NOOOO! The DeltaWing crashed. (link inside)

[300ZXttZMAN]

Source: Down Shift Magazine.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpPKVDtY ... r_embedded[/youtube]
Crash happens shortly after 32 seconds.


Yea crashes happen but this is what really bugs me:

The DeltaWing drivers were furious at Nakajima’s clumsiness.

Franchitti said: “He used to hit a lot of things when he was in F1 and things don’t seem to have changed.”

Krumm pointed out there is often contact in the Japanese Super GT series in which Nakajima now competes — and he possibly forgot where he was.

Krumm added: “Satoshi did everything right. He made space to let the leaders go through but Nakajima misjudged the situation.”

Motoyama said: “I tried everything I could to fix the car but since the power train damage was particularly serious we couldn’t revive it.”

Nakajima’s Toyota was damaged by the impact. And although it was repaired in the pits the car was later retired with engine problems.

The future for the DeltaWing is uncertain as there is no motorsport category in which it can compete outside Le Mans.

Nissan Europe’s Darren Cox said he and the rest of the team were “initially gutted” by the crash.

But he added: “That feeling quickly gave way to a huge sense of pride in what we have achieved.

“Everyone should celebrate the success that the Nissan DeltaWing has been and feel pride in the impact it will have as a test bed for future innovations both on the road and track.”

I'm going to be highly upset if this is an early end of the DeltaWing.

Thoughts? Comments?

[flohtingPoint]

Not a big deal, the car wasn't good to begin with, it was very off the pace in class in Q and R situations.

[RCA]

They tried soo hard to get it back too. Kind of made me sad

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJylUpzQ-iQ[/youtube]

[sbird1]

I had high hopes for it, but it qualified pretty poorly. Still, I wonder how long they'll try to push that funky far.

[themadscientist]

The car is hideous and as they say "that's racin!." That being said, watching the driver trying to repair the thing alone with the team cheering him on was touching and I can feel their understandable frustration. Perhaps a certain Toyota driver needs an a**-whoopin in the pits.

[flohtingPoint]

I had high hopes for it, but it qualified pretty poorly. Still, I wonder how long they'll try to push that funky far.

I wouldn't expect much. Clever ideas are only clever when they work and it's much easier/cheaper to build a run of the mill backmarker than it is to build a nitche backmarker as more of the research is already there. It's nice outside the box thinking, but this has to go back in the box.

[alms24sebring]

dam, I havent watched Alms in so freakin long. Sad to see that thing die. I hope it still has potential in this or other racing.

[krash]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDLm-4D5UlE[/youtube]

This video was depressing

[flohtingPoint]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDLm-4D5UlE[/youtube]

This video was depressing

We're feeling bad for someone who gets to drive a race car for a living?

Seriously though, there are only two times in racing (or sports in general) when you're allowed to cry:
-If you have an emotional win
-When you retire

You do not get to cry/get choked up if you're a backmarker about to DNF, it's ridiculous. You try everything you can, then when it doesn't work, you go back to the garage, get cleaned up, give your debrief to your engineers and sit and watch the rest of the race.

I seriously cannot stress of how little of an issue all of this is. They're 1 of 20 teams that DNF'ed that weekend, it's not a big deal.

[300ZXttZMAN]

They tried soo hard to get it back too. Kind of made me sad

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJylUpzQ-iQ[/youtube]

+1

[alms24sebring]

We're feeling bad for someone who gets to drive a race car for a living?

Seriously though, there are only two times in racing (or sports in general) when you're allowed to cry:
-If you have an emotional win
-When you retire

You do not get to cry/get choked up if you're a backmarker about to DNF, it's ridiculous. You try everything you can, then when it doesn't work, you go back to the garage, get cleaned up, give your debrief to your engineers and sit and watch the rest of the race.

I seriously cannot stress of how little of an issue all of this is. They're 1 of 20 teams that DNF'ed that weekend, it's not a big deal.

well I have a feeling that they were really trying to atleast finish the race. Dont get me wrong the little tear shed was a little much but its better to finish last than to not finish at all.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Perhaps a certain Toyota driver needs an a**-whoopin in the pits.

+1
Nissan Delta crew needs to go Johnny McEnroe.

[themadscientist]

Well if the comments about the driver are correct, he seems to have a problem with hitting things. Maybe it's time he got hit back. I don't think anybody would have denied the wing driver righteousness for punching the toy boy dead in his face and asking "didn't see that one coming either, did ya?'

[PapaSmurf2k3]

^I'd enjoy that so much, I might actually be inspired to spend money on a Nissan.

[nismofly]

FWIW the car could have gone faster, the ACO decided approximately how fast they wanted it to go and limited it through rules to that speed, just like they do with all other classes. It wasn't meant to fit in and be competitive within an existing class, hence it had it's own class to begin with. It was an experiment, not the car of the future.

It would be nice to see it again, but there's no guarantee. The entry for experimental cars is already done for next years le mans. Maybe a few one off appearances here and there. Petit le mans is a possibility, when porsche built their hybrid 911 a couple years ago it finished up running petit.

[flohtingPoint]

I don't think anybody would have denied the wing driver righteousness for punching the toy boy dead in his face and asking "didn't see that one coming either, did ya?'

He'd be instantly ridiculed/ostracized and probably put on FIA sanctions for it. Nobody would be able to comprehend why a backmarker in a lesser class goes and punches someone in a team that is in a higher class and actually has a capable vehicle. Basically, it'd be the dumbest scuffle ever.

This is motor racing, incidents like this happen all the time...

[Bubba1]

He'd be instantly ridiculed/ostracized and probably put on FIA sanctions for it. Nobody would be able to comprehend why a backmarker in a lesser class goes and punches someone in a team that is in a higher class and actually has a capable vehicle. Basically, it'd be the dumbest scuffle ever.

...or be called NASCAR, which publicizes silly stuff like this on a weekly basis for ratings fodder. They either fine or put the offending driver on some contrived double secret probation, then interview them incessantly about that subject until the next race, hoping it'll flare up again and become a WWE like story line.

I agree that as far as tear worthy moments, this incident was not up there, but I disagree with you in that I'm sure there was a lot of disappointment in the deltawing camp because the team wanted to make a statement by finishing the race regardless of position.

[flohtingPoint]

He'd be instantly ridiculed/ostracized and probably put on FIA sanctions for it. Nobody would be able to comprehend why a backmarker in a lesser class goes and punches someone in a team that is in a higher class and actually has a capable vehicle. Basically, it'd be the dumbest scuffle ever.

...or be called NASCAR, which publicizes silly stuff like this on a weekly basis for ratings fodder. They either fine or put the offending driver on some contrived double secret probation, then interview them incessantly about that subject until the next race, hoping it'll flare up again and become a WWE like story line.

I agree that as far as tear worthy moments, this incident was not up there, but I disagree with you in that I'm sure there was a lot of disappointment in the deltawing camp because the team wanted to make a statement by finishing the race regardless of position.

C'mon Joel, you more than most here should know that both the ACO and the FIA wouldn't put up with such (not that this driver would have much to worry about in the latter, as upon further inspection he has no noteworthy FIA license to lose/get suspended). NASCAR is bushleague with the way it handles conflicts or missteps. Think back to Max getting caught dressed like a Nazi in an S&M video, if that happened in the world of NASCAR the outcome would have been savagely different.

The other 19 teams that DNF'ed at LeMans experienced disappointment too, but nobody is making a fuss because they dont have cars shaped like the Ambiguously Gay Duo's vehicle.


I'm pretty sure the Bobcats would have liked to win their final game of the season to break their 20 something game losing streak, but it didn't happen and nobody cares. Why? Because they're backmarkers... Whether or not they finish out something means totally nothing because in their respective sport they were just another team getting crushed week in and week out. Thats what this silly car was, it was the Bobcats, just out there getting in the way. Seriously, I expect a thread after this weekend about the heroism of HRT after they get destroyed at Valencia and, more than likely, DNF.

As far as the Motoyama trying to fix the car, it's not really heroism. Any person of so little racing accreditation/accomplishments would be doing the exact same thing (minus the crying next to the fence), so it's not surprising in the least. Folks need to watch more racing. In 2010, perennial hungover headcase and Formula 1 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen stuffed it at a rally stage when he was driving in the WRC, he then proceeded to get out of the car and dig himself out, now THIS was surprising as he never showed this level of effort for something so insignificant before. Mental toughness makes a racing driver, not someone who is sobbing against a fence because his car is broke. Want to see the image of what it takes to be a racing driver, look at Fernando Alonso after losing the F1 World Championship by getting stuck behind Petrov. He was calm, composed and thinking about next season. His eyes were not red from crying, and he lost A LOT MORE than just "finishing the race".

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-JZFPSgR7A[/youtube]

[Bubba1]

C'mon Joel, you more than most here should know that both the ACO and the FIA wouldn't put up with such (not that this driver would have much to worry about in the latter, as upon further inspection he has no noteworthy FIA license to lose/get suspended). NASCAR is bushleague with the way it handles conflicts or missteps. Think back to Max getting caught dressed like a Nazi in an S&M video, if that happened in the world of NASCAR the outcome would have been savagely different.

[/youtube]

Of course I know. That's why I meant the NASCAR reference as a joke. Notice the WWE comparison as well? They're buffoons. Unfortunately, most Americans never heard of FIA or ACO much less understand differences in the way they handle missteps as compared to the much over-hyped NASCAR.

Max would have been tarred and feathered had he been with NASCAR, but then again, he actually might have enjoyed that.

[flohtingPoint]

Max would have been tarred and feathered had he been with NASCAR, but then again, he actually might have enjoyed that.

Joel wins the internet today!

[themadscientist]

They get heartwrenching moments in NAZKARR all the time.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxDqRy9bhtc[/youtube]