http://www.autoblog.com/2011/07/17/fia-tests-fighter-jet-canopy-for-use-in-formula-1/#continued F1 cars keep getting safer every year. Their carbon-fiber tubs have been strengthened to the point that they're nearly indestructible. Helmets and the HANS neck supports they're attached keep improving. Despite all this, there's still one principal weak point inherent to the design of a grand prix racer: the open cockpit. If you've ever sat back and wondered why F1 cars stick with open-cockpit designs when drivers are injured or narrowly escape injury by airborne cars (or parts thereof) striking their helmets, you're not alone. The FIA Institute is testing designs to potentially outfit future F1 racers with closed cockpits. The question is, what kind? Many Le Mans prototypes (like the Audi R18 and Peugeot 908) use curved polycarbonate windshields, but in its research, the FIA Institute also looked to fighter jets for their canopy designs. Follow the jump to see what they discovered. ----- It is sad the deaths caused recently by tires bouncing around but... what happens when the car is on fire and smoke fills up the cockpit and the emergency latch refuses to come off... There will always be an element of danger in motorsport. If the idea is to eliminate all forms of danger... simply play a video game... 3000000 racers on a Play Station and the spectators can watch the game streamed live....
Why? I can see F1 with close cockpits and enclosed wheels as well. Why keep anachronisms like open wheels and open cockpits?
Adrian Newey designed this car for Gran Turismo 5. I think a closed cockpit could be great and open up a bunch of new design possibilities. They can improve side visibility because the side walls won't have to be as tall. Also, maybe they can make it like Le Mans racing and let manufacturers decided between open and closed cockpit designs. That will make for an interesting mix of designs in the field. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Then we have a sportscar, like they race at Le Mans. The sport was too safe with the changes made after Aryton's death, enough is enough. Aryton would be not at all happy with these changes. Soon they will remotely control the cars ... Pete
I too hope the open cockpit will stay, but I won't be surprised we'll see closed cockpit soon enough.
As long as the cockpit canopy is transparent so that we can see the drivers then why not? Just because it's different doesn't mean it's bad. Constant change is what F1 is all about. And they wouldn't be sportscars as long as they retain central single seat configuration.
I'd hate to see F1 go closed cockpit; I'd hate it even more if F1 enclosed the wheels. It just wouldn't be F1 anymore. It'd be Group C. Group C was awesome, but it wasn't F1. I'd loved Group C comeback, but only inaddition to F1, not as F1. Mark
Despite the fact that I think Alan McNish would be dead had he not been in a closed car at Le Mans (which was serendipity and brought about not by safety regs but by aerodynamics) I'd really hate to see the loss of the open cockpit too. I remember being at a drivers meet for a simple DE day at VIR. The guy said "look, what we are doing here is dangerous, there is no way around it. BUT THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE ARE HERE." It actually hadn't occurred to me until then, but that is exactly right. The risk is part of the thrill. If you take away all the risk, you are taking away one of the reasons for doing it. And you simply never know. Look at Kubica. Survives that horrible crash in Montreal, only to be involved in a freak accident. I hate to think of anyone getting hurt, but F1 is safe enough.
Agreed... no need for real cars, real drivers or real mechanics. Let us just run a computer simulated program with Bernie E. tweaking the program to get desired end results.
I know what you mean, and I to a degree have to support the point you want to get across, I don't want to see F1 become a sportscar race with moving wings and turbocharged taxi engines, but I think from what I have seen and read about Ayrton would have wanted safety to always be the most important thing. He was very vocal about removing barriers that blocked off possible escape roads and such, especially a car flipping helmet first onto them. He was also very vocal about always racing, always trying for a gap - but my guess is if Ayrton saw the Kubica crash in Monreal, he would be happy safety has improved to that level.
I'm glad to see that most fans here don't like the idea. That means probably most people think this way and hopefully the FIA won't do it. At least until there is another serious head injury in a F1 car...
I quite like that F1 is open-wheel, as you can see the tyres degrading or locking up, etc... However, I can't say that I particularly would mind if we lost open cockpits. A fighter jet-style cockpit that was transparent and still allowed the crowd full view of the driver would suit me just fine. You might also be able to lower the side sills of the car to enable a better view of the driver's hands and shoulders for all the really cool slow-motion replays. It would probably also smooth out the aerodynamics of the cars. I wonder if that might make them less susceptible to disruption in the wake of another car, and so enable more overtaking without all the KERS boost and moveable wing gimmicks? All the best, Andrew.
Doubtful this would have saved Gilles: His entire seat and the seatbelt holding bolts were ripped out at impact. I'm pretty sure his neck already broke at first impact irrespective of his subsequent ejection. Some stuff is not survivable no matter what.
+1 And the big deal is their "sticky-out-wheels" - Needs a whole different level of respect than "sports cars"...... "Real racing cars don't have fenders!"..... Good point - Done right, it could enhance the show as we'd get to see more than a helmet. Back in the day (I'm gonna guess '70's) the rules forced the drivers "upper torso" to be visible - the idea being we could see their hands working etc - Didn't last too long for obvious reasons, but was pretty cool. It would certainly make 'em more slippery, but I think the dirty air problem would remain. Cheers, Ian
I think there was a Lotus back in the sixties wich used an almost closed cockpit (the glass canopy was open just over the driver´s head). It didn´t look so bad. If this improves safety, it´s OK for me. I know, I know, hairy chest drivers don´t need so much safety but I don´t want to watch on TV someone getting killed by a flying wheel just for stylistic reasons. After all, open cockpits are somewhat anachronic.
+1 [Can't find any pix right now though - Anyone?] IIRC, Colin also did a "lay-down, head forward" layout at one point I don't think it ever ran in a race (?) but I'm sure a Lotus historian will dig it out [Or throw the BS card on me ] Cheers, Ian
