Buemi gets air: Are gravel traps too dangerous for Formula 1 cars?

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Home » F1 Blog » July 22 2011 at 12:03 | posted by James Wilson | 3 comments made so far - add one
Photo: Buemi gets air: Are gravel traps too dangerous for Formula 1 cars?

Punishment v Safety

Sebastian Buemi’s off at the end of German Grand Prix FP1, highlights the issues surrounding gravel traps at Formula 1 circuits.

With less than a minute to go, Buemi put a wheel on the dirt on the entrance to turn 5, pitching him into a spin and off the circuit. He hit the gravel trap side on which launched his Toro Rosso airborne. After about 4 subsequent mini launches, the car came to rest and he was beached.

David Croft and Antony Davidson from BBC 5Live immediately started the debate as to whether gravel traps are too dangerous for Formula 1 cars, particularly when they arrive in them sideways. Single seater racing cars often “dig in” when they hit gravel at certain angles and can quite often roll over, depending on what speed they are carrying and the depth of the run off.

Removing all grass and gravel traps, and replacing them with tarmac run off areas (like new circuits Abu Dhabi and Korea) will certainly remove the risk of cars taking off if they spin, but it completely removes most of the punishment of making an error in a racing car. At worst, a driver can expect some flat spotted tyres, but in theory, he and his car will live to fight another day.

So there is the debate: should drivers be punished for their mistakes and run the risk of a bumpy ride off the track, or should all dangers like that be removed from top level motor racing for good?

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Recent comments on this article:

#1 Jimmy@enterF1 | 22 Jul 2011, 12:09 Reply »

Have to say I am for gravel traps remaining. Buemi didn't actually flip, he just took a wild ride that's all.

As long as the gravel trap is big enough. There's no escaping the fact it doesn't slow a car down as quickly as a tarmac and I don't want to see people in the wall.

More and more gravel traps are being replaced by tarmac, but what I think is essential is to have at least a couple of meters of grass between the circuit and the tarmac. If you go wide, you should have to get off the power or else spin on the grass and THEN be slowed down by the tarmac.

Going wide at a corner and gaining time is ridiculous and so many new tracks allow that to happen!

#2 Alex | 22 Jul 2011, 12:20 Reply »

Gravel traps need to stay, if someone has a brake failure and goes straight on the only way of stopping safely would be by the gravel. I dont think it was the gravel that sent Buemi in the air, I think it was the tarmac in between the two gravel traps

#3 Jimmy@enterF1 | 22 Jul 2011, 12:22 Reply »

Yeah agreed, looks more like the uneven nature between the surfaces that did it, just like Kobayashi at Silverstone.

Years ago, gravel traps were groomed into the most outrageous patterns that pretty much guaranteed a side ways spin was gonna pitch you into a roll!

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