Zero to $2,600,000 in 5 seconds

**Thetyim** · 03-05-2009, 07:49 PM

So, you're Sheik Mohammad Bin Sulayem and your greatest wish is to drive a Formula 1 car. When the Team Renault F1 Roadshow comes to your country, the United Arab Emirates, you finally get that chance. Participating in a drag-style shootout against a Ford GT, you are ready to show everybody what you can do with a Formula 1 car.

When the lights go green, you put the pedal to the metal, only to crash the car into the pitwall 5 seconds later. The bill for the heavily damaged car? No more than $2,600,000.

I hate to think what would have happened if he had reached the first bend.

**Spin** · 03-05-2009, 08:10 PM

That would never have happened on a camel. Stick you what you know!

**DrivingForce** · 03-05-2009, 08:11 PM

there's nothing else to say!!! if he wasn't hurt he should have taken a ride to the hospital anyway just to save face and illicit some sympathy..

He was also way over-revving it and that was the primary reason he crashed when he kicked it up in gear it grabbed too hard and turned him right, he was still flooring it as he was hitting the wall and it was still running until the mechanic came up to shut it off..

**dirtydog** · 03-05-2009, 08:23 PM

Probably a bit more powerfull than his usual SUV.

**Muadib** · 03-05-2009, 08:27 PM

I saw this piece on 'The Grid' a couple weeks ago... Dumbass is some kind of rally driver, but knows fuk all about F1... Hw was on the rev limiter for a couple seconds before the launch... What a dumbass... Hope he enjoyed it cause it was an expensive lesson...

**Norton** · 03-05-2009, 08:28 PM

......Ran out of ammo. Owe you one Thetters.

**Norton** · 03-05-2009, 08:29 PM

Originally Posted by Thetyim

No more than $2,600,000.

Originally Posted by Muadib

Hope he enjoyed it cause it was an expensive lesson...

Just chump change to the sheik I would think.

**TizMe** · 03-05-2009, 08:52 PM

**DrivingForce** · 03-05-2009, 08:55 PM

Originally Posted by Norton

Originally Posted by Thetyim

No more than $2,600,000.

Originally Posted by Muadib

Hope he enjoyed it cause it was an expensive lesson...

Just chump change to the sheik I would think.

That's the really depressing bit..

But why wasn't the Merc out there I wonder? it seemed to be kicking the Ford GT's arse in a straight line at least on the lower end to mid range. The Ford GT should have had a half straight away rolling start advantage to make it a bit more challenging..but then again maybe the F1 car should have had a half decent driver in it too...

**Loy Toy** · 03-05-2009, 08:56 PM

Quite hilarious really and this type of Rich Boys with Toys" happens all the time.

I would also imagine that Renault got rid of one of their older cars and got paid for it in full.

I can also imagine the pit crew having a right old laugh and nobody hurt so no problem.

**Thetyim** · 03-05-2009, 09:15 PM

"Tarik Ait Said, Renault F1 Team's F1 Events and Operations Manager, said: "Mohammad Bin Sulayem had earlier driven the car on a closed road successfully. At the circuit, conditions had changed dramatically, which resulted in the incident. Fortunately he was uninjured and the car will be taken back to be repaired."

**Thetyim** · 03-05-2009, 09:16 PM

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

I would also imagine that Renault got rid of one of their older cars and got paid for it in full.

It was last year's car and I think it was up a running a day later

**Norton** · 03-05-2009, 09:20 PM

Originally Posted by Thetyim

"Mohammad Bin Sulayem had earlier driven the car on a closed road successfully. At the circuit, conditions had changed dramatically, which resulted in the incident. Fortunately he was uninjured and the car will be taken back to be repaired."

Nice face saving statement for the sheik. Blame it on the track.

**lom** · 03-05-2009, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by Thetyim

you're Sheik Mohammad Bin Sulayem and your greatest wish is to drive a Formula 1 car.

Well, the Sheik is not totally unfamilar with racing cars.
He is a 14 time UAE rally champion and owns a huge collection of fast cars like the Koenigsegg, a couple of Ferrari's, a couple of Porsche's to name a few.
Oh yea, he has also got a Mercedes CLK-GTR Le Mans racer

**Marmite the Dog** · 03-05-2009, 09:58 PM

Originally Posted by Thetyim

At the circuit, conditions had changed dramatically

What, it had gone from fucking hot to really fucking hot?

Just your typical Arab. Make a fucking mess of everything they get their hands on. I'm surprised he didn't get a white monkey to drive it for him as that's what they have to do with everything else.

**Spin** · 03-05-2009, 09:59 PM

Originally Posted by Thetyim

At the circuit, conditions had changed dramatically, which resulted in the incident

Well, the conditions look pretty good to me in the excellent photo up there posted by Tizme ^^^^^^^
Thisexplanation sounds like it was written by a Thai

**forreachingme** · 03-05-2009, 10:17 PM

Some friend made it similar some 25 years ago...

He was just 18 and working in a car shop. They handed him the key of a brand new Porsche turbo to go for a a trial. Stopped at a red ligth in a city, goes green, 50 meter and turbo on, bang in the building on the side, very similar, not that costly but 100 K Us approx gone for a pedal push...

**Thetyim** · 03-05-2009, 10:19 PM

Originally Posted by lom

Well, the Sheik is not totally unfamilar with racing cars.

He is very familiar with racing cars which beggars the question why would you remove safety devices from your car and endanger the lives of other drivers and spectators .
Take a look at the picture that Tisme posted.
Can you see any wheel tethers ?

**peterpan** · 03-05-2009, 10:23 PM

Havn't they dispensed with them ? I see a few flying wheels in recent F1 accidents.

**peterpan** · 03-05-2009, 10:30 PM

To answer my own question, the reg is still there

10.3.6 In order to help prevent a wheel becoming separated in the event of all suspension members connecting it
to the car failing provision must be made to accommodate flexible cables, each with a cross sectional area
greater than 110mm², the purpose of which is to connect each wheel/upright assembly to the main
structure of the car. The cables and their attachments must also be designed in order to help prevent a
wheel making contact with the driver's head during an accident.
Each cable must have its own separate attachment which :
- is able to withstand a tensile force of 70kN ;
- is able to accommodate a cable end fitting with a minimum inside diameter of 15mm.
Each wheel may be fitted with one or two cables, dependent upon their performance when tested under
FIA Test Procedure 03/07. If one cable is fitted it must exceed the requirements of 3.1.1 of Test Procedure
03/07 and if two are fitted each must exceed the requirements of 3.1.2.
2009 F1 Technical Regulations 33 of 67 17 March 2009
Each cable must exceed 450mm in length and must utilise end fittings which result in a tether bend radius
greater than 7.5mm.

But the tethers are breaking, well everything will given sufficient force.

**Thetyim** · 03-05-2009, 10:32 PM

^
Nope
"2009 F1 Technical Regulations 33 of 67 17 March 2009
Each cable must exceed 450mm in length and must utilise end fittings
which result in a tether
bend radius greater than 7.5mm. "

If the tub is damaged then the inboard anchor can be damaged but as the car was repaired so quickly the tub must have been intact.
To repair a tub they would have needed an autoclave.

**DrivingForce** · 04-05-2009, 01:44 AM

Originally Posted by lom

Originally Posted by Thetyim

you're Sheik Mohammad Bin Sulayem and your greatest wish is to drive a Formula 1 car.

Well, the Sheik is not totally unfamilar with racing cars.
He is a 14 time UAE rally champion and owns a huge collection of fast cars like the Koenigsegg, a couple of Ferrari's, a couple of Porsche's to name a few.
Oh yea, he has also got a Mercedes CLK-GTR Le Mans racer

Lots of people own Van gohs, Picasso's and Matisse's too but they aren't professional artists of note so they only buy them to appreciate and look at, they leave the real art work up to those who know how..

Seems he should do the same as his UAE championship doesn't add up to a hill of sand fleas either, as with his available budget he can out spend any of his competition and buy any championship in that region he wants to.. If it was a WRC Championship for example now that might be a camel of another color but it still ain't an 800 Hp track car..

**DrivingForce** · 04-05-2009, 01:54 AM

Originally Posted by Thetyim

^
Nope
"2009 F1 Technical Regulations 33 of 67 17 March 2009
Each cable must exceed 450mm in length and must utilise end fittings
which result in a tether
bend radius greater than 7.5mm. "

If the tub is damaged then the inboard anchor can be damaged but as the car was repaired so quickly the tub must have been intact.
To repair a tub they would have needed an autoclave.

Not likely it had any to begin with as it was a previous seasons car and now retired as a show car... The purpose of tethers is to protect fans mostly and workers from flying wheels but in a case such as this it is certain it was not expected to end up this way nor was it a prime time show with large crowds. It is a bit of pain to deal with tethers in changing suspension etc. and if not necessarily a concern not being a real race and certainly no safety scrutineering not likely they would be bothered with them.. The cost of suspension piece production goes up as well just for a show car that doesn't even get much use and certainly no on track use at a competive level..

**Muadib** · 04-05-2009, 01:57 AM

The on-board computer system on a modern day F1 car is immensely complicated... Perhaps the programming in the launch control turned off the traction control at the 300' mark, which in turn caused wheel spin and loss of control...

**Thetyim** · 04-05-2009, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by Muadib

turned off the traction control at the 300' mark

I'm not up to speed with the current regulations but I thought traction control had been ruled out.

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