Sunday September 17th, 2000
Formula One safety precautions will be stepped up next season after a fire marshal was killed at the Italian Grand Prix last weekend, the president of the sport's governing body FIA said on Sunday.
Max Mosley said the decision had been made after carbon fibre tethers failed to prevent a tyre flying away from Heinz-Harald Frentzen's Jordan in a five-car pile-up at the Monza track. It struck and killed Paolo Ghislimberti.
Mosley told Germany's De Bild am Sonntag newspaper the sport would never be free of danger.
"Formula One remains a dangerous sport, which can lead to injury and death at any moment. We can only minimise the risk," he was quoted as saying.
Mosley said the wheel tethers would have to be able to withstand a pull of 10 tonnes from next season -- double the current level.
"Tougher cockpits and better crash resistance will also follow, along with many improved details. We want to prevent injuries," he said.
He dismissed the suggestion that only luck had prevented any other deaths in the sport since Ayrton Senna was killed six years ago.
"Above all it's because we've done an extraordinary amount for driver safety," he said.
But Mosley warned little more could be done to protect stewards.
"They are volunteers who have worked hard for the privilege to stand in areas which are out of bounds to spectators for safety reasons," he said. "If we were to change this we'd have hardly any marshals left."