IndyCar driver Simona de Silvestro crashes at Indy 500 practice

[ThreeLions89]

women driving?!?! XD

[GOMBPRODUXIONS]

Simona is an excellent driver andI hope next year is better for her. She has just had horrible luck this year.

[theoriginalshew]

her right hand keeps getting burned, she has the worst luck, look up her texas crash, she hit the wall, caught fire and it took the rescue crew almost a full minute to get her out of the car and they werent even putting the fire out, they just let her burn.

[theoriginalshew]

@skylerwhitfield24 ha, funny. yea, the car breaking had nothing to do with her crash. and "mildly" attractive? have you seen Simona de Silvestro? shes a 22 year old swiss chick (shes from Switzerland if you're intellectually challenged)

[agabbahey]

@kilat83 No such thing as "fire proof" numb nuts. "Fire resistant" yes, however, everything becomes combustable at some point. Indy has similiar fire safety technology as F-1ollow the Leader. Now if you want to make an intelligent critique and call out the slow response of the fire crew, then I'm willing to listen.

[Winky395]

she catches on fire a lot

[SmileyGarrish]

@Winky395 which raises the obvious question: Why not adopt an in car fire proofing system which would flood the cockpit with an inert gas or similar nonflammable gas for a few minutes, or enough time to reach the trapped drivers?

[Winky395]

@SmileyGarrish

Fire safety in Indycar and Formula One is already top notch.

[SmileyGarrish]

@Winky395 obviously, I can tell.....interesting though how cars keep exploding in flames and burning people - that must just be part of the show and 'fire safety'

[Winky395]

@SmileyGarrish

Are you being sarcastic or are you unaware of motor racing history?

[SmileyGarrish]

@Winky395 are they using forced gas extinguishers in the cockpits?

[Winky395]

@SmileyGarrish

they are required in double A Top Fuel

[Lehmann108]

Wow! Very lucky.

[BeginningDrawer3]

woman and cars...

[ROONTANG]

Tough cookie!

[DinsdalePiranha67]

It wasn't that long ago that a wreck of this sort would have completely destroyed the car and killed the driver. And two days after this, Simona locked up a starting spot in the 500 in an eight-year-old backup car. I suspect we'll be hearing a lot from her in the future...

[saulocpp]

@kilat83 Impossible, they like cheap stuff, competition is still above safety for them. Look at the cars, pretty much the same old shit from 80s. They couldn't even form a F1 team, now think of bringing F1 safety standards to these old things. No wonder people still die there.

[raulv04]

@saulocpp Really? Then, if the cars are so "old" as you say, then why Simona WALKED AWAY from this crash? Was it by magic? Or was it because the safety design helped her? Instead of rotting your brain with F1, try some other forms of racing and get a life. ;)

[saulocpp]

@raulv04 Because once in a while someone must get out of that car alive after a crash. Now, in the last 15 years, how many drivers were crippled or killed in these super-safe cars? You count. And in F1? I count: NONE!

You want a death in F1? You must take it back to 1994. I know many forms of racing, and turning left the whole life is not the most exciting of them. ;)

[jraybay]

@saulocpp I don't like IRL either but the cars aren't "old" they have all the newest safety feature, It's just hard to make safety for thes cars when they are going 200+ mph at most of their tracks. Thats why I find this racing almost dumb, open wheel cars going in an oval at 200 mph?? It's recipe for big accidents. The racing is very good though just the idea to me is silly. Open wheels in my mind belong on proper circuits with right hand turns too :P .

[twistednormal]

@saulocpp Alex Zanardi?

[saulocpp]

@twistednormal Yes, he is crippled, like I said.

[PhilipTheBigOne]

@saulocpp: OK. 1 question: when was the last time a Formula 1 car made a turn (left-hander or right-hander, doesn't matter) at 220+ mph??? Just wondering...

Don't get me wrong man, I follow Formula 1 since 2000. But what you've said fits ONLY in a comparison between Formula 1 and IndyCar's road/street races, because the maximum speed that F1 cars reach now is 320 kph (200 mph). IndyCar drivers dive into Turn 1 at Indy at 375 kph (232 mph)!!!

[flubber342]

she gets her hands burned, was'nt cleared by the doctors to drive, but yet she gets back in the car and qualifies for the indy 500, truly an amazing driver.

[euro944t]

@infantryofficer

Some idiots want the PA guy to break into Herb Morrison's recording of Hindenberg disaster during a bad wreck at Indy 500.

[euro944t]

@infantryofficer

Evidently you didn't watch Champ car racing because Penske RED did NOT have an IRL team in 2000-2002.

Neither was other RED Ganassi team in IRL then.

Convienient how you leave these facts from your history lesson of how colorfull the winning cars of IRL were last decade.

Get your eyes checked, you may be color blind

[euro944t]

@euro944t

Add the Champ car wins for RED cars last decade as well.

[klepetar]

suspension or puncture

[sjaderlund]

"Clean Air Energy"......I wonder what the folks in Japan would think of this claim????

[billyidol01]

palaso se dio la nenita

[flipsidedogchop]

if you apply an advanced zoom setting to this video you can clearly see her looking in the mirror, checking her hair....

[MustangMiky]

I´m happy that she`s ok. Good Luck for next races.

[jenie0]

she's running today!!!! good on ya Simona, shows what kind of stuff racers are made of

[bobolob]

I hope this crash doesn't hinder her 500 status because she has done quite well and has been pretty entertaining in races thus far this year. Get well quickly, Simona!

[UncleDeluxe]

@infantryofficer That's why people call him the greatest driver that's never won it.

[PhoenixFirebreath]

well... the yearly big crash at the Indianapolis 500 had happened...

[guysky3]

Wow Simona in the air almost the whole short chute! Wild wreck. would be quite sad if burns on hands means she misses the race .

[kingofrunescapepking]

@guysky3 Actually, the car sat back down and then something broke on the front of the car sending it back airborne, and then over.

[10ahorn]

holy shit

[mppy938]

@infantryofficer Ohhhhh He meant 500's, I thought he meant championships. In that regard he's wrong too, Wheldon won the 500 in 05.

[prikprak1970]

Heavy crash; good to see her outside the car. Hopefully she drives on Pole Day and on Race Day. All respects for Simona.

[NialoF2]

the noise of the crash is just shocking

[UncleDeluxe]

Anyone that wants to see how serious this crash was should look up what happened to Scott Brayton. Almost EXACTLY the same thing.

[ocyounome]

She's not a rookie, qualified for race and ran series last year

[UncleDeluxe]

@ocyounome She didn't race the full series last year, a lot of people consider that still being a rookie. Nothing but love for De Silvestro tho- she's got huge potential, she's a good sport, a good driver, and will winning races in no time.

[indycardvr1]

it was a suspension failure. the fluid and sparks you see as the car starts losing its control is the car bottoming out since it lost its support from the suspension

[bdhollis]

Wow Simona, yikes! All the best. Glad all you got was the Mickey Mouse gloves!

[euro944t]

Gee what color car were last 10 season champs ? RED

How many teams won the Indy season last decade ? 3

Andretti won once last decade with Dario.

Conway won Long Beach 2011.

Anything i left out please add.

[mppy938]

@euro944t Andretti won 3 times last decade, Kanaan 04, Wheldon 05, and Dario 07.

[euro944t]

@mppy938

Since 2003, Red Cars lost championship just three seasons.

Good thing Andretti has like 7 drivers out to beat just 2 Target RED cars !  (more than three Andretti cars failed to qualify)

[mppy938]

@euro944t How come none of your facts are ever right? Andretti has FIVE cars, and TWO DNQ'd. You should stop because im tired of making you look stupid.

[mppy938]

@euro944t Also you fail to mention in your "history" That Ganassi has 4 Fulltime cars the EXACT same number as Andretti.

[euro944t]

@infantryofficer

Wrong, Penske has more cars in field and I hate to tell you this but turbo Champ cars pumped out nearly 900hp and did 251mph Indy compare to 227mph, going backwards to save costs. Push to pass button is a joke compare to overboost and F1 KERS and Porsche hybrid. Penske is holding back new aero future Indy car because he has new motor to win 2012 says Ganassi.

[ejrush2112]

um it was some kind of failure...u can see the fluids on the track when it let go! @ 36 SECONDS IN!

[yoda10ike]

doesn't look like engine failure at all...but if it's suspension failure, what is that trail left on the track behind the car of at 0:37 ? ...the catch fence at the exit of turn 3 is getting too much work

[emt821]

what is it with Simona and fire

[TexanFiveThree]

paragulla is correct. The right rear suspension breaks and the right rear rolls under the care lifting the car before it makes first contact with the wall and then the car and rear wing get air under it and it's all bad from there

[GigaRagnaSlave]

If this happened ten years ago, Simona would've been severely injured or even worse...But thanks to the safety engineers, drivers can walk away from horrific crashes like these. While doubtfull, I hope She can recover quick enough to still race. Wouldn't it be something if she came back and won the 500 after this? :)

[Riddlemr2]

@parabulla, looks like you're right. I thought the white trail was fuel, but you can see that the car doesn't catch fire until well after the suspension failure...good call. Also, this is one of the few Youtube posts I've made. Do people always go berserk and post irate random responses all the time? Anyway, glad she is okay and hope somehow she makes the race!

[rollinglotusY2K9]

@infantryofficer Been there my entire life. Worked for ABC/ESPN/contract labor '75 - '03.. Ran media/pits (not as 'volunteer', worked for Dr. Don & Scott E.) in ALMS '01 & '02 while still covering "Mo. of May". Jumped to Pro FA's '04 thru it's demise :-/ No intentions of 'dissing' anyone - thought IMS b'cast had gotten things in synch. Obviously not. Last thing we need is more... bait for the 'haters'. Some of us DO hope, AOW WILL survive. Thx much.

[2005yzfr1]

terrible crash...glad to know she was released from methodist. with burns to her hands i doubt shell be able to qualify. terrible that she was injured, but glad it wasnt anymore serious. wish her a fast recovery.

[juniorgeneric]

@2005yzfr1 Maybe she will go and compete in the V8 Supercars at the Sunshine Coast. There she will meet someone who also was burned earler in the year.

[jenie0]

scary to say the least!!!! But, betting she'll be running on pole day...

[rollinglotusY2K9]

Simona has been airborne, rammed 'er in backwards HARD - then barrel rolled - lost track of how many times - then LANDS on her HEAD/upside down - WHY those in the booth chose to talk about Danica?! And those in top 5?! Earth to 'compassion'/story at hand?! Sickening. Advise - don't LISTEN to the 'commentary' that eventually 'kicks in' on this replay. View it & pray she heals quickly. Talented lady racer. Loved & respected - by - not just the fans - but by 99.9% of the drivers in Indy Car.

[lewickerman]

What a shock. A women crashed while trying to drive.

[2014cwajts71]

@infantryofficer Ah, OK. I'm just used to seeing more sparks. It didn't look like an engine failure to me either. Thanks for the info!

[themapman]

Her car goes flying well before it ever gets to the wall. Typical Indycar shit. FTG

[BackSpaceBandFan]

1:05 was the worst part... upside down! Terrible crash... :( hope she gets well

[BackSpaceBandFan]

1:05 was the worst part... upside down

[halftimesportscards]

This girl is going to rip Danica's ass up on the track. You can take that to the bank.

[gahloot]

@halftimesportscards Good luck!

[parabulla]

You can see in the replay from the camera on the wall, that the left rear suspension was broken and tire was flat before she made any contact. That puff you see at the apex of the corner is the car dragging the ground.

This was not an engine failure.



[UncleDeluxe]

@parabulla Well spotted. I couldn't see that detail in this vid. Looked to me like the car threw a rod.

[goobr549]

@parabulla you are correct sir. 

[2014cwajts71]

@parabulla Doesn't the car dragging the ground cause sparks instead of a white puff or are the cars different this year?

[bobolob]

@parabulla Yea, if it was an engine failure she wouldn't have lost control like that. Well, at least I don't think so.

[twistednormal]

@parabulla you may be right, there wasn't really enough smoke for an engine failure, but the left rear appeared completely normal until it hit the wall, not before!

[twistednormal]

@parabulla actually i think you were right about when it failed, i paused it just before the hit, and it did look broken, sorry!

[juniorgeneric]

@twistednormal And as she goes into a corner you can see a lot of sparks.

[BrookssRobinsonn]

she's had problems with fire in her IICS career, thankfully she's not seriously hurt

[euro944t]

Time to bring V6 TT forced induction.

Champ was better, only red cars win now, no others have chance to win the season

[JoshuaJohnKnight]

@euro944t Mike Conway won i a black car

[euro944t]

@JoshuaJohnKnight

Are you picking a "black car" to win 2011 season ?

[mppy938]

@euro944t Yes. Will power drives a black car.

[mppy938]

@euro944t Last 10 were red? wrong. 2001 - Yellow, 2002 - Yellow, 2004 - Green, 2006 - Orange/White 2007 Orange/Black.. And 4 teams have won titles, not 3.

As for the blackwater stuff...what the fuck does that have to do with Indycar? You should seek help.

[euro944t]

@mppy938

Are you blind, those were red teams

Ganassi

Penske

Ganassi

Ganassi

Ganassi

Andretti Team won the other 3 seasons, who have 6-7 drivers today just to beat two Ganassi cars (RED)

[irlmikey]

Hey dickhead eurofag, The Penske cars are no longer red.

[acuraboy101]

@irlmikey they were never even red, they were white with red stripes actually

[UncleDeluxe]

Thanks for posting. Hope she's OK, she's the best rookie in quite some time. Get well soon, Simona!

[XLValenciaXL]

@UncleDeluxe She was just released from methodist hospital with 2nd degree burns on her arm. She will need treatment for that. Might leave some scarring when it heals but looks like she will race another day.

[UncleDeluxe]

@XLValenciaXL Thanks for the update. I was hoping to see her in the 500 this year, but I doubt she'll make Bump Day with 2nd degree burns.

[XLValenciaXL]

@UncleDeluxe I race stock cars at local tracks. 2 years ago i had a crash on the 2nd lap of a race and ended up getting Minor 2nd degree friction burns on my arm. when i spun and hit the wall my left arm flew out the window and scraped along the wall which caused the burns. I was given an estimate of 3 weeks of recovery but i was back racing the next saturday night. With a little help from a friend called vicodin. ; ) I'm not sure simona's burns were minor or major 2nd degree she could be back.

[absinthedude]

@UncleDeluxe She is hoping to be cleared for practise TODAY (less than 24 hours after the crash)

[Pomah87]

Did they confirm the engine blew? It certainly looks like ith blows and fluid gets to the rears. One of the worst places for it to happen. Glad to see she's not seriously injured.

[Riddlemr2]

Hope Honda stops bragging about their engines never failing during an Indy 500 (yes it was qualifying, but still).

[UncleDeluxe]

@Riddlemr2 Exactly why we need a return to multiple constructors. I'd love to find out how much time was on that engine.

[sjaderlund]

@Riddlemr2 oops, hope you don't pick stocks like you guessed on the blown engine

[OneStarOneLife]

Thank you so much for posting this video!! Get well soon Simona!

[originalbramdanbob]

Nasty one