Rod Torque: Senna, the steering shaft and Newey’s book

In future I will be summarising grand prix results and doing some ‘Rod Torque’ on racing or other motoring matters.

This week I want to talk about Adrian Newey’s new book ‘How to Build a Car’ which should really read ‘A Racing Car’.

ALSO READ : Track Torque: Hamilton untouchable in France

This time I will confine myself to comments by Newey on Ayrton Senna’s accident in 1994 which resulted in his death.

The book explains in detail how Senna had demanded a modification to the steering shaft, including a second universal joint, which allowed Senna a better view over the steering wheel.

Tragically, the steering shaft sheared off at Tamburello corner as a result, probably, of hitting some wreckage from a previous accident.

Everyone could see the car bottom as this happened with sparks flying everywhere, but obviously no further steering control.

The poor driver careered on into the barrier, a wishbone was torn off the right front wheel and penetrated Senna’s helmet – a most devastating and unusual event that should take his life – losing one of the greatest drivers of all time.

These facts have only recently been exposed for the first time in detail, some 25 years after his death, because of the extreme Italian laws. At a future date I will give you more info from this fantastic book.

* Max Verstappen won the Austrian Grand Prix, giving evidence of his exciting talent as he raced through the field after a slow start pushed him back.

He drove a very cool and calculating race, looking after his tyres and pitting late for his tyre stop.

This allowed him an advantage in that he was on pressure rubber more than most others for the latter part of the race.

He drove relentlessly, breaking lap record after lap record in the process taking the lead just two laps from the end of the race.

The overtaking manoeuvre was controversial, however as Charles Le Clerc, who had been in the lead, had to take avoiding action and briefly ran off the track as he had nowhere to go.

The stewards deliberated for three hours before finally giving the win to Verstappen after described it as a racing incident.

This meant that with Valterri Bottas third in his Mercedes there were three different cars on the podium, a very good result after the processions of late.

Behind Bottas was Sebastian Vettel, who was also on a late charge after having started 12th on the grid, while Lewis Hamilton had only a mediocre race in his Mercedes into fifth spot.

Next up is the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on July 14.

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