Wooden signs on Tyre barriers???

[Sandfly]

Anyone wonder why on many F1 circuits, including Montreal, they permit, allow, or place wooden signs inside the the tyre barrier. Must have been disconcerting for Coulthard to plow headlong into the signs even if there were tyres behind them. I have seen several crashes on such circuits where drivers are climbing out from under construction debris after the signs are destroyed. Could it be that the FIA inspectors have overlooked something:0

[BeansBeansBeans]

Perhaps, but they probably reasoned that nobody goes off at that point on the Curve Grande. Unfortunately DC proved them wrong.

[Dave B]

They're usually made of high density foam, not wood.

[Sandfly]

I am aware that many brake markers and other on track signage is made of stryfoam type materials. This is not what I am talking about. I am concerned ahat many tracks are placing plywood signs w, some with wooden supporting structure - inside the barrier and fence. I have seen it in person at several tracks that routinely run FIA sanctioned events, including F1. Surely if they did not think a car would reach a barrier, (after traverseing a gravel trap placed there presumably because cars crash at that point), they would not have re-inforced it with multiple rows of tyres. A driver should not have to force his way out of plywood and 2x4's following a shunt at a sophisticated F1 track. I believe that this is an oversight, and one that has potential to cause injury.

[Osella]

Interestingly, it must have been partly an oversight by David Coulthard, given his role as a director of the GPDA, and they conducted a track inspection before the race weekend! :laugh:

[Sandfly]

Plenty of smart experienced people overlook simple things that get people hurt. When race cars are at the limit of adhesion at high speeds they can go places and do things that would ordinarily seem impossible. Whether DC knew he was getting ready to hit a bad spot or not - I am telling you that this is a problem that is being overlooked, and someone will get hurt by wooden signage on the fences inside the circuit.

[Osella]

I think that may actually have happened to Coulthard today, as he has to push several pieces of what certainly looked like wood out of the way of his cockpit after the crash.
Nothing quite as bad a Brazil about 6 years ago though, when the hoardings fell off the gantry over the start-finish line! That was crazy!

[wedge]

Monza is walking on a tightrope. The GPDA are forever moaning that some of the run-off need to be extended but the authorities are powerless because it would mean cutting down trees and jeopordising the future of Monza because of enviromentalists.

[Osella]

Yeah, but it's ironic that their problem was that the kerbs at the second chicane were 'too high', and the tyre barriers at the Curva Grande weren't even mentioned by Webber, Coulthard etc.. Personally I think the kerbs should be about a foot high, teach them all how to drive around them properly that way...

[grantb4]

Styrofoam or wood, if you get it side on in the neck you're dead. They should ban it pronto.

[ShiftingGears]

Or they should design the cars not to disintegrate...