A reminder of motorsport's dangers

IT SAYS it on all the paddock passes and race tickets, motorsport is dangerous.  It’s a fact of life and nothing can be done about that to remove the risk element away.  However, when the unthinkable happens, it still gives the community both a massive shock and a chilling reminder of the dangers in competing at the highest level.  Dan Wheldon’s tragic death in Sunday’s IndyCar finale has not only sent a worldwide feel of loss and remorse, but raised questions about the safety of motorsport in general and what can be done to prevent these sorts of accidents from happening more frequently.

THE SAFETY OF INDYCAR RACING

WRECK: The Las Vegas circuit was too tight for so many cars

INDYCAR’s safety record is good, but not great.  Both Gonzalo Rodriguez and Greg Moore were killed within six weeks of events in 1999.  Paul Dana was the last driver to lose his life at an IndyCar event, five years ago.  Open-wheel racing has always carried significant risks and will continue to do so.  As Mark Blundell summed it up yesterday, the events of Sunday were a ‘recipe for disaster.’  Cars going side-by-side at 220mph has a real fear of danger if something goes wrong.  Plus, it doesn’t have to be driver error; mechanical failure in these cars is still possible in this day and age.  There is no doubt that IndyCar has worked extremely hard with safety organisations to improve its track record, which frankly, was diabolical in the 1990s.  Plus, there are a lot of dedicated marshals and medical facilities are better than ever before.  However, the risks will always remain and in the light of the recent events at the weekend, more has to be done to make the cars stronger to absorb the impacts of a big accident.  1979 Formula One world champion, Jody Scheckter has told BBC that he wants his son, Tomas to quit because it is too dangerous.  Scheckter Jnr was involved in the 15-car pile-up in Las Vegas and Jody said “It is the most dangerous form of motor racing at the moment.  Hopefully this will knock some sense into him and realise there is more to life.  It really isn’t worth it.”

CIRCUITS IN THE US; THE DANGERS

THE officials at the Las Vegas circuit should be prepared for some serious stick over the coming weeks.  The circuit is far too narrow for these types of cars to go racing.  Principally, this track has been used mainly for NASCAR racing, not open-wheel combat.  Drivers raised their concerns during testing for the event, including the defending champion, Dario Franchitti.  If they did this and the track officials ignored their requests for more safety considerations or even to cancel the event, they are going to be in a whole lot of hot water.  A prime example will be Formula One’s fateful trip to Indianapolis in 2005.  Michelin failed to bring suitable tyres to the Brickyard, which saw a farcical six-car race take place.  Two weeks later, Max Mosley said on the Official 2005 F1 DVD; “You can’t just build a chicane at the team’s request, because if an accident happens, an American judge wouldn’t care about the safety consequences.  It is unfortunate what happened, but we couldn’t allow it to happen.”  It is unlikely, but if Franchitti can prove his comments were valid through transcripts or audio recordings, then this tragedy could have been prevented.  I don’t know the full implications of American law, but the Las Vegas track officials could be facing some tough and testing questions from higher forces should this happen.  Although oval racing is popular in the States, maybe it is time to restrict this form of racing to the classic Indianapolis 500.  The risks of racing on ovals are far greater than both street and road circuits.  The thrill may disappear, but at the safety of the championship’s future integrity, it might be the safest option, if not the most plausible option.

WILL IT HAPPEN IN FORMULA ONE?

SAFE: The FIA has done immense work in the safety department

DEATH in Formula One is possible.  It has happened before and without wanting to sound callous, it will probably happen again at some stage.  However, it has now been 17 years since that horrific weekend at Imola, when both Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna were killed.  The last fatality at any Grand Prix event was Marshal Graham Beveridge; killed by flying debris from a serious crash at the 2001 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.  The introduction of the HANS (Head and Neck Safety) system in 2003 has restricted the potential possibility for fatal neck and head injuries.  Ironically, the HANS device came in after successful testing in American racing.  Professor Sid Watkins, Dr. Gary Hartstein and the FIA can take immense satisfaction for the work they have done in recent years.  Who can forget Robert Kubica’s aeroplane shunt in the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix, which would have probably been a fatal shunt ten years earlier, saw Kubica only suffer a sprained ankle and that is down to HANS and the vigorous safety cells and crash tests each car has to pass in pre-season.  1993 IndyCar champion Nigel Mansell praised Formula One’s safety record and told BBC Radio 5 Live, that IndyCars could learn from the premier competition in motorsport; “In Indy racing, there is simply nowhere to go.  When an accident happens, you are into the wall in a split second.  This is why Formula 1 does an exemplary job.  The tarmac runs off so the driver has time to decelerate the car.”

THE COCKPITS: SHOULD THEY BE CLOSED?

NO IS the simple answer to this.  Dan Wheldon’s death will understandably trigger this debate again, which was raised in 2009 when Henry Surtees died in an F2 race at Brands Hatch after being struck by debris, then Felipe Massa received life-threatening injuries in a similar, freakish incident during qualifying for the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix.  There is talk of a canopy being installed around the driver and yes, it would be better for a safety issue.  However, there is no guarantee of this being the breakthrough to prevent incidents like those that have happened in the past.  Remember, it was the impact with the wall and the resultant fire that was Dan Wheldon’s downfall on Sunday, not a result of the flying debris.  Like I’ve said, motorsport is dangerous, but I think a real element would be taken away if the cockpits became closed within the driver area.  It isn’t a regular occurrence and any action like this would be seen by me as a desperate action.  IndyCar need to look at better racetracks, safer barriers at these tracks and the structure strength of the cars, rather than changing cockpit levels.

HOW IT HAS AFFECTED ME?

PEOPLE who know me will understand the love of motor racing I have.  I don’t follow American racing, but of course, I want the Brits to do really well in any motorsport they take part in.  First indication of potential trouble came when I saw Jonathan Legard’s status on Twitter, about a big IndyCar accident.  Curious, I checked out YouTube to see how big it was and I wished I hadn’t.  When I saw the crash, it felt like my heart stopped beating and you don’t want to hear the words that muttered out of my mouth when I witnessed it online for the first time.  When I saw another of Legard’s tweets in the evening, which said that Dan Wheldon’s condition was serious, with no word on injuries, I knew the situation looked very bleak and sadly, the news came through just before midnight of his death.

      Yesterday, I kept seeing the crash on news broadcasts and I felt there was no need for that, especially for Dan’s devastated family.  In this situation, I would stick to images and videos of the wrecked cars and driver reactions.  It made me sick watching it everytime.  All day at Uni yesterday, it was a talking point with a lot of the journalism students and I just didn’t want to be there.  It was on my mind all day and maybe some will say; ‘Why does it affect you?’  Well it does and I can’t help that.  I had to show the crash to one of my friend’s yesterday afternoon and seeing it again made me feel like, well rubbish in the politest term possible.  As Dan was British, plus he grew up in my hometown of Milton Keynes, it made it even worse to think about.  Thankfully, I don’t remember Ayrton Senna’s death vividly, so this is the first real motorsport tragedy I have seen and it puts perspectives into life.  We still have the basics, can move around and look forward to a potential promising future.  I won’t stop watching motor racing, such as Formula One, but I will certainly appreciate the risks far more than I did and actually, I will probably feel more different when watching the next event on TV because I fully understand the risks and consequences of what might happen if it goes horribly wrong.

Motorsport is dangerous and Sunday’s tragedy in Las Vegas is a reminder for everyone; drivers, fans, marshals, racing organisations etc to not take anything for granted.  It is a wake-up for the whole community and safety must continue to advance in all forms, so these sorts of tragedies such as Dan Wheldon’s accident can be prevented more in future.

Dan Wheldon – 22 June 1978 – 17 October 2011, RIP

The UK riots - My view

By Simon Wright (Personal column)

SO, ‘BROKEN Britain’ lies in ruins after last week’s horrific scenes of rioting and looting across the country.  Note to toy manufacturers, no batteries have been included in these burnt out shops, homes and businesses.  Some shops look like the burnt out shell that was The Loft nightclub after the 2009 fire in Channel 4’s Hollyoaks, whilst others remain open for business as if last week was a storm in a teacup.

     It wasn’t though.  Approximately 3,000 arrests have been made by police, with at least 60 per cent of these having been charged for the crimes.  The damage is likely to end up reaching £1billion pounds and it is a dreadful promotion for the capital city, with the 2012 Olympics now less than a year away.  Chelsea Ives, one of the rioters, was an Olympic ambassador.  That’s an embarrassing image sight for the organisers and I’m pleased the IOC (International Olympic Committee) has backed us.  I’m shocked to realise that we have so many idiots in our country.  London was the worst hit, but there were also severe disturbances in Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and Bristol, with minor damage reported in Nottingham, Gloucester, Oxford, Wolverhampton, Milton Keynes and West Bromwich.  So, why did we end up all fearing for the establishments we live and love last week in the worst riots seen in this country for many a generation.  Many reasons have been given, which I will go into detail later on in this blog.

     First of all, as I tuned into Sky throughout Monday night last week, I was appalled to see what was happening.  It shook me to a core and I felt sick to the stomach.  Anger was building up inside me; as the pictures saw London look like a disaster movie, with many industries looking as battered and bruised as you would if you’d taken on Mike Tyson in his prime.  I was leaving the country in 48 hours time and when I heard of trouble reaching my own hometown, I started to wonder what I would come back to.  Luckily, it has calmed down since then, but the damage has been done and left so many heartbreaking stories.

    Ashrof Rassle is brave to say he still loves this country and wants to stay.  The Malaysian student is recovering in hospital after he was attacked and robbed on the streets by thugs.  The video was recorded and uploaded to YouTube and is an absolutely disgraceful act.  I feel massively for Trevor Reeves, who could only watch in horror as his local furniture store burnt down in Croydon.  It had survived two World Wars and lived through four generations of family, what a tragic way for the business to end.  Then there’s Richard Bowes, who was attempting to remonstrate yobs that set fires to bins near his home in Ealing, only to be beaten to death in an act of cynical behaviour.  Finally, there are the three young lads in Birmingham, who were protecting their livelihoods (businesses and mosques) and ultimately paid the price, with their lives.  I’m so proud to see the community of Birmingham come together at a time of such overwhelming tragedy.    

     The government has taken a load of stick for their handling of the carnage to have descended on the UK and some of it is fully merited.  More organisation has to be used around holidays, with rotas the only way forward.  I’m sorry, but you cannot have the five main figureheads of the country (Home Secretary, Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Mayor of London and Chancellor) on holiday at exactly the same time.  The one politician I did feel sorry for was Boris Johnson.  He was heckled in the streets, but he was trying to help and also got involved in the cleanup in Clapham.  It got worse when Boris was bullied in an interview last Tuesday night (August 9) by ITN anchor and Daily Mirror columnist Mark Austin.  Johnson did really well to get his points across, despite Austin’s ignorant attempts to butt into his answers.  The way he handled the interview was very professional and dignified.  As for Austin, it was a foul piece of journalism and a bad example of how to do it.  For me, a respected news anchor dropped the ball here.

     As the week has progressed, I have been deeply unimpressed by the way David Cameron has handled this national crisis.  If I knew he was going to be this bad, maybe he should have stayed in Tuscany after all, sipping his precious cappuccino!  Despite the destruction, he still wants to cut 16,000 jobs on the police front.  What on earth is he doing!  Has he had his eyes shut throughout?  If anything, we need more police on the frontline as the anarchy broke out.  I’m afraid Mr. Cameron has been just as clueless of late as Arsene Wenger!  One message to Dave; I’m sure they do decent deals on priceless coffees at Starbucks if you really are that desperate for a caffeine boost!

     Last Thursday, he did say this in an emergency Commons debate; “And to the lawless minority, the criminals who have taken what they can get.  I say this, we will track you down, we will find you, we will charge you, we will punish you.  You will pay for what you have done.”  At least he has stuck to that, with magistrates working 24 hours a day to send a lot of the criminals into prison cells for their actions.  However, boot camps might have to be the way forward, because it might teach all of them a lesson in how to behave.  Any confidence I had in the coalition government has disintegrated.  Nick Clegg looks like a spare part, George Osbourne would rather be somewhere else rather than the House of Commons half the time and Theresa May is under huge pressure now, probably fighting a losing battle for her job.

     Now onto those who caused so much damage, fear and grief to the innocent.  It is inexcusable what they have done and an utter disgrace.  This was thuggery of the highest order.  Some don’t look sorry at all – I’ve heard stories of them smirking in court and laughing away without a care in the world.  You are a disgrace to society and I only wish we had bigger wheelie bins to tip you into!  I say to the courts, lock them up and throw away the key.  Boo hoo that you can’t afford the latest Nike Pegasus trainers, a Dell laptop or a 4-pack of Carlsberg Special Brew – it’s a tough life and we have all had to make sacrifices in the recession.  If you don’t like it, we don’t need you in the country, bugger off onto another planet!

    Despite some of the compensation packages that have been set-up by the government for affected businesses, it will end up being us that pays for most of the damage, not the loonies who did the damage.  Most taxpayers wouldn’t mind seeing these clowns having benefits and hand-outs being taken away from them.  It might help them learn, though that’s unlikely. 

    The parents need to take some responsibility too for the actions of their children.  For some of the criminals, running back to Daddy is probably the best option.  Oh wait, your Daddy probably encouraged you or is getting smashed out of his head at the local watering establishment!  The parents must take more control of their kid’s actions.  I’m pleased to have seen many parents hand their kids into the police.  Well done to you, no matter how hard it must have been, you’ve done the right thing.  To those parents who are protecting their violent youngsters, hang your head in shame, because you are not much better!

    Historian David Starkey will also probably need to find a new occupation.  His comments on last week’s edition of Newsnight have no place on television and he’d better hope that TalkSport offer him a place on their radio programming for sporting history.  After all, they seem to accept those disgraced professionals who make barbaric comments on TV.  Richard Keys and Andy Gray spring to mind!

     After what has happened last week, I have to ask myself, do I want to be a part of this country anymore?  I have to question it.  Our country might recover – but it will take lots of work to repair the burnt-out buildings and shattered glass windows.  I’m afraid, unless these police cuts are reviewed, the EMA (Education Maintenance Allowance) is restored and parents take more responsibility, this could easily happen again anytime soon.

     Lastly of course, my symphonies go out to those who have lost loved ones and been significantly affected by these devastating riots.

The Royal wedding - A perfect day

BILLIONS watched on TV across the globe, millions celebrated in London and around the UK and two kisses on the world’s most famous balcony.  The Royal Wedding was an amazing day, with a beautiful mix of tradition and modernity.

    Tonight, Prince William and Kate Middleton, now known officially as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be attending a party hosted by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace.  It completes a day that will be looked back on as a truly perfect day for the nations new Prince and Princess.  Prime Minister David Cameron described it afterwards as a day that ‘Britain was at its best.’  He was most definitely right.

    The ceremony itself at the historic Westminster Abbey was a grand occasion.  William and his best man, Prince Harry arrived at 10am, 90 minutes after the doors opened to the many hundreds of guests invited to the wedding of the century.  They included Prince Albert of Monaco, the Australian Prime Minister and many leaders from the Commonwealth.  David Beckham, Sir Elton John, amateur jockey Sam-Wahey Cohen and former Prime Minister John Major were amongst the celebrities in attendance, as were current political figureheads Cameron, Nick Clegg, George Osbourne and the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.  Former leaders Tony Blair and Gordon Brown were surprisingly not included on the guest list however.  Also in attendance were close friends of the happy couple. 

BEAUTIFUL: Kate heads into the Abbey in her stunning dress

    An hour after Prince William arrived, Kate Middleton turned up in the back of a black car.  The blushing bride was escorted to the aisle by her proud father, Michael.  After huge anticipation and weeks of speculation, the wedding dress was simply spectacular.  Designed by Sarah Burton; the successor to the late, great fashion designer Alexander McQueen, it was a dress that bought back memories of Grace Kelly’s dress on her wedding day to Prince Rainier of Monaco in 1956.  The thin veil could see every single delightful expression of Kate.  Choosing Burton as her designer for the big day will also be a big boost to the British Fashion Industry.  It also celebrated the legacy of Alexander McQueen – who was a legend in his fashion showcases until his death last February.  The dress was well-executed and there can be no doubt that it was made fit to look like and be worn by a Princess.

    The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams produced the service impeccably, to the happy couple.  They looked very relaxed throughout, although the way William did struggle to get the ring on Kate’s middle finger did suggest the understandable and traditional nerves.  There was no stuttering on the vows, unlike when Princess Diana married Prince Charles in 1981.  The whole service was simply perfect, with a highlight being when ‘Jerusalem’ belted out in the church.

     An hour later and ‘Crown Imperial’ played out as the couple returned from signing the registers in the private residence of St. Edward’s Chapel in the Abbey.  There was a clear seal of approval from the expectant crowd outside, as it managed to deafen out the loud chiming Westminster Bells.  They may have arrived in cars, but the trip back to Buckingham Palace was via the traditional transport in these occasions of horse and carriage.  There were an estimated 1 million people on the processional route from the Abbey to the Palace.  This was followed by some official photographs, lunch for 600 people courtesy of the Queen and then the traditional balcony appearance infront of the crowd outside The Mall.  The crowd got their wish as William and Kate kissed for the millions of people and the worldwide media.  If that wasn’t enough, they kissed again shortly afterwards in a fairytale moment. 

TREAT: The happy couple head back to Clarence House

     The final treat for the crowd was a real surprise, as William and Kate pulled out of the Palace gates after lunch.  William driving Prince Charles Aston Martin with ‘JUST WED’ on the license plate and an ‘L’ plate on the front of the car back to Clarence House for some brief respite this afternoon.  It was specially decorated by Prince Harry and other close members of the Royal Family.

     This was the day when a broad smile appeared on the nation and that is down to William and Kate.  They have given us the opportunity to share their happiness and with the scenes seen today, there seems to be clear genuine affection for the new Royal couple.  The weather was good as well and improved as the day went on, despite the initial forecasted showers.  As soon as the champagne began flowing on The Mall at 8am this morning, the party begun and it will continue long into the night and probably, throughout this extended Bank Holiday weekend.  All the doom and gloom of worldwide economic uncertainty, death in Afghanistan, conflicts in Libya and Syria and natural disasters that have devastated Brazil, New Zealand, Australia and Japan this year, it was so nice and fitting to see something jolly today.  The world watched this global event, with celebrations ranging from Australia and Paris, to Shanghai and Russian and American astronauts toasting their success on the International Space Station.  With an estimated TV audience of 2 billion worldwide, it is likely to be the biggest audience in TV history with only the 1966 World Cup final and the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997 likely to rival that in the British audience stakes.  400 million are believed to have watched it live on YouTube!

CELEBRATION: Kate' hometown of Bucklebury salute their girl

    Across the country, there were thousands of parties held in celebration for the Royal Wedding.  Many streets closed on this national day of celebration.  The happiest places include St. Andrews University in Scotland, where William and Kate met as University students a decade ago and in Bucklebury – the hometown where Kate grew up.  Before today, Chris Tarrant was their only claim to fame.  Now they have the new Princess to take that mantelpiece.  William and Kate have travelled a long road since meeting at University, which has included a trying separation four years ago.  However, they now live together in Anglesey in Wales and although recent Royal marriages haven’t been very successful, there is real optimism that this is a marriage that will go the distance.  

     This was the perfect day and a special day that all of us will remember for generations to come.  Congratulations to William and Kate and thank you for giving us such a unique moment, I wish you a very happy, prosperous and successful future together.  

Wikipedia celebrates its 10th birthday

THE free online encyclopaedia Wikipedia celebrated its tenth birthday at the weekend.  Launched by Jimmy Wales in San Francisco in 2001, Wikipedia has given the general public a new way to share and collect information, even if it still has its doubters as a valid and creditable source of facts. 

CELEBRATION: Wikipedia is ten not out

Currently, Wikipedia is available in eight different languages, including German, Italian and Spanish.  There is no doubt that its presence on our internet has changed the face of the World Wide Web, alongside the likes of Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.  The site now carries 17million articles in English, adding just over 1,000 new entries a day.

Often derided for allowing almost anyone to edit its pages, Wales has always claimed that this alone proves that its facts are completely true.  Many seem to agree with this argument, and with Wikipedia now the fifth most browsed site on the Internet, it’s hard not to disagree.  Wikipedia has also taken some flak in the past for the failing of academic studies from some students.  Traditional homework does seem to be a thing of the past, but in an interview with Jon Snow last Wednesday for Channel 4 News, Wales defended the allegation of homework shortcomings; “My argument is that teachers also have access to Wikipedia, and once they find out that a student has cut and pasted work, they will get an F.”  “My view is that Wikipedia should be as high quality as we can make it and that necessarily involves an open discussion/debate of people picking over detail as great as possible.” 

In the interview, Wales also confirmed that Wikipedia will always remain user-friendly and user-based, although they might tighten their policies when it comes to editing biographies of famous people.  Wikipedia intents to keep it status as a non-profit organisation so will not use advertising to promote its site. 

Congratulations Wikipedia, I predict this Internet phenomena, no matter the criticism it draws will go from strength to strength.

Cameron Gets The Keys, As Brown Makes A Dignified Exit

Just when you thought Monday's events couldn't be toppled, the political world was shaken once again, as after five days of bickering, negotiation and stalling, events unravelled last night, which now see the end of Labour rule.  After thirteen years in power, and three in No.10, Gordon Brown made a dignified exit from Downing Street and British politics.


Flanked by his family, he gave a graceful speech to the media, before heading off to Buckingham Palace, to tender his resignation to the Queen.  Around an hour later, the Queen accepted the request of David Cameron to form a coalition government, between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.  At last for many, Cameron has the keys to the most prestigious house in the UK.  As part of the deal, Nick Clegg is set to become the new Deputy Prime Minister, whilst Harriet Harman will step into Brown's shoes, as the Acting Labour Leader, until autumn's party conference.


No more words can describe the monumental shift in political power yesterday, so here are a few YouTube videos to sum things up.  The first is of a massive argument between Sky News Adam Boulton and Alistair Campbell, which nearly saw them come to blows live on TV.

The second is Gordon Brown's resignation speech outside Downing Street.

The last is David Cameron's inauguration speech as Prime Minister.