Williams ? - Fire at racetrack

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Sun 20 May 2012 18:27
Williams ? - Fire at racetrack - hillman

The New Scientist has a report in the edition of 19 May 2012, “F1 blaze sparks hunt for answers”, about the accident in the pits at the recent Spanish Grand Prix. 31 people needed medical attention after a fire broke out in the Williams pit-lane after a fire broke out as engineers attempted to dismantle a damaged car.

The article raised the question as to whether the fire was caused by a battery situated beneath the fuel tank. The battery is/ was used to provide a speed boost lasting 6.6 seconds every lap.

Am I old fashioned in imagining that locating a battery beneath a fuel tank is inviting that kind of fire ?

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Tue 22 May 2012 13:18
Williams ? - Fire at racetrack - martint123
Am I old fashioned in imagining that locating a battery beneath a fuel tank is inviting that kind of fire ?

Possibly, Look at a normal car - they often have the fuel pump inside the fuel tank. The battery near to fuel lines under the bonnet. My old Mazda had the battery above the fuel tank.

I think the problem could arise because of the requirement to supply the FIA with a large fuel sample after a race which means probably when things are HOT.

It may be better to have something like the old-fashioned fuel filter with a glass bowl that could be removed with safe quickfix connectors and given to the FIA??

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Wed 23 May 2012 21:58
Williams ? - Fire at racetrack - MrEckerslikefromRamsbottom

BBC News reported this fire as having been started by a spark from the KERS unit (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) which works at an exceedingly high voltage. When first trialled, it was reported that a couple of mechanics had been shocked whilst working on these units

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/18051779

Williams now say that they have changed their procedures so that this does not happen again..

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/18178948

I am rather shocked myself to see on these reports the amount of damage that was done.

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Sat 26 May 2012 10:50
Williams ? - Fire at racetrack - hillman

Thank you MrEckerslikefromRamsbottom.

How often do we read read the phrase, "Procedures have been put in place" after an incident that was down to plain overconfidence ?

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