[Official] Bahrain Grand Prix 2020: Grand Prix Weekend Thread - Round 15 of 17

[steve_r]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/co...ocoque_in_the/

wow!

A bit of T-cut and it will be good as new.

[Aysedasi]

And new desert camouflage colour scheme too!

[S griffin]

Looks more like someone has puked up on it tbh...

[wnut]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Looks more like someone has puked up on it tbh...

Thanks for that!

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

Perhaps I am misunderstanding, but off the top of my head, Lime Rock Park, COTA, Indy, Daytona, Sebring, Mid Ohio, Watkins Glen, VIR, Barber all use it in various places?

No, you're 100% correct as the construction of the barrier that Grojean hit is different that what I initially thought... I'm having a bad week and am just going to blame it on bourbon if that's alright with you.

[Aysedasi]

You need to lay off those biscuits.......

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

You need to lay off those biscuits.......

Even more confusion - JHamilton might think you are referring to the scones in KFC....

[Richard C]

Any thoughts on how the fuel spilled out. I know people earlier speculated that it was not all of the fuel from the primary tank, but rather a secondary tank external to the main bladder. But I think since then I am reading that the fire was ALL fuel plus the batteries.

It doesn't look like the bladder failed, but rather the connectors to it. Is there any type of integrated cutoff valve in the system or if the connectors are split then we can expect all fuel to spill out? I have to imagine there is something to prevent that from happening and it didn't work?

Richard

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

Any thoughts on how the fuel spilled out. I know people earlier speculated that it was not all of the fuel from the primary tank, but rather a secondary tank external to the main bladder. But I think since then I am reading that the fire was ALL fuel plus the batteries.

It doesn't look like the bladder failed, but rather the connectors to it. Is there any type of integrated cutoff valve in the system or if the connectors are split then we can expect all fuel to spill out? I have to imagine there is something to prevent that from happening and it didn't work?

Richard

It might be a while before the full details are released.
The BBC (and others) are reporting that the investigation is expected to last six to eight weeks, before findings are published.

In one of their articles, the description of being in the car makes for an interesting read:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/55172481

[Akrapovic]

If you think about the fuel supply to the engine, it has to have a feed to it. Since the tank and engine went their separate ways, that feed has to rupture. Yes you can place a value on the export line (sorry, don't know the car term - I'm using oil rig terms now lol) that leaves the tank to the engine, but after that value you can't really do anything. The fuel is in the line, if the line is ruptured, it will come out.

I don't believe all the fuel was involved. The battery pack final position I'm finding hard to understand. There are a lot of mislabeled photos dotted around claiming different parts to be the battery pack, but none of them are visually the same as the battery pack. I did read that the battery pack was thrown clear.

The battery pack, similar to the FE pack, has its own survival cell. It can be on fire inside its cell without visible flames. Douser valves allow a hose to be connected to it to push water through the pack if its on fire. I don't think that was required here.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

If you think about the fuel supply to the engine, it has to have a feed to it. Since the tank and engine went their separate ways, that feed has to rupture. Yes you can place a value on the export line (sorry, don't know the car term - I'm using oil rig terms now lol) that leaves the tank to the engine, but after that value you can't really do anything. The fuel is in the line, if the line is ruptured, it will come out.

I don't believe all the fuel was involved. The battery pack final position I'm finding hard to understand. There are a lot of mislabeled photos dotted around claiming different parts to be the battery pack, but none of them are visually the same as the battery pack. I did read that the battery pack was thrown clear.

The battery pack, similar to the FE pack, has its own survival cell. It can be on fire inside its cell without visible flames. Douser valves allow a hose to be connected to it to push water through the pack if its on fire. I don't think that was required here.

There are definitely contrasting conclusions, many of which seems feasible.
I guess this makes it difficult as observers to determine which are credible accounts.

One describes the battery pack coming away from the cell for the following reasons:

'The chassis being trapped in the Armco barrier meant that the energy of the heaviest part of the car – the engine and gearbox etc – led to the chassis structure around the fuel tank that is part of the survival cell failing.'
'While the fuel cell is made of Kevlar and rubber and ballistically tested, the impact appears to be extreme enough to have damaged it or torn out some of the connections leading to the fire.
This structure is part of the survival cell and forms the closed bulkhead that the engine bolts on to. The battery pack was among the debris that came away from the car in the impact and it’s a possibility that this played a part in igniting the fuel.'

Whereas another says the battery pack remained in situ:

'The energy store, in fact, as you can see from the photos, did not ignite the fire. The battery pack (energy store) is basically located under the driver’s seat, in the rear part, in a sort of niche formed by the frame, in which the whole package of control units and batteries is housed. The energy store remained anchored to the rear half of the car, in front of the Ferrari engine.'
'According to local insiders, and from some photos that emerged by analysing the wreckage of the chassis, the gasoline that caught fire escaped from the sheared fuel lines when the car split in two. These lines are self-sealing, like those of airliners, when there is a leak to avoid fires like this and it’s why they are so rare. However, the refuelling cap on the right side of the car was blown off in the impact because of the severity of the crash and the pressure exerted by the fuel (opinion of motorsport engineer Gabriele Tredozi in an interview). This was the cause of the fire.'


So I'll throw it out there now - if the investigation reaches the conclusion that the battery pack (or associated electrical components) played no part in causing the fire, conspiracy theorists will claim this is an FIA cover-up to hide the dangers of hybrid/EV use, and put forward evidence to the contrary such as the first account I quoted.

[VIVA GT]

I would say that in my (very) humble pinion that if the fuel cell had ruptured allowing all of its contents to escape the fire that would have caused would have been massive. I also certainly don't think that it would have been possible to have extinguished it so such a short time and using only hand-held extinguishers.
(This is of course just my own opinion).

[S griffin]

Anyway, great news. RoGro has returned to the paddock today. Hopefully he will be out for Abu Dhabi, would be surprised if he isn’t

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Anyway, great news. RoGro has returned to the paddock today. Hopefully he will be out for Abu Dhabi, would be surprised if he isn’t

Good news. And per earlier posted article. It sounds like his left hand might not heal in time for Abu Dhabi. It would be a great ending of this story for him to return to the car one last time.

Richard

[Moneyseeker]

FIA have had tyres and conveyor belt put infront of the barrier for this weekend GP.

[Richard C]

Grosjean's interaction with the marshals on the scene made me smile.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRDWL39Hkt0

Richard

[chillibowl]

now that we know he is ok and back in the paddock and while it would of course be nice to see him finish out his F1 career while crossing the white line, it may be for the best that he wont get the chance to finish out the season in an F1 cockpit.

sure Stroll(?) was out to the left and looking to make his way back on track, cars in front of him, and perhaps an unsighted Kvyat behind and to his right...so maybe i am being harsh, but his evasive reaction/sharply turning right was, imo, an extreme move.

he has, self admittedly, said he has had difficulties driving this year's Haas, has had contact and offs at several races, has had issues with other drivers, other drivers have had issues with him...dont want to pile on but he has not had a very clean season.

i am a risk averse person by nature and i get to comment from behind a keyboard, but i would not risk putting him back into a car and certainly not when he is less than 100%. i think doing so would be irresponsible.

not trying to be inflammatory so please delete if it leads to that.

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

Grosjean's interaction with the marshals on the scene made me smile.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRDWL39Hkt0

Richard

well now that i have seen that i feel like a heel!

[wnut]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

Grosjean's interaction with the marshals on the scene made me smile.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRDWL39Hkt0

Richard

Thanks Richard - heart warming, thankfully he is relatively okay/

Found this analyzing the accident, leaves some harrowing questions, the biggest being what if Grosjean was unable to extract himself:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pu0YOjpe8i4

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

Grosjean's interaction with the marshals on the scene made me smile.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRDWL39Hkt0

Richard

Saw that too. What a heartwarming moment that is for F1

[Adam43]

Bloody brilliant.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Moneyseeker

FIA have had tyres and conveyor belt put infront of the barrier for this weekend GP.

The tyres are on a conveyor belt, in front of the red and white concrete barriers?

[Oldtony]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

The tyres are on a conveyor belt, in front of the red and white concrete barriers?

Are the red & white barriers concrete or the water filled plastic variety?
Guess concrete would be cheaper in Bahrain than water

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

The tyres are on a conveyor belt, in front of the red and white concrete barriers?

No, I believe they have replaced the barrier with new now, blocks only temp so they could run the GP last weekend.

[Lancsbreaker]

Phenomenal interview with Grosjean broadcast on the R5Live coverage of FP today - his analysis of his thought processes during those terrifying few seconds is a real insight into a driver's mind.....