvis is usually a 4-5 month recovery...

[Umai Naa]

Not many have actually sat it out from on-track injuries, surprisingly.

Lowndes, Bright, Murphy, Percat, Wall, Courtney off the top of my head.

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by Umai Naa

Not many have actually sat it out from on-track injuries, surprisingly.

Lowndes, Bright, Murphy, Percat, Wall, Courtney off the top of my head.

so far under COTF i have Courtney (2013), Mostert (2015), Pye (2013), Holdsworth(2016) (im not counting percat, his was due to an infection picked up from a small injury(burn) that he would have raced with if not for the infection) in 3 and half years

Where as I have Radisich x2, Lowndes in 99 (if we go back that far) Murph back injury 2012 (from an incident which may have been from a previous issue). Bright missed a round in 2011

Reindler didn't miss any rounds due to the fire (but i get that its massive safety issue that COTF has fixed), I couldnt find Wall missing due to an injury. Paul dumbrell did miss a round due to a broken finger, but i cant find how he did it?

That's all i can find. if there are others they are drivers who weren't front runners

But maybe this is all due to the competitive nature of the series and more cars being closer together

[Sandgroper]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

A broken pelvis is usually a 4-5 month recovery...

6 weeks SERIOUSLY ?????

No Bathurst for him I would think.

[Woolley]

Originally Posted by peckstar

do we have more injuries under COTF than under the older structure?

I dont have much recollection of top level drivers missing races because of incident related injuries before COTF, really only lowndes at calder in the 90s

I'd say the car stood up pretty well considering. A flat side impact into a concrete wall is never good as it by-passes a lot of the bits that are meant to crumple and instead passes everything through the axles, roll cage, etc. I feared for him when I saw that. Well done to the medical crews who completed the extrication pretty quickly and more importantly, successfully.

Best wishes for a full and rapid recovery.

[Kingair]

With the safety fence in that part of the track, why did the fence move out towards the track?

Or was it just an optical illusion from the camera angle?

Nasty hit but glad to see Lee is okay.

[pimmy]

I don't know why there aren't SAFER barriers on that part of the track. It's been proven over the years that it's a likely location for crashes to occur and it's now more dangerous than when the tyres were there.

The races were quite good, although unnecessarily interrupted (Tander's door in race 1, that flimsy piece of plastic in race 2). I know Schenken's retiring soon but maybe it's time he was pushed, rather than waiting for him to jump.

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by pimmy

I don't know why there aren't SAFER barriers on that part of the track. It's been proven over the years that it's a likely location for crashes to occur and it's now more dangerous than when the tyres were there.

That wall is way better than the previous earth/tyre combination which would have seen the car ripped up and then bounced out onto the track into the pack. Having said that, there is always room for improvement in anything and a buffer in front of the wall may be something that we see there next time.

[chavez]

Do any Australian tracks have safer barriers

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by chavez

Do any Australian tracks have safer barriers

No.

I'm not even sure if the safer barriers have been approved by the FIA. There are also other buffer alternatives for circuits that are not suitable or possible for ovals - therefore there was a need to develop the safer barrier for oval racing. Whether it really delivers any better than those other buffers in circuit racing I don't know.

[Compromised]

Baku GP used SAFER barriers

[Tourer]

Thanks for that.

Googled it and apparently it's the first time SAFER has been used outside the USA. Apparently SAFER needs to be set up differently depending on what type of vehicle is likely to hit it - how that would impact on HV I don't know.

There was also plenty of Tecpro barrier in use at Baku (& other GPs) and that may be another option for the wall in question too.

[D.R.T.]

Well Baku and Le Mans. Le Mans would have been first to use this at their Test Day in early June.

[GTRMagic]

[GTRMagic]

So... it seems Mr Holdsworth is targeting a Sandown return...

[Average Punter]

Seeing as Lee has sat in that e-cell over at Erebus, I'd be fascinated to hear his take on the protection it may or may not have given him...

To me it is also a massive indication of the safety afforded by the HANS device.
ie busted leg, ribs and pelvis but neck thankfully intact

Get well soon Lethal

[velly4]

I know these cars are much safer that the previous model but it has amazed me how many guys have fractured ribs over the last few years.

Is it the fact the cars are so heavy and fast? So much more inertia?

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by velly4

I know these cars are much safer that the previous model but it has amazed me how many guys have fractured ribs over the last few years.

Is it the fact the cars are so heavy and fast? So much more inertia?

Or poorly poured seat inserts, or seats without sufficient rib/side protection?