As he prepares to return to the track for the first time since the fatal end to last year’s IndyCar championship, Will Power says there’s still safety issues in the American motorsport category.
Power was left with an injured back following the fiery wreck which took the life of Indy 500 champion Dan Wheldon in last year’s season finale in Las Vegas and he admitted in the weeks after the tragedy he contemplated his driving future.
But the Australian says mentally he’s ready to go in this weekend’s 2012 season opener in St Petersburg, Florida although he concedes there’s a long way to go to improve Indy’s safety record.
“You think about life a little bit after what happened in Vegas,” Power told AAP.
“There’s been so much pre-season testing this year, you sort of move on, start focusing on the new season ahead and understanding the new car that we have.
“There are some safer things about the new car. The fact you have more foam around you, if you’re going backwards, there’s no question it’s not going to be as hard a hit.
“When you get out there in the car, you’re going to race how you race. I’m not sure it’ll change you in any way.
“As a group of drivers in IndyCar, we’re pushing harder than ever to make it safer and it kind of disappoints you sometimes how hard you have to push to change something.
“When you look at our track record of deaths and injuries, it’s atrocious.”
Power says IndyCar officials need to be smarter in which circuits they choose after the field expressed concerns about the Las Vegas circuit before the race which claimed Wheldon’s life.
He also believes the fencing which prevents cars flying into stands needs to be looked at.
“That’s a long-term goal but it’s a bloody important one,” he said.
“They need to do a study and they need to understand how they can stop the cars getting ripped apart from the fencing when they fly.”
In the aftermath of Wheldon’s death the fact Power had again finished second in the championship race became irrelevant but the Toowoomba product is still aiming to make this year his year.
“It’s bloody frustrating not to have got it last year considering we won six races, more than anyone, which is a lot in a season in Indycar,” he said.
“To get eight poles and still not win the championship is unbelievable.”
The 2012 IndyCar championship begins on Sunday from 12.30pm (0330 Monday AEDT) with the Grand Prix of St Petersburg.
AAP ej/djw