OT: Racing 2011 (Spoiler Alert)

[Dave]

The new Mercedes is hideous.

[Rodster]

Is it me that thinks this man


Is looking more and more like this man

[Rodster]

Once again McLaren wins the award for most beautiful car on the F1 grid.


Here's another picture, damn these F1 cars are HUGE with the larger fuel tank.

[toonarmy]

Once again McLaren wins the award for most beautiful car on the F1 grid.


Here's another picture, damn these F1 cars are HUGE with the larger fuel tank.

I love it!

[Rodster]

I decided this year I will be rooting for McLaren, screw the cheaters and Capt. Morgan. I do hope Massa has a better year than Alonso.

[pk500]

Once again McLaren wins the award for most beautiful car on the F1 grid.


Here's another picture, damn these F1 cars are HUGE with the larger fuel tank.

I love it!

Me, too. They look like proper race cars, not an aerodynamicist's dream of a kart.

I'm not a McLaren fan, but Bruce's progeny have turned out some gorgeous cars through the decades.

[Rodster]

The U-Shaped side pods on the McLaren look wicked. That's what I still love about Formula One and how each team interprets and implements their version of the rules or goes completely radical like this.

[pk500]

The U-Shaped side pods on the McLaren look wicked. That's what I still love about Formula One and how each team interprets and implements their version of the rules or goes completely radical like this.

That is super bad-ass.

[Rodster]

I hope he's OK as he's one of my favorite drivers, very talented.

Kubica hospitalised after rally crash
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/89309

"AUTOSPORT understands that Kubica's car hit a wall at high speed before striking a crash barrier."

[toonarmy]

It's not sounding good for Kubica. Although there has been nothing official reported that I could find, some news sources are saying his hand was nearly severed off (one report said it has been amputated), he has multiple breaks in his leg, and sustained massive internal bleeding. I know how initial reports can get things wrong, so I will wait until something official is released, but so far this is very sad news. Here is a video of his car. Dayum!

[Rodster]

Oh boy that clearly doesn't look good when I saw shards of metal or whatever it was in the drivers area.

The BBC wrote this: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsp ... 388940.stm
"The 26-year-old Pole hit a church wall at high speed and was air-lifted by helicopter to a hospital near Genoa.

His British-based Renault team said the driver was conscious, with a statement due later after further medical checks.

It looks unlikely Kubica will be ready for the new Formula 1 season, which starts on 13 March in Bahrain.

His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening, but following surgery in 2003 after a serious road accident as a passenger that left him with titanium bolts in his arm, there will be doubts about his ability to continue in the sport.

A Renault statement read: "Robert Kubica suffered an accident at high speed this morning while competing in the Ronde di Andora Rally.

"The driver was airlifted to Pietra Ligure Hospital where he is currently undergoing medical checks. His co-driver [Jakub Gerber] is fine."

[toonarmy]

Oh boy that clearly doesn't look good when I saw shards of metal or whatever it was in the drivers area.

Yeah, that's what concerns me the most as well. I'm sure some of the damage in that area was due to extraction equipment, but that equipment wouldn't cause all of that mess.

[pk500]

Jesus, Mary and Joseph: That's terrible. I rate Kubica as the most talented driver on the F1 grid, period. Put him in a Ferrari, Red Bull or McLaren, and I think he would be World Champion. Matches great natural speed with a total no-bullshit attitude.

Hope he recovers to live a normal life.

[Rodster]

More news is trickling out. http://en.espnf1.com/renault/motorsport ... 40082.html

"Robert Kubica was flown to hospital by helicopter following a serious crash during a rally event in Italy on Sunday morning. After his condition was stabilised, it is believed he underwent an operation on his left hand during the afternoon."

"All we know is that Robert's life is not in danger," German news agency SID quoted a doctor as saying. "However, he has very severe injuries to his left hand and left leg, but we don't know anything more about it."

[GB_Simo]

More news is trickling out. http://en.espnf1.com/renault/motorsport ... 40082.html

"Robert Kubica was flown to hospital by helicopter following a serious crash during a rally event in Italy on Sunday morning. After his condition was stabilised, it is believed he underwent an operation on his left hand during the afternoon."

"All we know is that Robert's life is not in danger," German news agency SID quoted a doctor as saying. "However, he has very severe injuries to his left hand and left leg, but we don't know anything more about it."

Earlier in the same report, though, is the information Renault have released, which says the injuries are to his right side, not his left. As I understand it, the 'doctor' SID have quoted is Stephane Samson, who was a journalist last time I looked and might have moved into PR or some other role since but isn't in the medical profession. I think we're still at the 'pinch of salt' stage until the hospital puts out a statement.

Edited to add: http://www.motorsport.com/news/article. ... 9305&FS=F1 has Samson as a 'consultant to Kubica'. Could just be ESPN taking the medical meaning of consultant by mistake.

[Rodster]

Earlier in the same report, though, is the information Renault have released, which says the injuries are to his right side, not his left. As I understand it, the 'doctor' SID have quoted is Stephane Samson, who was a journalist last time I looked and might have moved into PR or some other role since but isn't in the medical profession. I think we're still at the 'pinch of salt' stage until the hospital puts out a statement.

Edited to add: http://www.motorsport.com/news/article. ... 9305&FS=F1 has Samson as a 'consultant to Kubica'. Could just be ESPN taking the medical meaning of consultant by mistake.

Kubica's manager spoke about Robert's condition. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsp ... 388940.stm

His manager Daniele Morelli told reporters at the hospital: "Surgeons are trying to re-establish the functionality of his right hand."

He added: "Robert is very strong and he will do it."

The latest Renault statement read: "After undergoing extensive medical checks this morning, Robert Kubica has been diagnosed with multiple fractures to his right arm, leg and hand.

[Dave]

Awful news. I agree with PK's assessment of Kubica's talent; that Renault had no business running where he often had it last season.

[Rodster]

More news is coming out ! http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/89312

There are unconfirmed reports that Kubica's injuries were caused by the end of a crash barrier penetrating the footwell of the car - which would explain why his injuries were on his right hand side rather than by the door.

According to a statement issued by Kubica's Renault team, he has been diagnosed with multiple fractures to his right arm, leg and hand.

After being transferred to the Santa Corona Hospital in Pietra Ligure, Kubica underwent surgery on Sunday afternoon for the injuries he suffered - with doctors believed to be focusing their efforts on his injured hand and, in particular, its blood supply.

An update from the hospital in the afternoon said that the operation on Kubica would continue until Sunday evening. And although amputation of the hand had been ruled out, it was too early to give a prognosis on how well the hand would recover from the injuries it suffered.

[GB_Simo]

Awful news. I agree with PK's assessment of Kubica's talent; that Renault had no business running where he often had it last season.

Agreed. I was never sold on him during his time at BMW, feeling he had too many off-days for one whose talent was apparently so great, but he was comfortably my driver of 2010. I still can't think of a single race where I found myself thinking the Renault was better than he'd made it look.

[Rodster]

Kubica could be sidelined for 2011 http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/89315

As well as multiple fractures to his right arm, leg and hand, of more immediate concern was his partially severed right hand.

There were fears that the hand may have had to be amputated, but doctors managed to reattach the blood supply during a lengthy operation and are hoping the repair will be successful.

Doctor Igor Rossello, who is a hand specialist, told local media on Sunday night that it would take several days for doctors to assess the success of the operation - and warned that Kubica could need up to one year to recover.

"We need to wait for a week at least to verify whether the hand survives," Dr Rossello was quoted as saying by Italian media. "The nerve lesions are the ones that leave us with the most question marks over the recovery of functions.

"Rehabilitation will be relatively long, probably one year. He came here with multiple traumas, with several associated injuries. He won't necessarily have to undergo further surgery on the hand, but he will if needed."

[toonarmy]

It sounds like the news about Kubica is as good as could be expected, especially considering initial reports of some pretty bad injuries. It would be incredible if he could put together some type of racing career in the future, even if it is not in F1.

[Rodster]

It sounds like the news about Kubica is as good as could be expected, especially considering initial reports of some pretty bad injuries. It would be incredible if he could put together some type of racing career in the future, even if it is not in F1.

I fear his F1 career is over, especially with the button overload the drivers are stressing over in the cockpit this year.

[toonarmy]

It sounds like the news about Kubica is as good as could be expected, especially considering initial reports of some pretty bad injuries. It would be incredible if he could put together some type of racing career in the future, even if it is not in F1.

I fear his F1 career is over, especially with the button overload the drivers are stressing over in the cockpit this year.

It would seem that way, but I suppose if his thumb still works well and he has decent strength in the hand anything is possible.

[Rodster]

The other concern would be feeling in the hand. Having no sensation sucks as then he would have to watch his hand movements on the cockpit which cuts down on his other responsibilities on the track. I had lacerated my palm working on a car years ago and for like ten years after that, that area virtually had NO feeling.

I can't imagine having to work your hand and adjusting things on a steering wheel, driving on the limit doing on average 175+ mph and not have any feeling in that hand.

[pk500]

It sounds like the news about Kubica is as good as could be expected, especially considering initial reports of some pretty bad injuries. It would be incredible if he could put together some type of racing career in the future, even if it is not in F1.

I fear his F1 career is over, especially with the button overload the drivers are stressing over in the cockpit this year.

Bob might be the most mentally strong driver in the paddock, so anything is possible. The guy rose from nothing in Poland -- a country with zero motorsports infrastructure -- to become one of the top drivers in the world.

If anyone can return to the cockpit after this kind of injury, it's Bob. I wish him all the best.