Not many of you know this, but in recent years – 3 seasons back, to be more precise – Brazilian stock car driver Rafael Sperafico lost his life during an accident which occurred in the last left-hander before the start/finish line. He died not because of the impact with the tire barriers at high speed, but because his car rebound on the track and was hit by another racer.
Three years after the tragedy (we don't know why they had to wait that long, if you ask us), the Brazilian organizers proceeded to changing the structure of the tire wall and replace it with 'softwall'. This is a combination of foam mounted behind hollow metal barriers which absorbs the impact and prevents the car from being pushed back onto the track.
“It's a barrier that absorbs the impact,” confirmed circuit engineer Luis Ernesto Morales. "It is a dangerous point of the circuit, with the wall very close,” he added.
This safety-related change will however not affect in any way the course of the Interlagos circuit, so the F1 drivers can rest assured. The Brazilian Grand Prix, to count for the penultimate round of the 2010 Formula One championship, is due to kick off next Friday, with the first two practice sessions of the event.
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