Maria de Villota

[Alberto Casado]

http://www.racecar-engineering.com/news/marussia-suffers-straight-line-testing-crash/

The BBC had a local news crew on site during the testing and reported the following “BBC Cambridgeshire presenter Chris Mann, who witnessed the crash, said the car had completed a circuit when it “suddenly accelerated” into the back of the lorry. From where I was standing it looked like the helmet took the brunt of the impact,” he said. “Strangely, the car suddenly accelerated into the lorry and the car went careering into the side of the loading board.”
This sounds very much like the cars anti stall system engaged at the end of the run. Inexperienced drivers having their first runs in a F1 car can be caught out by this. As they slow to stop the car or make a low speed turn (for example into a garage) they lift off the throttle and let the revs drop. The ECU senses this and sets throttle to around 50% with the car still in first gear resulting in a sudden acceleration such as the one described.

 

[TheHemps]

The say the throttle was jammed. So abit more respect would be appropriate..

I made a prediction and I was right. I hope she's ok, I showed no dis-respect.

 

[tjc]

I hope she's alright and all, but I said when she joined Marussia... 'She will crash, 100%, no doubt in my mind, she will crash at some point, she is a very poor driver'

Anyone else heard of an F1 car (or any car) crashing into a stationary lorry whilst doing a straight line test?

I think theres only one person in the world that could do it, and she has.

I made a prediction and I was right. I hope she's ok, I showed no dis-respect.

Really happy for you that you were right on this, bet your chuffed.

I`d rather it never happened and I was proved wrong but there you go...

 

[Chris Butcher]

I don't want to speculate on what happened Chris, but reports suggest that the engine was misfiring. Potentially something to do with it.

At the time of the incident she was travelling slowly and was getting ready to park the car when it suddenly accelerated. Now I do not believe for a second that she would press the wrong pedal, and then continue doing that when she was headed for a lorry. I welcome you to your opinion about the quality of drivers, but I don't think anyone could do this without there being a serious malfunction with the car.

 

[TheHemps]

Really happy for you that you were right on this, bet your chuffed.

I`d rather it never happened and I was proved wrong but there you go...

I would also have preferred to be proven wrong in this case. I was stating that I was not showing any dis-respect and would prefer not to be accused so.

I didn't expect to be jumped on by some obviously young people that still havent understood that tone and attitude cannot be relayed as well in text......... but there you go


Anyway, I'll discuss with the adults,

@Chris Butcher, word is it had something to do with anti-stall. Now, supposing that it was an anti-stall failure, and it happened during a race, in a pit stop, well....

She's been taken to Addenbrookes, best hospital in the UK, saved many lives, including a friend of mine, she is in safe hands.

 

[TheHemps]

Also, Ivo, I see your point, I wouldn't have said the same thing if it was Glock. (Maybe would have if it was Pic though )

 

[Chris Butcher]

@Chris Hempsall I heard that too, after I posted in here I found a quote online from someone that you can listen to, which has changed my opinion on things. It also has audio of the crash. The audio does sound like anti stall kicked in, rather than the car accelerating through extra throttle applied - indeed it doesn't sound like the engine gained any extra revs.

http://audioboo.fm/boos/871249-duxf...=retweet&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

 

[tjc]

I would also have preferred to be proven wrong in this case. I was stating that I was not showing any dis-respect and would prefer not to be accused so.

I didn't expect to be jumped on by some obviously young people that still havent understood that tone and attitude cannot be relayed as well in text......... but there you go


Anyway, I'll discuss with the adults,

First off all if you don`t want to be "jumped on" then maybe show a little more respect (since you seem to think you have already showed some)

Secondly you have no idea of my age so I`d appreciate it if you didn`t guess it.

I`m an adult of some years so well capable of having adult conversations... maybe you should try it.

Carry on speaking to your adults now...

 

[Alberto Casado]

word is it had something to do with anti-stall. Now, supposing that it was an anti-stall failure, and it happened during a race, in a pit stop, well....

The failure would be either human (forgetting to engage neutral) or the gearbox (1st gets stuck). Seems to me that the anti-stall system keeping the car running is precisely its purpose...

 

[TheHemps]

So if I can paint a clear picture, it sounds she did that thing you see in the movies, where the car goes under the Lorry. Except her head didn't fit under

This sounds horrible. That audio didn't sound like the throttle was pushed, must have been anto stall. Wet track too.

 

[TheHemps]

First off all if you don`t want to be "jumped on" then maybe show a little more respect (since you seem to think you have already showed some)

Secondly you have no idea of my age so I`d appreciate it if you didn`t guess it.

I`m an adult of some years so well capable of having adult conversations... maybe you should try it.

Carry on speaking to your adults now...

urgh . Whatever dude,

 

[Bjorn de Haas]

I hope she is gonna be ok after this terrible shunt. So unlucky to hit the trailer with the helmet. Thoughts are with her and the team

 

[James Johnson]

(Warning) Might be disturbing.

http://twitpic.com/a3duh9/full

 

[tjc]

urgh . Whatever dude,

Very adult but yeh... we`ll move on.

 

[Bruno Sousa Ferreira]

(Warning) Might be disturbing.

http://twitpic.com/a3duh9/full

That really shows the serious nature of this crash, you can see her head really took the brunt of it. Hope she can recover from it.

 

[tjc]

(Warning) Might be disturbing.

http://twitpic.com/a3duh9/full

Took me a minute to realise where she was but that really does look horrible.

Really hope she`ll be ok.

 

[tjc]

Seems like things might be as good as can be expected for her...

http://www.planetf1.com/news/3213/7861907/De-Villota-Suffered-Facial-Head-Injuries

 

[Metalfreaky]

I also assume it's a technical issue. I don't belive she "accidently" pushed the throttle.
But what I don't get is why she didn't just pushed the brakes.

Nevertheless I hope she's alright and recovers soon.

 

[ENDR]

Took me a minute to realise where she was but that really does look horrible.

Oook, where is she then, cause I really don't get the fuss about this picture.
If you mean that head between the two guys by the car - isn't de Villota a blonde? Nvm, why would she be without her helmet and balaclava?

 

[Ejike Wodu]

Hope she makes a good recovery. It's bad news when something like this happens. It's also giving credence to the idea of having a covered cockpit.

As you all probably know, designers are working on ways of shielding F1 drivers from flying wheels/objects and I guess bizarre incidents like this.