Sidepodcast

• Length: 4:15 
• Size: 3.9 MB 
• File: safety4.mp3 
• Transcript: safety4.pdf 
• Torrent: safety4.torrent 

Hello and welcome to F1 Safety, a mini series from Sidepodcast. We’re covering the big and small of Formula 1 safety, with helmets, clothing, cars and circuits already completed. Today we’re going to focus in on medical facilities.

We’ve already looked at a lot of the preventative measures Formula 1 instigates to keep drivers safe. However, sometimes accidents happen, and there are medical facilities and procedures at circuits to try and control any situation.

Around the circuit, there are several rapid response vechicles, including salvage cars known as S-cars, rescue cars known as R-cars, plus plenty of cranes and tractors to extricate stricken cars. There are four S-cars, who have fire rescue equipment on board, such as extinguishers and cutters. There are two R-cars which can bring one doctor and four paramedics to any point on the track within 30 seconds.

The FIA employ a chief medical delegate, currently Doctor Gary Hartstein. He is on call in the medical car, sitting at the end of the pitlane. If there is a big crash that requires medical intervention, the medical car will be employed, along with the safety car. To quickly assess an accident, every F1 car has a warning light which immediately shows the doctor how serious the crash has been.

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• Length: 4:32 
• Size: 4.2 MB 
• File: safety3.mp3 
• Transcript: safety3.pdf 
• Torrent: safety3.torrent 

Welcome to F1 Safety – the latest mini series from Sidepodcast, focusing on the elements that make Formula 1 as safe as it can be. We’ve already looked at clothing and the car, now it’s time to concentrate on circuits.

Although FOM, and therefore Bernie, is currently in charge of deciding which circuits should get on the calendar for each year, the FIA have plenty of say about what goes on where. Safety Delegate Charlie Whiting is sent to each circuit before a race to inspect the safety facilities and make sure it is up to scratch. So, what kind of things does a circuit need to provide in terms of safety?

Firstly, the track has a designated direction. Most of the races on the calendar travel clockwise, but a select few run anti-clockwise. This will affect which side the pit lane is in relation to the track, and how the entrance and exit is designed. Cars must only go around the track in the stated direction, even the safety and medical cars have to adhere to this, no matter how far around they have to go. There can be access roads linking sections of track to make life a little easier though.

If a driver can stick to the asphalt, all is well. Otherwise, there are various features to the area surrounding the track that are there to help. The kerbs were originally designed to make going off track safer, with the raised bumps intended to slow a car down. However, these days, drivers try and use the kerbs to make the track just that little bit wider. It might be uncomfortable, but hitting the right line could save a tenth or two each lap.

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• Length: 4:35 
• Size: 4.2 MB 
• File: safety2.mp3 
• Transcript: safety2.pdf 
• Torrent: safety2.torrent 

This is Sidepodcast and the second episode of our latest mini series F1 Safety. Yesterday we covered all things helmets and clothing, and today we’re going to take a closer look at the safety of a Formula 1 car.

We talked about carbon fibre briefly in the previous show, as the material is supremely strong but very light weight, ultimately a designers dream. Apparently there is also such a thing as carbon-fibre reinforced plastic but I think that’s taking it too far. The majority of a Formula 1 car is made from the lovely carbon fibre, and in terms of safety, the driver is encased in a strong, reinforced tub. No matter what happens to the car, the tub should remain in tact.

There are a few rules to be followed when designing the cockpit. Firstly, no oil, fuel or water lines are allowed to pass through the area where the driver sits. The cockpit sides have very specific dimensions – specified to be even higher in 2008 after we saw cars flying over each other in ’07.

Drivers are strapped into their custom made seat, moulded to them both for comfort and to stop them sliding around every lap. They have six point harnesses, which can be unclasped with one hand. A driver has to be able to get out of a car within five seconds, and replace the steering wheel in another five. If, in an accident situation, he is unable to get out of the car, marshals and rescue crews are able to pull both the driver and the seat from a car together.

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• Length: 4:25 
• Size: 4.1 MB 
• File: safety1.mp3 
• Transcript: safety1.pdf 
• Torrent: safety1.torrent 

Hello and welcome to Sidepodcast, this is a new mini series called F1 Safety. We’ll be taking a closer look at all the things that minimise the risks of driving at 300km/h. We’ll be covering various topics over the next seven shows, and today our attention turns to helmets and clothing.

Every Formula 1 ticket across the globe heralds the warning: “Motorsport is dangerous.” And it is. No one could argue that driving at enormous speed around a narrow circuit would be anything but. However, F1 has taken great strides forward in safety since its early days, and now even the smallest details are covered with precise requirements.

The driver’s helmet is a perfect example. For a driver, his head, neck, and arms are the most exposed areas during a race. The rest of his body is tucked away behind sheets of carbon fibre, but his head takes the full brunt of any oncoming forces. Putting aside what could happen in an accident, every single corner taken by a driver can be a strain on the head.

It is no surprise, therefore, that every driver wears a helmet. They can weigh anywhere between 1250 grams and 1800 grams, and not only are they designed for safety, but also try to blend well with a car’s aerodynamic profile. Made out of layers and layers of carbon fibre for strength, the helmet is lightweight, virtually indestructible, with fireproof materials forming the cushioning on the inside.

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• Length: 26:15 
• Size: 24.1 MB 
• File: racesomnibus1.mp3 
• Transcript: racesomnibus1.pdf 
• Torrent: racesomnibus1.torrent 

Welcome to the omnibus of the Sidepodcast mini series Races to Remember. These seven shows were originally released over consecutive evenings, but are gathered together now for easy listening.

Here are the links to the individual show notes:

1. Brazil 2003
2. Belgium 1998
3. Italy 1967
4. France 1979
5. Europe 1993
6. San Marino 2005
7. Britain 1950

If you’ve got any suggestions for any other races that should be covered in future episodes of this series, then please feel free to leave them on the wiki. You can also suggest topics for other series, or perhaps come up with an idea for a brand new mini series, if you feel like it. Otherwise, comments and feedback are always appreciated.

• Length: 3:25 
• Size: 3.2 MB 
• File: races7.mp3 
• Transcript: races7.pdf 
• Torrent: races7.torrent 

Here we are then, the final episode in this series of Races to Remember. We’ve covered a wide spectrum of races from enormously close battles to wet races, to chaos, to a mixture of all three. Now we’re travelling back to the very beginnings of the championship – Britain 1950.

The very first race of the newly created Formula One World Championship was held at Silverstone on May 13, 1950. The airfield had hosted the first British Grand Prix just two years earlier, and that race was only ever supposed to be a one off. It was so successful though, that the Grand Prix returned the next year, and when the time came, the official F1 Championship couldn’t ask for a better place to begin. Although the race at Silverstone was the first to count towards the championship, it was actually the fifth Grand Prix of the season. Fangio had dominated at a couple of the previous races, and was expected to do well. It wasn’t a particularly sunny day, but even the royal family – King George VI and Queen Elizabeth – turned out to see what the cars were capable of. 100,000 spectators lined the track, eager for the 70 laps to get underway.

Alfa Romeo brought four cars to the circuit, for Fangio, Giuseppe Farina, and Luigi Fagioli. The fourth was for a local driver and guest to the team, Reg Parnell. Ferrari were not in attendance, but Maserati had six cars. In total, there were 21 entrants, so those two teams had half the field locked out already. The previous two years had seen Maserati dominate at Silverstone, but in 1950, the Alfa, in the hands of Fangio, was definitely the car to beat.

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• Length: 3:47 
• Size: 3.5 MB 
• File: races6.mp3 
• Transcript: races6.pdf 
• Torrent: races6.torrent 

Hello and welcome to Races to Remember, a mini series taking a look back at some of those great Grands Prix that shouldn’t be forgotten. Last time we looked at the European Grand Prix in 1993, but today we’re travelling just a few years forward to 2005.

On April 24th, the San Marino Grand Prix was held for the penultimate time. It was the fourth race on the calendar, and defending champion Michael Schumacher had yet to win a race. The Renault was dominating with Fisichella winning the first round, and Alonso racking up two victories of his own.

Raikkonen put his McLaren on pole, ahead of Alonso and Button. He made a good start and pulled out a lead, but after only nine laps, Kimi was struggling. His car had developed a driveshaft problem and he had to retire from the race. Schumacher had a very poor qualifying and started in 13th, but as you would expect, began to make his way through the pack. Unfortunately, he got stuck behind the Trulli train, and couldn’t get past. Being stocked full of fuel, Michael wanted to make as much use of his long first stint as possible, but could only make a further leap forward once the Toyota came in for it’s pit stop. When the Ferrari was called in on lap 27, it was from third and he rejoined in the same position.

The next target on Schumacher’s list was second-place Button. He was 20 seconds behind and had a lot of work to do, but it took him just 13 laps to catch up, and in a blink he was past. He set off after Alonso, and soon saw the rear wing of the Renault directly in his path.

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• Length: 4:02 
• Size: 3.7 MB 
• File: races5.mp3 
• Transcript: races5.pdf 
• Torrent: races5.torrent 

Welcome to Races to Remember, a mini series brought to you by Sidepodcast. We’re travelling back in time to look at some of the best races, those that shouldn’t be forgotten. Already, we’ve gone back as far as 1967, and been as recent as 2003, but now we’re settling on 1993.

Donington Park played host to the European Grand Prix in April 1993. It was the third race on the calendar, with Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna both having won a grand prix each. Prost was ready to fight for his fourth championship, and in what was considered the best car on the grid – the Williams. Senna was in the McLaren, and the battle was on. Traction control was in full force, not yet banned, and actually was a big factor in the race that was about to unfold.

The weekend was wet, as a lot of British GPs seem to be, but qualifying had seen a brief respite in the weather. Prost qualified on pole, with Damon Hill in second, Senna and Schumacher lining up on the next row. The track was soaking on Sunday morning, although the rain had eased when the pack got going. Senna dropped back a place at the start, but whilst everyone else was treading carefully around the first few corners, he put his aggressive hat on and bolted past them. Using every corner, running two abreast where possible, and taking the inside line a few times, he made amazing progress. By the end of the first lap, he was in front, having passed Wendlinger, Hill, Schumacher and Prost to take the lead. He didn’t settle for that though, and Senna increased the gap gradually over the next few laps.

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• Length: 3:34 
• Size: 3.3 MB 
• File: races4.mp3 
• Transcript: races4.pdf 
• Torrent: races4.torrent 

Hello and welcome to the fourth episode in the Races to Remember mini series. Last time we looked at an amazingly close race in the sixties, and today we’re travelling forward more than a decade, but the competition is just as fierce.

On the 1st July 1979, the French Grand Prix was held at Dijon. The track has only ever hosted six F1 races, between ’74 and ’84. After it’s debut on the calendar, it was obvious some changes had to be made as the lap time was under a minute and traffic was a serious problem. By the time our chosen Grand Prix was due, though, that had been sorted, and Dijon was notable instead for it’s fast, sweeping corners.

There was a five week break between the Monaco Grand Prix and the French race, and most of the teams did a lot of testing miles during that time. Renault were into their third year as a constructor, and so far, their reputation was one of unreliability, and very little in the way of results. However, the drivers – Jean-Pierre Jabouille and Rene Arnoux – were given a new car, the RS10 to try and impress at their home race. They got off to a good start by locking out the front row in qualifying – Jabouille first – with Gilles Villeneuve behind them in the Ferrari.

As the pack got away, Gilles made a great start to get ahead of both the yellow cars, with Arnoux falling back to ninth. He spent the first few laps gaining back his positions, but the ease with which he returned to fourth place showed how good the Renault cars really were. For once, the naturally fragile turbos were running well and the cool summer conditions were not putting undue pressure on them.

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• Length: 3:23 
• Size: 3.1 MB 
• File: races3.mp3 
• Transcript: races3.pdf 
• Torrent: races3.torrent 

Hello and welcome to the Races to Remember mini series, brought to you by Sidepodcast. So far, we’ve checked out some controversy in 2003, and some chaos at Spa in 1998, now it’s time for a close race in Italy, 1967.

Back in 1967, the circuit at Monza was very similar to its current condition, although there was a distinct lack of chicanes. Most of the corners were flat out, and there was a worrying lack of runoff area. The F1 circus came from Canada to Italy, with Honda nice and refreshed – having missed out on the North American race, in favour of getting their new chassis completed. Jim Clark was a double world champion, and had won just two races so far in the season. There were only three Grand Prix remaining, and he needed to start winning.

There was no qualifying in those days, and the grid was determined on the Free Practice times. Clark put his Lotus on pole, with Jack Brabham behind. Brabham was also on a tally of two wins for the season, and the pair were ready to battle it out. When the race got underway, Brabham took the lead but he soon lost it as a stream of cars passed him. By the third lap, Clark had re-taken the lead and was pulling out a nice gap.

On the 14th lap, Clark was comfortably in front but suffered a puncture and had to pit. The stop took much longer than he would have hoped, and he rejoined more than a lap down and just three places from the back of the field. Meanwhile at the front, the lead changed hands on almost every lap, with a total of 12 race leaders by the time the chequered flag was waved.

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