Formula 1
drivers are often seen as modern day knights. When the leading principals of
Formula 1 prepare themselves for a grand prix, they do indeed put on a type
of armour – a special sort of safety package. Similar equipment is also used
by motorcycle riders for protection.
There was a time when Formula 1 drivers, whilst racing at the Nürburgring,
would race in normal street clothing. There were also some bizarre and
noteworthy quirks, for example: Mike Hawthorn, World Champion in 1958,
insisted on wearing a bow tie while driving. Such fashionable accessories
have long since been banished from F1 sport. Today, the FIA decides what a
driver can or cannot wear when racing. Thus during the Allianz Grand Prix of
Europe 2003 at the Nürburgring, a driver’s body must be covered from head to
toe with protective material.
Back in Hawthorn’s days, crash helmets were already being used – in 1953
they were made obligatory in F1. As with everything in motor sport, the
development of a state-of-the-art racing helmet is subject to five test
criteria: it must be as rigid, solid, aerodynamic, light and as safe as
possible. The helmet consists mainly of three materials: carbon fibre for
stiffness, Aramide (the fire-resistant Kevlar substance) and polyethylene
which should render the helmet shell impenetrable. Weighing in at roughly
1.3 kilograms, the weight must be kept at a minimum, in order to ensure that
the driver is subjected to lower centrifugal forces. “As with the overall
safety package, helmet development will never stop,” says Brian O’Rourke,
head of the composite materials department at WilliamsF1, “drivers want
helmets that are safe, lightweight and comfortable. Apart from that, the
helmet should also match the car’s aerodynamic system.” |
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TBefore being
used in Formula 1 racing, a helmet is subjected to comprehensive tests which
simulate real scenarios. During the so-called ‘penetration test’ a three
kilogram, pointed metal object is dropped from a height of three metres onto
the helmet and the helmet shell must not be penetrated. An additional test
checks the helmet seating. Here, a weight of five kilograms, which is placed
on a dummy head, is fitted to the helmet and dropped from a height of 60
centimetres at the front and rear. The impact must not rip the helmet off
the dummy head. Furthermore, the elasticity is tested on the chinstrap. The
strap must not stretch by more than 30 millimetres when a weight of 38
kilograms is applied to it.
A visor test is also prescribed; here, the visor has projectiles shot at it
at roughly 500 kilometres per hour and the impact impression must not be
deeper than 2.5 millimetres. Finally, the helmet is subjected to a fire
test. The shell, chinstrap and visor are subjected for 45 seconds to an 800
degree Celsius flame. The helmet may catch fire – but once the applied flame
has been shut off the fire must go out again on its own. The temperature in
the helmet interior must not exceed 70 degrees Celsius.
Overalls are also geared completely towards fire protection fire. At the
start of the 1979 season, Grand Prix stars Lauda, Andretti and Reutemann
were suited for the first time with race overalls, which consisted of five
layers of fire-resistant material, as used by NASA. Nowadays, overalls – as
wells as the drivers’ underwear – are made from two to four-layered Nomex
material, having flexible arm and leg cuffs as well as a raised collar.
Nomex is a synthetic fibre, which undergoes heat testing in the laboratory,
where a 300 to 400 degrees Celsius flame acts on the material from a
distance of three centimetres. Only if the material does not catch fire for
a period of at least 10 seconds, is the material deemed to be suitable for
race overalls. The finished, multi-layered overalls are also subjected to 15
washes along with 15 additional chemical cleaning processes and then tested
again. Following this they are subjected to a temperature of 600 to 800
degrees Celsius. The critical value of 41 degrees Celsius must not be
exceeded in the overalls until 11 seconds have elapsed.
Gloves are also made of two-layered Nomex material, with the inner surfaces
being reinforced with leather, in order to ensure maximum grip. The
‘knight’s armour’ is rounded off with ankle-length shoes made of soft,
padded leather and Nomex material. They have an excellent gripping sole,
made of thin rubber, to prevent the driver’s feet from slipping off the
pedals.
As in Formula 1, protective clothing and a helmet are part of a
motorcyclist’s essential standard equipment. “Also, the decisive factor here
is fit. While being simultaneously comfortable, only a helmet that fits
properly offers protection. The helmet must not be too tight or too wide.
When the chin strap is fastened it must not be possible to take off the
helmet,” says Dr. Christoph Lauterwasser from the Allianz Center for
Technology in Munich. Excellent vision coupled with visibility is also
important – bright helmet colours help to ensure that one is better seen by
other drivers. Excellent vision guarantees a better view of things on the
road. The visor should be scratch-resistant on the outside and have an
antifog coating – if the visor should be scratched, then it should be
replaced.
So-called ‘mini crashes’ (like putting the helmet heedlessly down on the
saddle) should be avoided. Invisible hairline cracks in the shell could
result from this. Assuming the helmet is well-looked after, one shouldn’t
have to replace a helmet until after five to eight years for duroplastic
helmets (e.g. fibre glass reinforced polyester resin) or three to four years
for thermoplastic helmets (i.e. polycarbonate). Helmets should only be
cleaned with water and a light cleanser, never with gasoline or solvents,
because these can attack the outer shell.
Standard equipment should also include motorcyclist trousers and jackets
made of leather. They must have a good fitting, because being comfortable
contributes directly to safety. The clothing should also have a reflective
effect. For effective protection and for enhanced wearing comfort, it is
important that protective cushions – or protectors – at exposed points such
as the knees, hips, elbows and shoulders are properly seated.
Motorcycle boots should be selected to meet the intended purpose. Footwear
is deemed to be motorcycle compatible, if it is both stable and high enough
in the heel, toe and ankle areas. The best material is at least two
millimetre thick leather. When choosing gloves, leather is the only material
that comes into question. Gloves must be tear and wear-resistant. |
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