In Formula One, safety gears play a vital role because they keep the drivers alive when they are involved in high-speed accidents The fastest motorsport on earth, Formula One is a dangerous sport. Since its inception, several drivers have lost their lives while trying to win the world championship. In 2019 at the Belgium Grand Prix, Formula Two racer Anthoine Hubert from France lost his life after meeting an accident. Before Hubert, we lost Jules Bianchi in 2015 and the great Ayrton Senna passed away in 1994 after meeting horrible crashes. Keeping these accidents in mind, the Formula One community has spent millions on safety gears that can endure high-speed crashes. These safety gears protect the racers from injuries and deaths as we recently watched Romain Grosjean walking away safely from a horrific crash at the Bahrain Grand Prix. Therefore, it can be said that safety gears are the most vital part or aspect of Formula One, and for this reason, we’ve drafted this article about the safety gears used by racers in Formula One. Helmets- To protect the skull and face of the racers, Formula One drivers were helmets which are made by famous safety gear manufacturers such as Bell, Shoei and Arai to mention a few. There are several layers inside the helmets and they are tested under various kinds of condition. Usually, the weight of the helmet is around 1.2kg which enables the racers to move their head easily while racing. The helmet is also designed to endure extreme heat in case the car is engulfed in the fire during an accident. The visor of the helmet can withstand 800 degrees Celsius, while the helmet handles a maximum temperature of 70 degrees Celsius. HANS- Made of carbon fibre, the Head and Neck Support (HANS) safeguards the vertebrae of the racers. It also prevents the head of the drivers from getting banged to the steering wheel during an accident. Coupled with elastic straps, the HANS is worn around the neck and is fixed to the seatbelt in the cockpit. Suit- The suits used by the F1 drivers are multi-layered suits that protects them from getting burnt during the accidents. The suit comprises Nomex, which is a special fibre that can withstand a temperature of 700-800 degrees Celsius for around 10 seconds. The shoulders of the suits are strapped to the seat so that the emergency crew can pull the driver along with the seat to prevent the aggravation of the injuries.
