Thursday, 13 March 2014
Saturday, 23 November 2013
Safety in Formula 1: Cockpit Safety (Part Four)
 |
| Michael Schumacher being strapped into the cockpit. Source: googleimages. |
Safety in Formula 1 or any form of motorsport is of
paramount importance, and therefore my next blog will focus on ‘Cockpit Safety’. As per my previous blog
about Safety in Formula 1 ‘HANS device’
this blog will now focus on the actual safety within an F1 cockpit. At the
centre of the modern Formula 1 car is the 'monocoque' which incorporates the
driver's survival cell and cockpit, and also forms the principal component of
the car's chassis, with engine and front suspension mounted directly to it. Its
roles as structural component and safety device both require it to be as strong
as possible. According to Formula 1.com, “Like the rest of the car, most of the
monocoque is constructed from carbon fibre - up to 60 layers of it in places -
with high-density woven laminate panels covering a strong, light honeycomb
structure inside.”
The survival cell is surrounded by crash-protection
structures which absorb energy in the event of an accident and features a
roll-over hoop behind the driver’s head, made of metal or composite materials.
The survival cell’s sides are protected by a 6mm layer of carbon and Zylon, a
material used to make bullet-proof vests, to prevent objects such as carbon
fibre splinters entering the cockpit. For safety reasons, no fuel, oil or water
lines may pass through the cockpit and/or survival cell and the driver must be
able to get out within five seconds without having to remove anything except
seatbelts and steering wheel (which he must be able to refit within another
five seconds).
 |
| Robert Kubica's 2007 crash at the Canadian Grand Prix. Source: googleimages |
According to FIA regulations, “The width of the
cockpit must be 50 centimetres at the steering wheel and 30 centimetres at the
pedals. The temperature inside the cockpit averages 50 degrees Celsius. The
dimensions of the cockpit opening have grown over the years. Currently it must
be 850mm long, at least 350mm wide at the pedals and 450mm wide at the steering
wheel, with the rear half wider still at 520mm. The rear 375mm of the cockpit’s
side walls must rise upwards at an angle of at least 16 degrees (to reduce the
risk of injury in the event of one car flying over the top of another) and the
edge of the cockpit must be enclosed in an energy-absorbing material with a
thickness of at least 100mm.”
Did
you know … that
during his high-speed crash at the Canadian Grand Prix in 2007, Robert Kubica
was subjected to more than 28 times the acceleration of gravity? This meant
that his body effectively weighed two tons instead of 73 kilograms. Millions of
spectators expected the worst, but thanks to the strict safety precautions in
Formula One racing Kubica suffered only minor bruises.
Cockpit Safety has improved hugely over the years,
and thanks to these vast improvements Formula 1 has now become a much safer
form of motorsport. Let’s now take a look at the driver’s seat and the
compulsory equipment required within the cockpit of a modern Formula 1 racing
car. The driver’s seat is a single plastic cast, tailored to provide optimal
support. The 1999 rules have stipulated that the drivers’ seat may not be
installed as a fixed part of the car. Instead it must be possible to remove the
driver and seat as one after an accident, thus reducing the risk of spinal
damage.
 |
| The compulsory six point Formula 1 safety belts. Source: googleimages |
All Formula 1 cars are now required to be equipped
with a fire extinguisher system. This automatically spreads foam around the
chassis and engine area in the event of fire and can also be operated manually
by either the driver or marshals.
According to Formula 1, “An accident data recorder is also compulsory. Linked to a medical warning system, it registers important information such as speed and deceleration to tell medics how severe the impact was. In addition, there is a cockpit display with red, blue and yellow lights which informs the driver about any warning flags being waved around the circuit.” An example of this would be the huge (25G) impact Fernando Alonso faced when he had hit a kerb in the 2013 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, in where the medical warning system was triggered and Alonso was then required to report to the medical centre.
According to Formula 1, “An accident data recorder is also compulsory. Linked to a medical warning system, it registers important information such as speed and deceleration to tell medics how severe the impact was. In addition, there is a cockpit display with red, blue and yellow lights which informs the driver about any warning flags being waved around the circuit.” An example of this would be the huge (25G) impact Fernando Alonso faced when he had hit a kerb in the 2013 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, in where the medical warning system was triggered and Alonso was then required to report to the medical centre.
These safety mechanisms were all put in place in
order to ensure that the Formula 1 drivers are safe in all situations. I hope
you have enjoyed this blog! Feel free to leave a comment.
Source: Formula 1.com
FIA
Regulations (2005)
Saturday, 16 November 2013
Safety in Formula 1: HANS (Part Three)
 |
| Edited by: Junaid Samodien Source: Google Images |
Safety in
Formula 1 or any form of motorsport for that matter is important and this week’s
blog will take a look at the HANS device – the Head and Neck Support system.
The HANS device is a safety mechanism made compulsory in many forms of
motorsport. The device prevents the probability of head and/or neck injuries in
an event of a crash. A major cause of death amongst drivers during races were
through violent head movements, where the body remains in place as a result of
the seat belts but the momentum keeps the head moving
forwards, causing a Basilar skull
fracture resulting in serious
injury or immediate death.
Notable race
car drivers who died from Basilar skull fractures include:
·
Formula 1
drivers: Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna in
the 1994 San Marino Formula 1
Grand Prix.
·
Indy 500 drivers: Scott
Brayton, Bill
Vukovich and Tony
Bettenhausen.
·
NASCAR drivers: Adam
Petty, Tony Roper, Kenny
Irwin, Jr., Terry
Schoonover, Grant
Adcox, Neil
Bonnett, John
Nemechek, Dale
Earnhardt, J.
D. McDuffie and Clifford
Allison.
 |
| Edited by Junaid Samodien Source: Google Images |
According to
Formula1.com, “The original HANS device went on sale in 1990,
but its large collar was unsuited to single-seater series with narrow, tight
cockpits. However, after Mika Hakkinen's massive accident in Adelaide,
Australia in 1995 (in which he fractured his skull) the FIA instituted research
to establish the best way of protecting Formula 1 drivers' heads in major
impacts. Airbag and 'active' safety systems were briefly considered, before the
focus shifted to development of a HANS system suitable for F1 racing.”
Nico Rosberg discusses the HANS device
Source: Youtube.com
Did you know …that in tests HANS was shown to reduce
typical head motion in an accident by 44 percent, the force applied to the neck
by 86 percent and the acceleration applied to the head by 68 percent - bringing
the figures for even large impacts under the 'injury threshold'?
Formula 1 mandated
the HANS device in 2003 after extensive testing and sharing the results with
the FIA, the Head and Neck Support (HANS) system consists of a carbon fibre
shoulder collar (U-shape) which is secured under the driver’s safety belts and
connected to his helmet by two elastic straps. In the event of an accident,
HANS is intended to prevent stretching of the vertebrae and to prevent the driver’s
head from hitting the steering wheel. The FIA has made HANS device compulsory for all International-level
events from the beginning of 2009.
I hope you
enjoyed the read! Please feel free to leave a comment.
(Source:
Formula1.com)
Wednesday, 13 November 2013
Pirelli - Austin 3d Track experience
http://www.youtube.com/v/y5X7JjenlvE?version=3&autohide=1&autohide=1&showinfo=1&feature=share&autoplay=1&attribution_tag=l5l4IL8UeQe4JHrTQ8YNig
Saturday, 2 November 2013
Safety in Formula 1: Helmets (Part Two)
Safety in Formula
1 or any form of motorsport is very important, and therefore my next blog will
be based on ‘Helmets’. As per my
previous blog about Safety in Formula 1 ‘Clothing’
this blog will now focus on the crash/racing helmet. I most certainly believe
that the racing/crash helmets also play a pivotal role in the safety of racing.
Crash helmets have been made compulsory in Formula 1 racing since 1953, but
like F1 the cars, their design and construction have evolved enormously since
the beginning of this form of motorsport. For racing drivers, head and neck
trauma remains the greatest single injury risk in any form of motorsport, hence
the introduction of helmets and the Head and Neck Support (HANS) system.
Source: Youtube.com
According to Formula1.com, “…modern F1 helmets must be supremely light - around 1250 grams is the norm - and strong. The lighter the helmet, the less weight it adds to the driver’s head under the extreme G-forces experienced in accelerating/braking/cornering, hence the smaller the risk of whiplash-type injuries. And the stronger the helmet, the greater its ability to absorb impacts and resist penetration during a crash.”
The visor is constructed from a special clear polycarbonate, combining impact protection with flame resistance and exceptional visibility. According to Formula1.com, “Most drivers use tinted visors, the insides of which are coated with anti-fogging chemicals to prevent them misting up, particularly in wet conditions.” Several transparent tear-off strips are attached to the outside of the visor, which drivers may tear off if need be to clear there line of vision or dirt that may accumulate during the race.
Did you know…that despite the cutting edge materials used in
their construction, Formula One helmet liveries are still painted by hand? It’s
an incredibly skilled job requiring hundreds of hours of work for more
complicated patterns and designs.
 |
| Source: Google Images. |
Last but not least the F1 helmets undergo wind-tunnel testing to help achieve a design that minimises the drag produced when the driver is travelling at speed. I hope that you have enjoyed the read!
Thursday, 31 October 2013
Redbull Racing RB7 in Cape Town
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| The Stunning RedBull Racing RB7 being prepared in the Garage at Killarney, Cape Town. Photograph by: Junaid Samodien |
Engineers put on the engine cover and wheels.
Neel Jani strapped into the RedBull Racing RB7 and ready to come out onto the circuit.
Neel Jani streching the legs of the stunning Redbull Racing RB7 on circuit.
These brief clips were filmed by me at Killarney Racetrack in Cape Town, South Africa.
Sunday, 27 October 2013
Saturday, 26 October 2013
Safety in Formula 1: Clothing (Part One)
Source: Formula1.com
From the end of time safety
has always been a factor in Formula 1, and since the death of Ayrton Senna in
1994, there has been no other fatalities due to the introduction of a variety
of safety measures and precautions such as:
Helmets, HANS, Clothing, Cockpit safety and crash testing. I’ve decided
to draw up a series of Articles, where these Safety Measures can be discussed
in detail.
 |
| The Helmet and HANS safety gear. source: www.googleimages.com |
Clothing in the world of Formula 1 is often
disregarded when considering the enormous collection of other high tech safety
equipment. Hence me starting my series with a segment about “Clothing”. The
Formula 1 safety clothing also has a primary purpose; to protect the driver in
case of serious fire. Since 1975
the Fédération Internationale de
l'Automobile (FIA) has required that driver clothing be flame
retardant so as to offer protection in the event of a fire. Now-a-days the key
material used for Formula 1 and other racing suits is Nomex - a fire-resistant,
lightweight artificial fibre. It is subjected to an open flame with a
temperature of 300 to 400 degrees Celsius that acts on the material from a
distance of three centimetres - only if it fails to ignite within 10 seconds
can it be used in a driver’s overalls.
 |
| The fireproof balaclava used in Formula 1 Source: www.googleimages.com |
Fires
have become less of a problem for Formula 1 in recent years but this has not
led to a disregarding of safety clothing. The clothing that is used in Formula
1 today is made from fire-proof materials that are so efficient they can
protect a driver as his car burns around him. The items of clothing include
overalls, gloves, boots and balaclavas in an attempt to shield every part of
the driver's body in the event of a fire. It’s
not just the driver that has to wear the levels of safety clothing. Pit crews
must wear equal amounts of safety gear as the pit lane is the most dangerous
place on a Formula 1 racing track.
According to Formula 1.com – “The zip on the suit must also be able to withstand the same temperatures and must not melt or transfer heat close to the driver's skin. Even the thread used to sew it together must be fire resistant, as must any patches, although the majority of sponsor logos are now printed on - a change that has helped cut the weight of overalls by over half a kilo in the past few years. But not only are modern race suits light, they’re also breathable to in order to allow the several kilos of sweat produced by the driver during a race to escape.” The racing suits should also have two large ‘handles’ on the driver’s shoulders. These straps should be capable of supporting the combined weight of the driver and his seat, which in the event of an accident can be removed from the car by marshals ‘as one’, in order to minimise the risk of complicating injuries.
According to Formula 1.com – “The zip on the suit must also be able to withstand the same temperatures and must not melt or transfer heat close to the driver's skin. Even the thread used to sew it together must be fire resistant, as must any patches, although the majority of sponsor logos are now printed on - a change that has helped cut the weight of overalls by over half a kilo in the past few years. But not only are modern race suits light, they’re also breathable to in order to allow the several kilos of sweat produced by the driver during a race to escape.” The racing suits should also have two large ‘handles’ on the driver’s shoulders. These straps should be capable of supporting the combined weight of the driver and his seat, which in the event of an accident can be removed from the car by marshals ‘as one’, in order to minimise the risk of complicating injuries.
 |
| Source: www.googleimages.com |
Underneath his race suit the driver wears a further
layer of flameproof underwear, and under his helmet a fireproof balaclava. Gloves
may appear as an insignificant piece to Formula 1 safety clothing but are disputably
the most important of all. According to Formula 1.com – “They must be made as
thin as possible to ensure the driver can maintain his connection to the car
whilst also remaining fire-proof enough to protect. The same can be said for
Formula 1 boots as the soles of these are made extremely thin so the driver has
the closest contact with the pedals of the car.”
There
is no doubt that the safety clothing has made Formula 1 far safer, looking back
to the fifties when drivers wore cloth overalls, goggles and leather driving
caps the advance in technology is almost unbelievable. In one of the most
dangerous sports in the world it is reassuring to know that so many designers
are producing items of clothing with the driver's safety as their primary
concern.
Sunday, 6 October 2013
RUSH - Review
Release Date: 04 October 2013 (South Africa)
Running Time:
202 minutes
Genre:
Action/Drama
Cast: Chris
Hemsworth, Alexandra Maria Lara, Daniel Brühl and Olivia Wilde
Directed by: Ron Howard
Rating: 9.5/10
When first hearing about the making of Rush, I was a bit sceptical about how
the story and plot will be put together, but after seeing it I have to say that
Ron Howard has captured the essence of Formula 1 and the strong history between
Niki Lauda and James Hunt.
Rush
is
a return to form for Ron Howard after his successful movies Apollo 13, How the
Grinch stole Christmas and Cocoon. Similar any great sports movie, Rush breaks
the boundaries of its genre. Where most racing films leave it all on the
track, Rush smartly makes the story about the drivers behind
the wheels and there alive surrounding the sport.
Rush is based on the true story of Formula One
racing rivals James Hunt played by Chris Hemsworth and Niki Lauda played by
Daniel Brühl. Rivals since their early days in Formula Three, the story centers
around their battle for the 1976 World Championship.
Based on
the real-life rivalry between Hunt and Lauda is indeed a gripping one. Lauda buys
a seat in Formula 1 and through his superior knowledge of mechanics he is able
to make any car run faster than any other team could, but then makes the jump
to the top-level Formula One first.
Lauda is
able to drive any car faster than anyone else on the circuit, except perhaps
Hunt. Hunt is an equally talented driver on the track, but is a much bigger
risk taker. Lauda’s talent is seen quickly and very early in his career and he
signs a prestigious deal with Ferrari. Hunt struggles to sign on with a team
due to his high risk state and his partying reputation, though he finally gets
a drive after a team (McLaren) decides to take a chance on him.
Rush is a very gripping story in
the way that it portrays the two drivers.
Where it
would be the obvious choice for Hemsworth’s to play the charismatic James Hunt
as the hero and Brühl as the unlikable Niki Lauda as the villain. Audiences
will find themselves cheering for both drivers at different points in the film.
The
acting, particularly from the two leads, is fantastic. Hemsworth is very
convincing as portraying the high-spirited British driver. Brühl is able to
match his performances and is a far more reserved one. Olivia Wilde is great in
her brief time on screen as supermodel Suzy Mille.
The music
used is really effective. This was necessary as the story that revolves around
the 1976 Formula 1 season. Overall, Rush is
a brilliantly put together movie and a definite must WATCH!!!!!
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