World's fastest ever crash test: Car smashes into wall at 120mph (a speed most family runarounds can hit)

By GARETH FINIGHAN

Too late to pull out now: Travelling at 120mph, the Ford Focus is just inches away from impact

The complex operation saw engineers setting up a winch which catapulted the Ford towards the wall using 16-times the pulling power of a Bugatti Veyron.
As the contraption was activated, the Ford Focus hurtled towards its final destination with Fifth Gear presenter Jonny Smith looking on edge.

Hitting the wall: In the blink of an eye, the front half of the hatchback is completely crushed

This is the terrifying moment a Ford Focus smashes into a solid concrete wall at 120mph in the world's fastest ever crash test.
Industry experts EuroNCAP normally crash vehicles at speeds of 40mph when giving production cars a safety rating.
But Five's motoring show Fifth Gear wanted to see what would happen in a head-on collision at three times this speed - a figure most family cars are capable of.

It then smashed into the concrete wall and was obliterated on impact - to the horror of the visibly shocked host.
Within just 60 milliseconds, the car went from 120mph to 0mph, with the mannequins subjected to forces of up to 400g.

Going, going...: The driver compartment is next to buckle under the pressure. Thankfully only a cheap crash test dummy was behind the wheel

Because of the expected destruction, organisers refused to use expensive crash test dummies and instead opted for cheaper mannequins for the experiment.
Had anyone actually been inside the vehicle at the moment of impact, it would have resulted in a certain fatality.
Fifth Gear described the test as 'shocking and sobering' with Smith adding it was 'mighty haunting'.

Gone: The car seems to have almost completely disintegrated as the back end hurtles towards the wall

Ellie Pearson from road safety charity Brake praised the programme for carrying out the test, which demonstrated the potential risk of high-speed driving.
She said: 'Modern cars are capable of reaching immense speeds and it is important that people realise how dangerous high speed driving is.
'This footage demonstrates the utter destruction of a high speed impact and hopefully anyone who sees it will think twice about their speed the next time they drive.'

Scrap metal: the car is unrecognisable after its high-speed collision

Fifth Gear [20x01] - Ford Focus 120mph Crash Test



source: dailymail

GreenBkk.com Ferrari F1 | Il cordoglio della Ferrari per la morte di Simoncelli

Il cordoglio della Ferrari per la morte di Simoncelli

Maranello, 23 ottobre – La notizia della tragica morte di Marco Simoncelli, avvenuta nel corso del Gran Premio della Malesia di Moto GP, è stata accolta con sgomento dalla Ferrari. “Sono molto triste per la morte di Marco Simoncelli” – ha dichiarato a www.ferrari.com il Presidente Luca di Montezemolo - “ Mi aveva molto impressionato per la velocità, il talento e la grinta che aveva dimostrato quest’anno: per queste qualità mi ricordava Gilles Villeneuve ma il destino ha voluto accomunarli in un una maniera così tragica. A nome di tutta la Ferrari voglio esprimere alla famiglia di Marco tutto il nostro cordoglio per la perdita del figlio.”

“In questi momenti è difficile esprimere con le parole il dolore per la scomparsa di un ragazzo solare com’era Marco Simoncelli” – ha detto il Team Principal della Scuderia Stefano Domenicali che conosceva personalmente il pilota di Cattolica – “Eventi come questo e come l’altrettanto tragico incidente che, appena otto giorni fa, ha visto morire Dan Wheldon nella gara di Las Vegas della Indy Car ci ricordano sempre come tutti i piloti che si cimentano nel motorismo sportivo siano sempre esposti al rischio. Non bisogna mai abbassare la guardia ma dobbiamo sempre essere consapevoli che contro la fatalità non si può nulla. Ora i pensieri miei, della Scuderia e di quell’Autodromo del Mugello che lo ha visto tante volte protagonista vanno alla famiglia di Marco, ai suoi amici e alla sua squadra. Sono veramente molto vicino a Fausto Gresini, un caro amico della mia città, Imola, che sta vivendo un momento particolarmente drammatico.”

Credit: Ferrari S.p.A. (www.ferrari.com)

GreenBkk.com Ferrari F1 | Simoncelli died of multiple injuries, the circuit's medical director reports

Simoncelli died of multiple injuries, the circuit's medical director reports

Sunday, October 23rd 2011, 12:05 GMT

Marco Simoncelli died as a result of massive trauma to his head, neck and chest, MotoGP's medical director has confirmed.

Michele Macchiagodena said the Gresini Honda rider was unconscious when the medical crew reached him on the circuit.

They performed CPR in both the ambulance and for 45 minutes in the medical centre, but were unable to save his life.

"Because of the bad crash to him during the race, he was hit by other riders, he reported a very important trauma to the head, to the neck, and to the chest," Macchiagodena reported.

"When our medical staff arrived on him he was unconscious. In the ambulance, they started CPR [cardiac pulmonary resuscitation].

"Immediately in the medical centre he was intubated, and it was possible to evacuate and take some blood out from the thorax.

"The CPR was continued for 45 minutes because we thought to help him as long as we thought it was possible.

"Unfortunately it was not possible to help him and at 16.56 we had to declare he was dead."

Race director Paul Butler said the accident would be investigated, but said that was for another occasion.

He said all thoughts were with Simoncelli's family: "Our sympathies go to his family. We want to show every respect possible to him."

Credit: AUTOSPORT.COM (www.autosport.com)

GreenBkk.com Ferrari | PISTUNZEN AND THE MAGIC WAND

PISTUNZEN AND THE MAGIC WAND

How electronics stops those darned valves bashing us over the head

I personally never had any great fondness for electronics. I always felt those kinds of innovations just break the magical spell cast by the folks that invented the combustion engine. Folks like we pistons. They annoyed me a bit, to tell the truth. However, I have to say I’ve changed my mind.
This is because, for 60 or 70 years, we pistons were locked in an ongoing battle with those darned valves as every now and then they’d bash us on the head. Let me explain the situation from a piston’s point of view to a non-piston: when a driver made a mistake and either revved the engine too high or accelerated at the wrong instant, those darned valves would bash us over the head, making a kind of ticking noise and really hurting us badly.

I don’t even want to think about the kind of damage that could happen to the engine. Then, electronics came along with its magic wand and that kind of stuff completely disappeared. So, now, even when the clumsiest of drivers decides to hit the accelerator harder than strictly necessary at 1,000 rpm, the ECU steps in and adjusts everything in advance so that we poor pistons don’t get terrible wallops on the head.

PUBLISHED IN PISTUNZEN'S BLOG BY PISTUNZEN ON 10.21.2011

Credit: Ferrari S.p.A. (www.ferrari.com)

GreenBkk.com Jaime Alguersuari | Jaime Alguersuari, de visita en el Rally Catalunya-Costa Daurada

Jaime Alguersuari, de visita en el Rally Catalunya-Costa Daurada

22 de octubre de 2011

Jaime Alguersuari ha rendido visita esta tarde a la base del Rally de España-Catalunya-Costa Daurada, prueba puntuable para el campeonato del mundo WRC. El piloto español ha conocido los entresijos de la carrera de la mano de Ivan Tibau, Secretari General de l'Esport de la Generalitat de Catalunya, y Aman Barfull, director deportivo de la prueba.

Jaime Alguersuari ha aprovechado su fin de semana de receso tras el GP de Corea para visitar la base del Rally de España-Catalunya Costa Daurada. Invitado por la entidad organizadora, el RACC, el piloto de Toro Rosso ha iniciado su programa con una visita al cuartel general y la sala de prensa del evento, siempre acompañado por el Secretari General de l'Esport de la Generalitat de Catalunya, Ivan Tibau, y el responsable deportivo del rally, Aman Barfull. Acto seguido, ha seguido en helicóptero las primeras dos especiales de esta tarde.

A su llegada a la asistencia, Alguersuari ha saludado a los primeros espadas de este mundial, entre ellos el español Dani Sordo, con el que compartirá el próximo Indoor Karting All Stars GP de Barcelona el próximo 18 de diciembre.

Credit: Jaime Alguersuari (www.jalguersuari.com)

GreenBkk.com Ferrari F1 | Ferrari offers condolences for the death of Simoncelli

Ferrari offers condolences for the death of Simoncelli

Maranello, 23 October – News of the tragic death of Marco Simoncelli during today’s Malaysian MotoGP was met with dismay at Ferrari. “It’s hard to express in words the pain felt at the loss of such a cheery character like Marco Simoncelli,” said Scuderia Team Principal, Stefano Domenicali, who knew the Italian rider personally. “Events such as these and the equally tragic loss of Dan Wheldon a week ago in the Las Vegas Indy Car race, remind us how all those who take part in motor sport are always exposed to these risks. One must never drop one’s guard, aware that there is nothing one can do against fate. Now, the thoughts of all of us men and women at Ferrari and those at the Mugello circuit go out to Marco’s family and friends and his team. I am really close to Fausto Gresini, a dear friend who comes from my home town, Imola, who is going through a particularly fraught time right now.”

Credit: Ferrari S.p.A. (www.ferrari.com)

Marco Simoncelli