F1 Fanatic round-up: 17/4/2010

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Join us for live commenting during Chinese Grand Prix final practice and qualifying coming up soon. Here’s today’s round-up:

Links

FIA-GT1 2010 at Abu Dhabi Massive Crash for Natacha Gachnang (YouTube)

Sebastien Buemi’s cousin Natacha Gachnang had a surprisingly similar crash to his in practice for the inaugural GT1 race at Abu Dhabi yesterday. Gachnang suffered a broken leg in this accident:

Comment of the day

F1silverarrows pointed out some similarities in Red Bull’s practice tactics at China this year:

both Red Bulls are together again in 2nd practice just like last year, and both have set a similiar time to 2009. They also timed together the same in 3rd practice but vettel ended the winner on race day.

2009: 2nd practice
Webber: 1:36.105 -4th
Vettel: 1:36.167 -5th

2010: 2nd practice
Vettel: 1:35.791 -5th
Webber: 1:35.955 -6th
F1silverarrows

Happy birthday!

No F1 Fanatic birthdays today. If you want a birthday shout-out tell us when yours is by emailling me, using Twitter or adding to the list here.

On this day in F1

The first Pacific Grand Prix was held on this day in 1994 at the Tanaka International Aida circuit. Michael Schumacher won after Ayrton Senna was eliminated in a first-corner crash.

The following year Schumacher won his second world championship at the circuit but F1 never raced at the tight, slow and very remote Japanese venue again. The FIA World Touring Car Championship has visited the track, now called the Okayama International Circuit, since 2008.

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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19 comments on “F1 Fanatic round-up: 17/4/2010”

  1. Ned Flanders
    17th April 2010, 6:48

    Wow that was a big impact. Was her accelerator jammed on or something? That’s the biggest crash I’ve seen into one of those new foam barriers, perhaps they aren’t as safe as they’re meant to be

    1. well no barrier is perfect! at that speed, to only have a broken leg i’d say the barrier did it’s job…

  2. That was indeed quite a thump. Looked as though she never attempted the corner, just went straight with the brakes locked. I’d sure like to know what sort of mechanical failure it was.

    1. “the team said that at the braking point at the end of the straight, she started braking as normal. A leak was reported in the rear brake circuit which required Gachnang to press back hard on the brake, according to their explanation put out on the official website.

      When putting pressure on the brake pedal Gachnang’s foot also pressed the accelerator pedal. The front brake circuit continued to function correctly but the combination of factors led to Gachnang failing to negotiate the corner, the team confirmed.”

      (gulfnews.com)

  3. DAMN, what kind of speed was she doing?

    1. I bet no more then 250 km/h (150 mph)

  4. Magnificent Geoffrey
    17th April 2010, 11:05

    Jaime Algersuari appears to have been a little misinformed about Gachnang’s accident: http://twitter.com/JAIMEALGUERSUAR/status/12332577523

    Hope Buemi hasn’t seen this!

    1. …. Oh my word!

    2. Oops, I wonder if anyone’s told him…

    3. Jaime Alguersuari=Epic Failure

      But he’s not had that bad a season so far tbh :)

    4. HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! :D

  5. “A TV cameraman was also injured while filming the event from Turn 8. The cameraman, Rob Hurdman from Greenlight Television, was hit by his camera, suffering a suspected broken nose. He was taken to the circuit Medical Centre for treatment and was taken to hospital by road ambulance for precautionary checks.”

    Fail…

  6. Keith, are you in China or in the UK? You should count yourself lucky if you’re in the UK… seems like the other F1 journos will be playing the ‘waiting game’. :P

  7. Just heard that Cooper (Avon) could be supplying F1 with tyres next season.

      1. Doesn’t look like low profile tyres are likely though….I hasten to add. ;)

    1. No one cares. ;)

    2. so much so for an experienced driver. could’ve easily got klien, nakajima etc…

Comments are closed.