IndyCar, the equivalent in the U.S. of European Formula 1 betting but not in racecar performance, is mourning the death of Dan Wheldon. Wheldon, who was from the U.K., was one of the best drivers on the circuit and in the world. However, Wheldon was lost in a horrific, fiery multicar accident on Sunday at the Las Vegas course.
The Crash
Wheldon, who was 33 years old and married with two children, perished in a chain reaction crash during the season finale at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It was on lap 12 that the 15-car crash occurred. The race was then canceled.
The Las Vegas oval as well as other tracks on the circuit had been reconfigured to add “progressive banking,” which helps to increase side-by-side racing. However, this type of banking can be especially dangerous for open wheel racing.
Formula 1 in Europe
IndyCar in the U.S. is not as popular as NASCAR, which is seeing a very competitive run to the finish line for this year’s Sprint Cup. In Europe, Formula 1 (F1), which held its first season in 1950, is enjoyed by close to one-half billion fans. There are a dozen teams running 19 races. The total number of drivers stands at 25.
German Sebastian Vettel dominated this year’s and last year’s Formula 1 circuit. Vettel, who is just 24 years old, won the championship in 2010 and 2011. He races for Red Bull Driving.
Formula 1 car racing does not reach the sustained speeds of IndyCar, but F1 vehicles perform at a much higher level on tricky road courses and road tracks. F1 cars have some of the highest performance standards in the world.
IndyCar Probe
In launching its probe of the crash, IndyCar announced, “The entire IndyCar family is saddened by Dan Wheldon’s tragic death, and our thoughts continue to be, first and foremost, with Dan’s wife, Susie, and his entire family at this incredibly difficult time.”
The statement also read, “As part of our standard safety protocol, a full investigation has been launched by IndyCar, with assistance from individual members of various motorsports bodies.”
The announcement made it clear that neither the International Motoring Federation (FIA) nor the Automobile Competition Committee of the United States (ACCUS) would be involved in the probe in an official capacity. The FIA is a non-profit association that represents the interests of motoring organizations and motorcar users around the world and in more than 120 countries. It oversees Formula 1 in Europe and is connected to US member clubs through the ACCUS.
IndyCar stated, “We hope to have preliminary findings to report within the next several weeks. In the meantime, it would be inappropriate to comment further until the investigative team has had the opportunity to conclude its work.”
Speed and Crowded Track
Drivers had anticipated a chaotic race in Las Vegas. The IndyCar investigation is focusing on two general aspects of the race—speed and the number of cars in the field. Questions concern whether the speeds were too high and the field too crowded on Sunday.
