F1 car loses both front wheels - GIF

**Frank S** · Apr 9, 2020, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by hemmjo

If you go to youtube to watch the video, you can slow it down to .25 normal speed. Then go frame by frame using the "<" and ">" keys. (comma and period. shift key not required). The regular arrow keys jump forward and back 1 second. Start at 2 seconds and step forward, the first thing you should notice is brake dust flying back. Next frame you see something fly upward from the right side. You can see the right side tire breaks loose just a fraction of a second before the left side. Stepping forward you see the right side tire significantly ahead of the left side when it comes back into the frame.

When I see the right side tire instantly jump ahead of the car, I have to assume that the driver got on the brakes preparing for the turn. They don't feather the brakes, they drive as deep as they can at the highest speed possible then get HARD on the brakes just short of locking up the tires. Both brakes were applied at the same instant, applying extreme forces to the suspension on both sides simultaneously. Unlike what I read in the article about one side failure causing the other side to fail, I believe that both sides failed from the sudden application of maximum braking forces, overwhelmed both sides. If the part had failed on a straight stretch, I would expected there to be some separation between one side failing and the other side letting go. The braking forces are the most extreme forces there are in any car. More extreme that the forces supplied by the engine. Except for Top Fuel, and Funny Car in drag racing where they use parachutes.

The parts are precisely fabricated following the engineers specifications. If one was engineered on the wrong side of that ragged edge, the other had exactly the same design flaws.

Just my from my perspective.

The Shear forces of the braking application would be the only thing that makes any sense. Another reason why I have always discouraged people modifying their vehicles suspension systems by raising them with longer but lighter controlling mechanisms and have completely stayed away from any thing that had to connections with race cars. Making things go fast is comparatively simple as opposed of being able to control and stop once speed is achieved Doing so safely adds another level of problems to be solved.
The owner or who ever it was who made the decision to pull the other car out of trials was wise to do so if that car had the same components installed in it