Slightly different footage of Senna's crash...
Discussion
ELUSIVEJIM said:
I very much doubt Hill would have been told anything apart from Senna was being transported to hospital.
Not so, he was told prior to the restart that Senna's injuries were serious and when he asked how serious he was told "not good"; in his book he says from that he inferred the worst although nobody had actually confirmed anything. Therefore, although most of the other drivers probably knew only that Senna had been transported to hospital, Hill knew a fair bit more than that before the restart.ELUSIVEJIM said:
Why am I bringing Williams into this aspect?
Erm. It was there car. I very much doubt Hill would have been told anything apart from Senna was being transported to hospital. A racing driver is there to do a job but when one car goes off the track without any knowledge of why and it looks to everyone that it was a car issue then Williams did take a huge risk putting Hill back out in the Williams.
Hill didn't take himself out in the first two races.
I think you will find Senna spun in the first race in Brazil trying to stay with an illegal Benetton and the second he was hit by Hakinen going into turn one before being hit again by Larini. Remember he still got pole in the first three races of the season. Where was Hill? Hill was no match for Senna and only go the chance of a run due to Senna's death. When push came to shove he binned it going for a stupid move on Schumacher.
The Williams team would not have known exactly what had happened but seeing a steering column detached from the car it is not hard to guess. If as you say they had no clue than why put Damon out for the race.
Martin Brundle clearly has connections in F1. It is pretty obvious to him that the column broke. He felt uncomfortable about stating this which means people in high places know. Damon was stated as being very unclear about certain things during the trial and unable to remember important information about the FW 16. Strange when he was still driving for that team his memory failed him about a car he had driven for a whole season.
It took two trials because information was being withheld. Perhaps it is better to go and read up before posting.
Yes Williams and Senna were a team but you would expect a team to look after their driver and not supply dangerous machinery.
Motorsport is dangerous but if a part fails on a car through poor workmanship or a defect then a team has blood on their hands.
To then state it was driver error is just criminal.
I don't think this is worth addressing. I think you are very naive and I think you greatly lack understanding of how the sport works. Your views are extremely simple and in no way match the reality.Erm. It was there car. I very much doubt Hill would have been told anything apart from Senna was being transported to hospital. A racing driver is there to do a job but when one car goes off the track without any knowledge of why and it looks to everyone that it was a car issue then Williams did take a huge risk putting Hill back out in the Williams.
Hill didn't take himself out in the first two races.
I think you will find Senna spun in the first race in Brazil trying to stay with an illegal Benetton and the second he was hit by Hakinen going into turn one before being hit again by Larini. Remember he still got pole in the first three races of the season. Where was Hill? Hill was no match for Senna and only go the chance of a run due to Senna's death. When push came to shove he binned it going for a stupid move on Schumacher.
The Williams team would not have known exactly what had happened but seeing a steering column detached from the car it is not hard to guess. If as you say they had no clue than why put Damon out for the race.
Martin Brundle clearly has connections in F1. It is pretty obvious to him that the column broke. He felt uncomfortable about stating this which means people in high places know. Damon was stated as being very unclear about certain things during the trial and unable to remember important information about the FW 16. Strange when he was still driving for that team his memory failed him about a car he had driven for a whole season.
It took two trials because information was being withheld. Perhaps it is better to go and read up before posting.
Yes Williams and Senna were a team but you would expect a team to look after their driver and not supply dangerous machinery.
Motorsport is dangerous but if a part fails on a car through poor workmanship or a defect then a team has blood on their hands.
To then state it was driver error is just criminal.
Edited by ELUSIVEJIM on Monday 16th January 11:21
To just take your last sentences:
"Yes Williams and Senna were a team but you would expect a team to look after their driver and not supply dangerous machinery."
And that's exactly what they've done, since day 1. Williams, along with many other teams, have produced some great bits of kit and have an excellent track record. They've been innovators, they've had a great sense of fair play, and there are probably no more hardened racers than Frank Williams and Patrick Head.
Now, IF they've made a mistake somewhere along the way, and everybody in the sport makes mistakes from the top to the very bottom and possibly none more so than the drivers, but if they made a mistake on that day that in no way reduces or traduces their highly deserved reputation in my eyes. You yourself can trash them if that's what you want to do, but imo it's deeply unfair and extremely naieve.
"Motorsport is dangerous but if a part fails on a car through poor workmanship or a defect then a team has blood on their hands."
For better or worse, rightly or wrongly, the motorsport industry tends to work mechanics into the ground and possibly never more so than at a race meeting. The term "all-nighter" is extremely common, and you should know what it means.
Possibly the biggest source of "all-nighters" are the the drivers themselves, of course, who trash the kit that was so lovingly built for them, very often for no good reason other than incompetence.
So, the sport is known to work these guys all day and all night and then if they go and make a mistake (which is what human beings do when they greatly lack sleep) people like you want to blame them for when it goes wrong? Well, in my humble opinion I say to you "You can f
k right off with that one", and I think yours is a disgusting attitude, but an attitude that is really quite common nowadays in that somebody always has to be to blame. If your is the opinion that has to prevail, then the sport has to stop in the form we know it, and go to some sort of mass-produced, factory built cars which are fully factory-tested and approved, run by teams who conform to full health and safety legislation. All this modification on-the-hoof has to stop, and no part can be used or modified without prior testing.
For better or worse I don't think too many race fans want to see that, not in F1 or anywhere in motorsport.
[quote=heebeegeetee]
I don't think this is worth addressing. I think you are very naive and I think you greatly lack understanding of how the sport works. Your views are extremely simple and in no way match the reality.
To just take your last sentences:
"Yes Williams and Senna were a team but you would expect a team to look after their driver and not supply dangerous machinery."
And that's exactly what they've done, since day 1. Williams, along with many other teams, have produced some great bits of kit and have an excellent track record. They've been innovators, they've had a great sense of fair play, and there are probably no more hardened racers than Frank Williams and Patrick Head.
Now, IF they've made a mistake somewhere along the way, and everybody in the sport makes mistakes from the top to the very bottom and possibly none more so than the drivers, but if they made a mistake on that day that in no way reduces or traduces their highly deserved reputation in my eyes. You yourself can trash them if that's what you want to do, but imo it's deeply unfair and extremely naieve.
"Motorsport is dangerous but if a part fails on a car through poor workmanship or a defect then a team has blood on their hands."
For better or worse, rightly or wrongly, the motorsport industry tends to work mechanics into the ground and possibly never more so than at a race meeting. The term "all-nighter" is extremely common, and you should know what it means.
Possibly the biggest source of "all-nighters" are the the drivers themselves, of course, who trash the kit that was so lovingly built for them, very often for no good reason other than incompetence.
So, the sport is known to work these guys all day and all night and then if they go and make a mistake (which is what human beings do when they greatly lack sleep) people like you want to blame them for when it goes wrong? Well, in my humble opinion I say to you "You can fk right off with that one", and I think yours is a disgusting attitude, but an attitude that is really quite common nowadays in that somebody always has to be to blame.
If your is the opinion that has to prevail, then the sport has to stop in the form we know it, and go to some sort of mass-produced, factory built cars which are fully factory-tested and approved, run by teams who conform to full health and safety legislation. All this modification on-the-hoof has to stop, and no part can be used or modified without prior testing.
For better or worse I don't think too many race fans want to see that, not in F1 or anywhere in motorsport.
Lacking understand is extremely funny considering your reply.
Williams are a fantastic team and have provided amazing cars in the past. F1 needs teams like Williams but this is not the point. You are off on some kind of rant about the team and not the actual death of a driver.
Yes teams or individuals can make mistakes but surely making a steering column this weak is just asking for an accident. There is pushing the envelope and being down right negligent. In this case whoever made the adjustment to the steering column to a poor standard is the one who should be charged with the death of Senna.
If you think it is ok to produce something which was poor at best is simply unbelievable.
Yes mechanics are under a lot of pressure but this still does not excuse poor workmanship. I am sure if a loved one of yours went to a garage and they had a serious accident on the way home due to a "tired mechanic" you would not be very understanding of his excuses.
Your quote
And had that championship been run properly by the FIA with proper action against fuel rig tampering and the like, Hill would have been champion that year, so Williams can't have been that tardy.
So you are saying the FIA gave preference to Benetton and M Schumacher? Well if they are prepared to do this publicly what would they and Bernie do to save F1 from the death of Senna?
Bernie was quoted saying Senna was dead but the race was going to continue.
Speaks volumes.
I don't think this is worth addressing. I think you are very naive and I think you greatly lack understanding of how the sport works. Your views are extremely simple and in no way match the reality.
To just take your last sentences:
"Yes Williams and Senna were a team but you would expect a team to look after their driver and not supply dangerous machinery."
And that's exactly what they've done, since day 1. Williams, along with many other teams, have produced some great bits of kit and have an excellent track record. They've been innovators, they've had a great sense of fair play, and there are probably no more hardened racers than Frank Williams and Patrick Head.
Now, IF they've made a mistake somewhere along the way, and everybody in the sport makes mistakes from the top to the very bottom and possibly none more so than the drivers, but if they made a mistake on that day that in no way reduces or traduces their highly deserved reputation in my eyes. You yourself can trash them if that's what you want to do, but imo it's deeply unfair and extremely naieve.
"Motorsport is dangerous but if a part fails on a car through poor workmanship or a defect then a team has blood on their hands."
For better or worse, rightly or wrongly, the motorsport industry tends to work mechanics into the ground and possibly never more so than at a race meeting. The term "all-nighter" is extremely common, and you should know what it means.
Possibly the biggest source of "all-nighters" are the the drivers themselves, of course, who trash the kit that was so lovingly built for them, very often for no good reason other than incompetence.
So, the sport is known to work these guys all day and all night and then if they go and make a mistake (which is what human beings do when they greatly lack sleep) people like you want to blame them for when it goes wrong? Well, in my humble opinion I say to you "You can f
k right off with that one", and I think yours is a disgusting attitude, but an attitude that is really quite common nowadays in that somebody always has to be to blame. If your is the opinion that has to prevail, then the sport has to stop in the form we know it, and go to some sort of mass-produced, factory built cars which are fully factory-tested and approved, run by teams who conform to full health and safety legislation. All this modification on-the-hoof has to stop, and no part can be used or modified without prior testing.
For better or worse I don't think too many race fans want to see that, not in F1 or anywhere in motorsport.
Lacking understand is extremely funny considering your reply.
Williams are a fantastic team and have provided amazing cars in the past. F1 needs teams like Williams but this is not the point. You are off on some kind of rant about the team and not the actual death of a driver.
Yes teams or individuals can make mistakes but surely making a steering column this weak is just asking for an accident. There is pushing the envelope and being down right negligent. In this case whoever made the adjustment to the steering column to a poor standard is the one who should be charged with the death of Senna.
If you think it is ok to produce something which was poor at best is simply unbelievable.
Yes mechanics are under a lot of pressure but this still does not excuse poor workmanship. I am sure if a loved one of yours went to a garage and they had a serious accident on the way home due to a "tired mechanic" you would not be very understanding of his excuses.
Your quote
And had that championship been run properly by the FIA with proper action against fuel rig tampering and the like, Hill would have been champion that year, so Williams can't have been that tardy.
So you are saying the FIA gave preference to Benetton and M Schumacher? Well if they are prepared to do this publicly what would they and Bernie do to save F1 from the death of Senna?
Bernie was quoted saying Senna was dead but the race was going to continue.
Speaks volumes.
ELUSIVEJIM said:
Lacking understand is extremely funny considering your reply.
Williams are a fantastic team and have provided amazing cars in the past. F1 needs teams like Williams but this is not the point. You are off on some kind of rant about the team and not the actual death of a driver.
Yes teams or individuals can make mistakes but surely making a steering column this weak is just asking for an accident. There is pushing the envelope and being down right negligent. In this case whoever made the adjustment to the steering column to a poor standard is the one who should be charged with the death of Senna.
If you think it is ok to produce something which was poor at best is simply unbelievable.
Yes mechanics are under a lot of pressure but this still does not excuse poor workmanship. I am sure if a loved one of yours went to a garage and they had a serious accident on the way home due to a "tired mechanic" you would not be very understanding of his excuses.
Your quote
And had that championship been run properly by the FIA with proper action against fuel rig tampering and the like, Hill would have been champion that year, so Williams can't have been that tardy.
So you are saying the FIA gave preference to Benetton and M Schumacher? Well if they are prepared to do this publicly what would they and Bernie do to save F1 from the death of Senna?
Bernie was quoted saying Senna was dead but the race was going to continue.
Speaks volumes.
I'm sorry but this is all so simplistic, missing the point and so naieve that I really can't be bothered to reply. Williams are a fantastic team and have provided amazing cars in the past. F1 needs teams like Williams but this is not the point. You are off on some kind of rant about the team and not the actual death of a driver.
Yes teams or individuals can make mistakes but surely making a steering column this weak is just asking for an accident. There is pushing the envelope and being down right negligent. In this case whoever made the adjustment to the steering column to a poor standard is the one who should be charged with the death of Senna.
If you think it is ok to produce something which was poor at best is simply unbelievable.
Yes mechanics are under a lot of pressure but this still does not excuse poor workmanship. I am sure if a loved one of yours went to a garage and they had a serious accident on the way home due to a "tired mechanic" you would not be very understanding of his excuses.
Your quote
And had that championship been run properly by the FIA with proper action against fuel rig tampering and the like, Hill would have been champion that year, so Williams can't have been that tardy.
So you are saying the FIA gave preference to Benetton and M Schumacher? Well if they are prepared to do this publicly what would they and Bernie do to save F1 from the death of Senna?
Bernie was quoted saying Senna was dead but the race was going to continue.
Speaks volumes.
You believe that skilled mechanics and fabricators suddenly forgot how to do their job.
I don't believe that, so there we are.
You equate them to those who might work on my wife's car, I just burst out laughing at that.
ELUSIVEJIM said:
..... In this case whoever made the adjustment to the steering column to a poor standard is the one who should be charged with the death of Senna......
I think it is an incredibly naïve view of Senna's accident to suggest that there has to be one person responsible.Remember, nobody in the last 30 years has been able to confirm if the column broke before or after the accident so at the moment that is still just speculation as to whether the weld failed or was to a poor standard, so it's deeply unfair to suggest the guy who welded the column had Senna's blood on his hands.
Also, wasn't it Senna who had insisted on the column being altered at the track, extending it at the track (rather than back at the factory) to be closer to him? So by asking for such a modification, both the driver, and the team who agreed to this are equally culpable, again if this was actually the cause of the accident.
You seam to be searching for the villain, the one person who killed Senna for that great red-top newspaper headline. The reality is that there was a combination of many factors, all of which would have a lessor or greater influence on the build-up to that weekend and the actual accident. Errors occur in F1 all the time, its accepted by the teams and the drivers, and necessary to keep pushing boundaries. There will be negligence, errors of judgement, unfortunate related events all combining every race weekend but to say with such conviction that it was the mechanic with the welder who killed Senna is a massive over-simplification.
heebeegeetee said:
I'm sorry but this is all so simplistic, missing the point and so naieve that I really can't be bothered to reply.
You believe that skilled mechanics and fabricators suddenly forgot how to do their job.
I don't believe that, so there we are.
You equate them to those who might work on my wife's car, I just burst out laughing at that.
What you believe clearly differs from what I believe.You believe that skilled mechanics and fabricators suddenly forgot how to do their job.
I don't believe that, so there we are.
You equate them to those who might work on my wife's car, I just burst out laughing at that.
Clearly you think Senna lost it and crashed without any issues with the car.
If you agree that their was an issue with the Williams then it was Senna's fault.
Clearly not a Senna fan.
The Surveyor said:
Also, wasn't it Senna who had insisted on the column being altered at the track, extending it at the track (rather than back at the factory) to be closer to him?
I think Senna requested the modification but my understanding is it was made to both his and Hill's car at the factory a week or so before Imola; could be wrong but I don't think the modification was made at the track during the course of the Grand Prix weekend. That being the case, what I've never understood is why they didn't just make a pair of brand new steering columns as opposed to welding sections into the existing ones? You'd have thought they'd have had time to do the job properly as, in the context of an F1 car, a steering column surely isn't that high tech and difficult to make? ELUSIVEJIM said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNVOmI64lRs
Go to the 3 minute mark and see what happens with a steering fail.
Oversteer then nothing.
No, the car went straight on, just like Senna. The oversteer was related to the speed into to the bend and throttle position, and was possibly exaggerated by the steering failure.Go to the 3 minute mark and see what happens with a steering fail.
Oversteer then nothing.
The Surveyor said:
I think it is an incredibly naïve view of Senna's accident to suggest that there has to be one person responsible.
Remember, nobody in the last 30 years has been able to confirm if the column broke before or after the accident so at the moment that is still just speculation as to whether the weld failed or was to a poor standard, so it's deeply unfair to suggest the guy who welded the column had Senna's blood on his hands.
Also, wasn't it Senna who had insisted on the column being altered at the track, extending it at the track (rather than back at the factory) to be closer to him? So by asking for such a modification, both the driver, and the team who agreed to this are equally culpable, again if this was actually the cause of the accident.
You seam to be searching for the villain, the one person who killed Senna for that great red-top newspaper headline. The reality is that there was a combination of many factors, all of which would have a lessor or greater influence on the build-up to that weekend and the actual accident. Errors occur in F1 all the time, its accepted by the teams and the drivers, and necessary to keep pushing boundaries. There will be negligence, errors of judgement, unfortunate related events all combining every race weekend but to say with such conviction that it was the mechanic with the welder who killed Senna is a massive over-simplification.
The Italian Court of Appeal, on 13 April 2007, stated the following in the verdict numbered 15050: "It has been determined that the accident was caused by a steering column failure. This failure was caused by badly designed and badly executed modifications. The responsibility of this falls on Patrick Head, culpable of omitted control." Even being found responsible for Senna's accident, Head was not arrested because in Italy, the statute of limitation for manslaughter is 7 years and 6 months, and the final verdict was pronounced 13 years after the accident.Remember, nobody in the last 30 years has been able to confirm if the column broke before or after the accident so at the moment that is still just speculation as to whether the weld failed or was to a poor standard, so it's deeply unfair to suggest the guy who welded the column had Senna's blood on his hands.
Also, wasn't it Senna who had insisted on the column being altered at the track, extending it at the track (rather than back at the factory) to be closer to him? So by asking for such a modification, both the driver, and the team who agreed to this are equally culpable, again if this was actually the cause of the accident.
You seam to be searching for the villain, the one person who killed Senna for that great red-top newspaper headline. The reality is that there was a combination of many factors, all of which would have a lessor or greater influence on the build-up to that weekend and the actual accident. Errors occur in F1 all the time, its accepted by the teams and the drivers, and necessary to keep pushing boundaries. There will be negligence, errors of judgement, unfortunate related events all combining every race weekend but to say with such conviction that it was the mechanic with the welder who killed Senna is a massive over-simplification.
Should Head have been the only one to be found guilty? No. But poor design and badly executed modifications are very telling however way you decide to dress it up.
Oh but Italian Courts are useless. Just like Williams give it a break.
JNW1 said:
I think Senna requested the modification but my understanding is it was made to both his and Hill's car at the factory a week or so before Imola; could be wrong but I don't think the modification was made at the track during the course of the Grand Prix weekend. That being the case, what I've never understood is why they didn't just make a pair of brand new steering columns as opposed to welding sections into the existing ones? You'd have thought they'd have had time to do the job properly as, in the context of an F1 car, a steering column surely isn't that high tech and difficult to make?
It was designed and then the work was undertaking so it was not at the race weekend.Unfortunately both the design and the modification was poor to say the least.
jm doc said:
No, the car went straight on, just like Senna. The oversteer was related to the speed into to the bend and throttle position, and was possibly exaggerated by the steering failure.
My point is people are stating that Senna was correcting a oversteer moment on the Tamburello curve and lost it which was the reason he crashed.Could it not be the exaggeration of a steering failure?
jm doc said:
No, the car went straight on, just like Senna. The oversteer was related to the speed into to the bend and throttle position, and was possibly exaggerated by the steering failure.
We also don't know what actually broke on that car (the video is actually labelled 'steering rack' failure)ELUSIVEJIM said:
jm doc said:
No, the car went straight on, just like Senna. The oversteer was related to the speed into to the bend and throttle position, and was possibly exaggerated by the steering failure.
My point is people are stating that Senna was correcting a oversteer moment on the Tamburello curve and lost it which was the reason he crashed.Could it not be the exaggeration of a steering failure?
angrymoby said:
jm doc said:
No, the car went straight on, just like Senna. The oversteer was related to the speed into to the bend and throttle position, and was possibly exaggerated by the steering failure.
We also don't know what actually broke on that car (the video is actually labelled 'steering rack' failure)I'm not sure what your point is?
Edited by jm doc on Monday 16th January 23:10
jm doc said:
angrymoby said:
jm doc said:
No, the car went straight on, just like Senna. The oversteer was related to the speed into to the bend and throttle position, and was possibly exaggerated by the steering failure.
We also don't know what actually broke on that car (the video is actually labelled 'steering rack' failure)I'm not sure what your point is?
SHutchinson said:
jsf said:
F1 cars are prototypes, every event the car has new parts, some are more marginal that others and mistakes can happen. The drivers know they are driving a prototype that brings potential risks.
Even in the current era, you see failures. Remember the Toro Rosso that lost both front uprights under braking? This last year we saw suspension failures when the kerbs became more severe, Buttons last race ended with front suspension failure.
The reason we see less dramatic results of these failures is because of the circuit design and safety now inbuilt into the cars. Be in no doubt that in a mechanical sport, even with the best of facilities and brains, they will get it wrong.
F1 cars are not road cars with huge over engineered strength, they are the total opposite where any additional weight is punished on the stop watch.
I get to see F1 cars stripped down to the last nut and bolt, its my job to restore and race prep them. Part of that process is to crack test any critical safety related component. You would be amazed what we find cracked when we do a restore on a car that was raced and then parked up before I get to strip it.
I've been wanting to write this post for the past week or so. You've captured it far better than I would have.Even in the current era, you see failures. Remember the Toro Rosso that lost both front uprights under braking? This last year we saw suspension failures when the kerbs became more severe, Buttons last race ended with front suspension failure.
The reason we see less dramatic results of these failures is because of the circuit design and safety now inbuilt into the cars. Be in no doubt that in a mechanical sport, even with the best of facilities and brains, they will get it wrong.
F1 cars are not road cars with huge over engineered strength, they are the total opposite where any additional weight is punished on the stop watch.
I get to see F1 cars stripped down to the last nut and bolt, its my job to restore and race prep them. Part of that process is to crack test any critical safety related component. You would be amazed what we find cracked when we do a restore on a car that was raced and then parked up before I get to strip it.
ELUSIVEJIM said:
Should Head have been the only one to be found guilty? No. But poor design and badly executed modifications are very telling however way you decide to dress it up.
So the appeal says Patrick Head was culpable, but you still feel the chap who welded it was guilty? The bit I still don't get is the focus on the steering column modification being a modification done in haste, you have made a big thing about the modification being bodged in a rush. Yet your saying it was actually done to both cars ( not just Sennas) at the factory before the cars went out to Italy. So this is either a standard factory modification done under factory condition, or was it a bodge done in haste which is why I'm confused.
Also it's a welded tube, it broke past the last support bracket. That's the point where the column will not only be subjected to normal twisting force, but also bending from the driver leaning on the wheel. If the column was so badly bodged why didn't it fail earlier, either when the 'wheel was being clipped on or off ( when the team / driver would be putting latteral strain on the column, or when Senna was qualifying the car putting even greater forces through the column, or when he was putting extra strain on the column whilst frustrated behind the slow pace car, weaving to keep the tyres warm. The column would be least expected to fail on the entry to a swift but gentle curve (albeit a high G corner) rather than a sharp corner where the driver would be leaning most on the wheel and pulling it into the corner. The column wouldn't break under a twisting force associated with smooth cornering.
If the column had failed where it's shown at the side of the car post-accident, it wouldn't have just turned like that Porsche video, it would have gone to one side of the cockpit or the other, or pulled out of the car completely. For Senna to snap the column, he would have been leaning on it (not just turning it) going into the corner, and the 'wheel would have moved very clearly, even the external cameras would have picked that up. Turning into a fast left, the snapped column would move to the left or up, out of the car but none of the videos show that.
The Surveyor said:
So the appeal says Patrick Head was culpable, but you still feel the chap who welded it was guilty?
The bit I still don't get is the focus on the steering column modification being a modification done in haste, you have made a big thing about the modification being bodged in a rush. Yet your saying it was actually done to both cars ( not just Sennas) at the factory before the cars went out to Italy. So this is either a standard factory modification done under factory condition, or was it a bodge done in haste which is why I'm confused.
Also it's a welded tube, it broke past the last support bracket. That's the point where the column will not only be subjected to normal twisting force, but also bending from the driver leaning on the wheel. If the column was so badly bodged why didn't it fail earlier, either when the 'wheel was being clipped on or off ( when the team / driver would be putting latteral strain on the column, or when Senna was qualifying the car putting even greater forces through the column, or when he was putting extra strain on the column whilst frustrated behind the slow pace car, weaving to keep the tyres warm. The column would be least expected to fail on the entry to a swift but gentle curve (albeit a high G corner) rather than a sharp corner where the driver would be leaning most on the wheel and pulling it into the corner. The column wouldn't break under a twisting force associated with smooth cornering.
If the column had failed where it's shown at the side of the car post-accident, it wouldn't have just turned like that Porsche video, it would have gone to one side of the cockpit or the other, or pulled out of the car completely. For Senna to snap the column, he would have been leaning on it (not just turning it) going into the corner, and the 'wheel would have moved very clearly, even the external cameras would have picked that up. Turning into a fast left, the snapped column would move to the left or up, out of the car but none of the videos show that.
Also interesting to note that the only change that Williams made to the sister car at the restart, was to turn off Damon's power steering- which would presumably put more stress through the column rather than less?The bit I still don't get is the focus on the steering column modification being a modification done in haste, you have made a big thing about the modification being bodged in a rush. Yet your saying it was actually done to both cars ( not just Sennas) at the factory before the cars went out to Italy. So this is either a standard factory modification done under factory condition, or was it a bodge done in haste which is why I'm confused.
Also it's a welded tube, it broke past the last support bracket. That's the point where the column will not only be subjected to normal twisting force, but also bending from the driver leaning on the wheel. If the column was so badly bodged why didn't it fail earlier, either when the 'wheel was being clipped on or off ( when the team / driver would be putting latteral strain on the column, or when Senna was qualifying the car putting even greater forces through the column, or when he was putting extra strain on the column whilst frustrated behind the slow pace car, weaving to keep the tyres warm. The column would be least expected to fail on the entry to a swift but gentle curve (albeit a high G corner) rather than a sharp corner where the driver would be leaning most on the wheel and pulling it into the corner. The column wouldn't break under a twisting force associated with smooth cornering.
If the column had failed where it's shown at the side of the car post-accident, it wouldn't have just turned like that Porsche video, it would have gone to one side of the cockpit or the other, or pulled out of the car completely. For Senna to snap the column, he would have been leaning on it (not just turning it) going into the corner, and the 'wheel would have moved very clearly, even the external cameras would have picked that up. Turning into a fast left, the snapped column would move to the left or up, out of the car but none of the videos show that.
Another thing to note is that the FIA also introduced the 'plank' at the the German GP 6 races later, clearly showing what they thought the probable cause of Senna's accident was
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