After an accident at the British Grand Prix, Alfa Romeo driver Guanyu Zhou tweeted that the hello cockpit safety device on his car saved his life.
Hello Formula One cars became mandatory in 2018 after FIA research to better protect the driver’s head in open-cockpit racing. Although the concept is relatively simple, located with a titanium hoop on the driver’s helmet, it has proven to be remarkably effective and has saved the driver from serious injury and in some cases has died on several occasions since its introduction.
Still, the game’s governing body, the FIA, is always looking for ways to improve security, and Zucha’s first-lap crash at Silverstone is no different. As with all serious accidents, the FIA will conduct a thorough investigation to determine how to improve safety in future races.
While the FIA has not yet indicated what the investigation will focus on or when it will be completed, there are two clear areas of concern following Sunday’s crash.
When Zhou’s car came to rest, it was the first place. After reversing contact with George Russell, Alfa Romeo retreated from Tarmac’s run-off area and dug further, turning the barrel over the tire barrier. In the latter part of the accident, the car appeared to have collided with an obstacle that absorbed the impact created in the catch-fencing and beyond.
The catch-fencing did a remarkable job of preventing the car from flying near the marshal post, the photographer and the grandstand, but as soon as Zhou stopped the car, it went into a tight ravine behind the tire barrier. Trapped in a tire barrier and holding on to the fence has made it more complicated for emergency workers to pull Zhou out of the pile, which was another concern if the Chinese driver was seriously injured in the accident or the car caught fire.
Russell, who got out of his car in a crowded place and ran to check on Zhou, said the game needed to learn a lesson about crash barriers and how to fence off Sunday’s crash.
“It was horrible, he was stuck in that position, (there) he couldn’t do anything,” Russell said. “We have to be careful not to get stuck in such a long distance.
“The space between the barrier and the metal fence and he was stuck there, not wanting to go anywhere. Yes, there is something to learn. “
Lack of roll hoop after car stop was another major concern. The roll hoop, which sits on the back of the cockpit, is mandatory for all F1 cars and the car must withstand 60kN lateral, 70kN longitudinal and 105kN vertical forces to pass the crash tests required to go racing. Theoretically, the roll hoop is designed in such a way that when the car overturns, there is enough space to protect the driver’s head from any impact.
In Zhou’s accident, however, it appears that the car’s roll hoop was torn when it slipped through the running area, meaning that the only thing protecting Zhou’s head was the hello. In such a situation, the FIA’s investigation will focus on whether changes can be made to strengthen the roll hoop, as if the car had stopped upside down, Zhou would have been trapped inside.
Zhou and Alex Albon, who were involved in one of their own horrific accidents before the order, survived their accident without major injuries, evidence of the FIA’s investigation and learning process of every major incident in F1. Just as the accident introduced Hello, so the lesson learned from Zhou’s accident at Silverstone will save a life in the future.