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Renault
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15 pts
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This delay caused the fragile Renault to catch fire in the side pods where the exhausts exit the car. Heidfeld left the pits, dropping pieces of burning carbon fiber as he went. He exiting the pits and immediately pulled over and left the car in a hurry as the flames, no longer suppressed by forward motion of the car, licked around the cockpit of the Renault.
The fire quickly engulfed the side of the car and as the marshals dowsed the flames a small explosion tore the side out of the car sending debris over the track and hitting a marshal in the leg (who was OK). The explosion was most likely caused by the defragmentation of the Nitrogen cylinder which is used to provide pneumatic pressure that keeps the valves pressed open against the cam in the engine (http://scarbsf1.wordpress.com/).
Normally this cylinder is stored with the driver to keep it away from the engine but no regulation exists to ensure that must be the case.
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25 |
France
