25 Oct 2011

Indycar drivers and officials meet to discuss making series safer

1:43 pm on 25 October 2011

IndyCar drivers and officials have met to discuss ways of making the series safer, eight days after English driver Dan Wheldon died in a 15-car crash in Las Vegas.

The four time Indy car champion Dario Franchitti says blaming individuals won't do any good and the way officials and drivers react is critical.

Franchitti, who was a pallbearer at Wheldon's funeral, says he and other drivers are determined to try to make positive changes in the wake of the tragedy but acknowledge risk will always be part of the sport.

Those who attended the meeting declined to get into specifics of what was discussed, but Franchitti called the talks productive.

The discussion was expected to cover everything from tracks used by the series to new catch fences to putting canopies over the drivers' open cockpits.

Indycar does have time to consider potential changes because it won't race again for six months.