48 replies to this topic

[karlth]

Interview in Bild

Interestingly the first face Ralf recognized after he woke up in the medical center after the crash was Montoya's.

I like to read stuff like that.

[Arrow]

So ralf was knocked unconcious in the crash??
Didnt know that

Can anyone translate?

[Double Apex]

I'm not going to translate it all but here are some interesting bits:

He says it was by far his biggest crash ever.

He got out of the car straigt after the crash and said to himself "Man, my head hurts like mad, better sit down". He remembers sitting next to the demolished car, but after that it's a blank. The next thing he remembers is seeing JPM's face in front of him in the medical center. After that he remembers seeing Michael in the helicopter on his way to the hospital. He was concious during the investigations in the hospital but couldn't really think straight. The support he got from Cora was very important to him. Right now he's taking all the rest he can get in an effort to recover asap. His head still hurts but he hopes to be back in the car during the Italian GP.

So it really was a very big crash. I hope he'll be OK in time.

[gerry nassar]

I didnt realise it was that serious. He should be ok though. Get Well Ralf

Interesting to hear that Montoya was by his bedside. Hope to see both on friendlier terms in the future.

[F1Johnny]

Really sounds like a major shunt. I really wonder if he can race next weekend.

[Double Apex]

BTW, he doesn't remember anything about the crash itself or why it happenend.

[SeanValen]

Some trauma there definately.

[bukusuma]

Is there a video of the crash I can download somewhere?

Bram

[Double Apex]

Originally posted by bukusuma
Is there a video of the crash I can download somewhere?

Bram

Nope, I don't think so. Normally there's no camera's at a test session.

[Amir_S]

Classy stuff from Montoya. Good to read things like that.

[911]

Nice gesture by JPM.

[andviv]

I don't get why they left him leave the hospital that soon if he had such a hard crash!!!

Let's hope he gets well soon and be completely ready for the next race.

[vapaokie]

My understanding was he left specifically AMA (against medical advice). Doctors cannot force you to stay, called false imprisonment.

[TheSaltire]

"The support he got from Cora was very important to him"

You don't say?

[Clatter]

It will be interesting to see if he is allowed to race.

After JB's accident he wasnt allowed to test a week later, and the FIA have been making noises about being stricter when there is a concussion involved. Or will they be swayed because of the championship standings?

[Double Apex]

Originally posted by Clatter
It will be interesting to see if he is allowed to race.

After JB's accident he wasnt allowed to test a week later, and the FIA have been making noises about being stricter when there is a concussion involved. Or will they be swayed because of the championship standings?

I don't think Sid Watkins cares much for championship standings in these matters, and I suppose he's the one who makes the final call on this one. But, having said that, Ralf still has some time left to recover so I think he has a good chance to make it in time.

[andviv]

When is the physical examination to a driver done? Thursday? friday before the first run? Do all of them have to have a Physical exam for each race? how does that work?

[Chris G.]

Nice gesture by JPM.


Man, that picture of Cora is dreamy. Thanks, Saltire.

[Lada Lover]

http://www.tsn.ca/au...ry.asp?id=53245

Ralf gets tested Wed. and Thurs. He still has a slight headache but is fine according to the team.

[vapaokie]

He shouldn't be having headaches anymore if he is okay. Sounds a lot like post-concussion syndrome. Going to need pass a very thorough neurological exam to be properly okayed to race.

[cheesy poofs]

The FIA has a test called ImPACT - which has been developped in the USA. All drivers who've suffered from a concussion must succesfully pass this test if they are to be allowed back behind the wheel.

Ralf's hopes of making the race depend on him passing this. I wonder if Firman will have to take the test also ?

[Jason]

Sounds more serious than I thought. Certainly explains why Michael went to the hospital.

[BRG]

Originally posted by cheesy poofs
I wonder if Firman will have to take the test also ?

I think that he probably already did - AFAIK he is now cleared to race.

[gbaker]

I haven't been able to determine what caused the concussion.

Obviously, Ralf's head hit something. The wheel, I assume?

[vapaokie]

Medical question for you gbaker-

Does a concussion require an impact with the head, or will whiplash generate a severe enough acceleration to result in concussion?

[Greg L]

Originally posted by vapaokie
Medical question for you gbaker-

Does a concussion require an impact with the head, or will whiplash generate a severe enough acceleration to result in concussion?

Well, I'm not gbaker, but AFAIK an actual impact isn't necessary as long as the whiplash was severe enough to cause the brain to hit the inside of the skull with enough force to bruise it. It would have to be one hell of a whiplash, I guess, but it would be possible.

[Dmitriy_Guller]

Sounds like he should sit out the rest of the season, you don't kid with head injuries. Coming back too soon can be disastrous, what has he got to lose by sitting out the last three races, he's out of the hunt anyway.

[Gambino]

Originally posted by karlth
Interview in Bild

Interestingly the first face Ralf recognized after he woke up in the medical center after the crash was Montoya's.

I like to read stuff like that.

Maybe Montoya was there just to pull the plug on him...

Let's hope Ralf will be back to his best this coming weekend. A podium finish would be nice.

[Dmitriy_Guller]

Originally posted by Gambino


Maybe Montoya was there just to pull the plug on him...

[gbaker]

vapaokie,

I'll go with Greg L on this one. It's possible that whiplash alone would do it, but I'm guessing the loads would be high (not that familiar with concussion injuries).

Which poses an interesting question: As the loads increase, which happens first, concussion or basilar skull fracture? Hmmm....

My guess is that his head hit something, probably the wheel.

[cheesy poofs]

From what I hear, the car flipped several times. I do not know if it did this end over end, but I am assuming the car dug into the gravel and rolled over.

If this is the case, and without even touching the ground, this is enough to cause head injuries due to the motion involved. The head is subject to severe whiplash from side to side. It's unlikely that the HANS system would have done much to prevent this effect to the head.

[gbaker]

Originally posted by cheesy poofs
From what I hear, the car flipped several times. I do not know if it did this end over end, but I am assuming the car dug into the gravel and rolled over.

If this is the case, and without even touching the ground, this is enough to cause head injuries due to the motion involved. The head is subject to severe whiplash from side to side. It's unlikely that the HANS system would have done much to prevent this effect to the head.

Thanks for the description of the crash.

I agree that the HANS device would offer little lateral support, but the head would be supported laterally by the very tight F1 cockpit.

Without video or crash data, we will never know.

[zengiman]

Here some photo's of the crash.

Seems he didn't hit anything head on. Looks like he is awake. For the rest doesn't look to bad. Have seen worse crash scenes.

[gbaker]

Doesn't look bad. LR damage only, from what I can see. Hmm.

[cheesy poofs]

Thanks for the link zengiman.

Pretty good assumption isn'it ?
Just as I described it. The roll bar never touched the ground at all. His head must have taken quite a beating. His type of accident is very common in dirt track racing.

[vapaokie]

Your right cheesy puffs, the car looks like a sprint car that hooked the cushion and took the driver for a wild ride. Judging from the impressions in the gravel close to the car, maybe one hard impact at the end to rip off the left rear and roll the car back to an upright position. That final impact with the ground may very well be what gave him the concussion, if not just the bouncing back and forth from side to side in the cockpit.

[cheesy poofs]

His brother's crash in Australia last year is probaly very similar in the way the car flipped over, but Ralf's was at a higher speed.

[Chris G.]

Originally posted by gbaker
Doesn't look bad. LR damage only, from what I can see. Hmm.

"Hmm" WHAT?

[Dmitriy_Guller]

Judging by the crater in the gravel, it is possible that the impact with the ground was rather hard. Cars digging into the gravel can be disastrous, that's what killed Gilles Villeneuve.

[gbaker]

Originally posted by Chris G.


"Hmm" WHAT?

Beats me. I'm still trying to figure out how Ralf got the concussion.

There's no damage to the front or rear of the car, aside from the LR suspension, so he may not have hit the steering wheel. If it was a lateral load, the cockpit structure should have limited the head movement.

It's possible that severe rotation about the long axis of the car could have caused the loads, but then one would have expected more damage.

Without info from the crash data recorder, this is all an exercise in mental masturbation.

[TheSaltire]

Originally posted by gbaker

Beats me. I'm still trying to figure out how Ralf got the concussion.

It's actually easier than you'd think. If his head snapped forward or backwards that could easily do the trick. The sudden deacceleration is just nasty on the body.

BBC reports that it's a 50/50 chance he will get cleared by Sid Watkins to race.

[gbaker]

Originally posted by TheSaltire
It's actually easier than you'd think. If his head snapped forward or backwards that could easily do the trick.

Agreed, and that's what we thought initially, with the only question being whether the motion forward was enough for Ralf to hit his head on the wheel. Then we hear--and see in the photos--that the load was apparantly lateral, with little or no damage to the front/rear of the car.

I'm simply surprised he had enough lateral motion to sustain a concussion. It sounds like a complex crash--too bad we don't have a video.

The sudden deacceleration is just nasty on the body.

I'll invite you to our next crash test. You'll have a chance to see it up close and personal.

[maclaren]

Any news if Ralf will race? Also what could be the reaction of spanish press if Gene did beat Alonso by a clear marigin?

[logic]

Originally posted by maclaren
Any news if Ralf will race? Also what could be the reaction of spanish press if Gene did beat Alonso by a clear marigin?

Logical reaction could be that Alonso is not that special :

[kismet]

Or that Renault isn't all that special - at least in direct comparison with the current über-car featured by BMW-Williams.

[cheesy poofs]

Firman is out
Ralf is in

[Double Apex]

Good to hear Ralf can race, and thanks for the link Zengiman

[AdiGallia]

And mclaren? I hate you
Guess thats what I get for beeing curious. Curios kill the cat and all that...

[KenC]

Incredibly difficult to tell what happened as Ralf's car tumbled, unless you had a video, but even if it was a roll and not a fore-aft collision that caused a concussion, Ralf's head could still have hit something quite hard. I vaguely recall that in 96, Emmo's backbreaking crash at Michigan led to CART padding the rollhoop. The reason being, they found that his helmet had hit the unpadded rollhoop, requiring a 6-inch neck stretch! So, while side protection is much improved, considerable neck stretch can still lead to unforseen contact. Personally, I don't think he should be racing if he still is suffering headaches, but I trust Dr. Watkins to make the correct decision using their neurological test.