FIA considering closed cockpit F1 in the future?
- Thread starter Hun200kmh
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- TenEightyOne
- TenEightyOne
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- Hammerhead Garage
The cynic in me wonders if the Ferrari system hasn't been designed in such a way as to create an advertising space. The massive Claro-themed triangle where the elements converge looks like it is bigger than it needs to be. To my mind, the whole thing could be slimmer, with the point of convergence smaller and higher above the driver's head. The two anchoring points either side of the driver's head could probably be closer to the driver and mounted further back, probably just behind the headrest.
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- Germany
What about the situation when a driver is unconscious, for example, and the doctors have to extract him together with the seat? Isn't the halo in the way then? Sure, you could implement some hinges so you can easily take it off but then you must wonder how much this will impair stabilty.
Looking at it, you might not be wrong here. On the other hand, the design Ferrari came up with was just a first test anyway, to see how the halo system works on a real car with a real driver in it. So why not create some space for your sponsors then?
Looking at it, you might not be wrong here. On the other hand, the design Ferrari came up with was just a first test anyway, to see how the halo system works on a real car with a real driver in it. So why not create some space for your sponsors then?
- 21,262
- United States
If the formula changed to that of closed cockpits, then it is no longer the current formula. As it is now, the current formula is vastly different from that of the formula from a decade ago.Statistically the number of incidents where a driver might have been trapped by a canopy (fire, inversion etc) are far outweighed by the number of incidents where debris/cars have made it into the head enclosure.
My instinctive view remains that of the purist; open cockpits are The Formula. That said, I can see F1 going to closed cockpits so... yeah, just make them look cool
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Because it potentially blocks vision. Sure, Räikkönen reports that "it's okay", but he has only tested it around Catalunya. What's it going to be like going up Eau Rouge? Or up Massanet? Or the approach to turn one at COTA? Or through the Old City in Baku? Or any other part of any other circuit with an elevation change or a feature - like the Old City - where the driver needs to be looking up?
- 272
- Germany
Well, it is a first test for the halo system. I'd imagine they were testing the fundamental things that the halo brings along. How much will the brace right in the middle block the driver's vision? How could it be mounted to the chassis? Can the driver get in and out of the car without further problems? How does it look on a real car? If the day comes that this system will become part of an F1 car, I am sure the halo will be designed in such a way that nothing hinders the driver's view, not when going up Eau Rouge and not when approaching turn 1 at COTA.
But right now, when on the one hand, you were testing the more basic things of the system and on the other hand, you can't check the up vision because there is simply no such occurence like Eau Rouge, it is no problem for me that Ferrari created some space to place a sponsor on it.
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It's only a matter of time before they start putting a Fig Newtons sticker on the drivers' visors ...
- 4,193
- UK
I can't see it being any worse than a closed canopy, in that situation. Who knows? Maybe it could aid the driver getting out, kinda like using it as a monkey bar to pull themselves up, and it could be used as a vault apparatus. I know it's a stretch, but it would be interesting to see some timed escapes with the thing.
- 889
- sheffield
I don't like the halo one bit. There needs to be some danger in the sport, that's part of the reason it is so popular. The sport is becoming too sanatised. If they are going to proceed with the idea, I really hope that it will look a lot better than what we have just seen. I completely agree with what Hamilton and Hulkenburg said, also they need to hurry up with the final design and introduce it for the 2017 season. If the cars are going to dramatically change in 2017, lets just do it all in one go and get it over and done with. It may look weird at first, but we will get used to it.
- 889
- sheffield
- 889
- sheffield
Given that most of, if not all of the recent deaths in open wheel formula racing have been head injury related, it is the main danger that remains. I like the fact that Motorsport is dangerous and unpredictable. It is a concept device, but we haven't seen any alternatives and given that it will probably be pushed through soon, I hope they come up with something better looking
- 889
- sheffield
It wouldn't have helped Jules. His eventually fatal injury was caused by the rapid deceleration which would've happened no matter what. He could have been in an impenetrable fortress of a machine, that machine and his body would have still gone from high speed to zero almost instantly as it hit the tractor.
In fact it would likely have been worse as the car did take take a little of the impact and soften the deceleration ever so slightly, a more solid structure would've done nothing.
The other driver impacts it's really impossible to say because it depends entirely on specific circumstance.
In fact it would likely have been worse as the car did take take a little of the impact and soften the deceleration ever so slightly, a more solid structure would've done nothing.
The other driver impacts it's really impossible to say because it depends entirely on specific circumstance.
- 3,264
- Salt Lake City,
I'm for an enclosed canopy. Alex Wurz says that's what he would prefer and he's head of GPDA. Hamilton is against the halo, but he said the canopy concepts looked cool. Lucas Di Grassi is probably the loudest voice for a canopy or nothing. Check his twitter for how vocal he is about this subject.
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- TenEightyOne
- TenEightyOne
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- Salt Lake City,
So you went through his 5,176 tweets?
I think if you actually followed him, he's been on the canopy side for a while now. His latest tweet on the subject was 4 days ago, but that's not his only one.
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"Yeah this sticker is dangerous, but I do love Fig Newtons..."
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- RazorSharkz
I like the idea of a fighter jet canopy, like the Red Bull X1. I mean, they use them in fighter jets for a reason, surely they'll be fine for F1.
One would think they could make them work, I mean they are supposed to be some of the top engineers in the world. I guess what it comes down to at the root is what it always comes down to, the cost. Most of the chassis is going to need to be completely re-designed and they're going to need to research and develop solutions to the problems and potential problems that have been brought up. That isn't going to come cheaply, and the big hurdle IMO.
chromatic9
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- chromatic9
I feel this could catch a wheel of a flipped car and press against the head. Not talking about a wheel detached and loose but just a car rotating in the air which would otherwise pass the drivers head.
Seem to recall at least 3 incidents in the last 5 years in F1 where a driver has been close to getting hit by an airborne car. I think it's only a matter of time before someone's neck gets crushed so I think something should be done.
Another thing (perhaps someone can remember) but last season or the season before we had a car bounce and climb up towards the cockpit nose first. I can see if this happened again,this brace thing could actually direct the nose into the drivers helmet. Imagine the front of the car coming up at a narrow angle and instead of either passing the driver and hitting around the air intake or the underside hitting the car and bouncing away from harm, the nose will hit or glance off the underside and could send a large chunk straight to the visor.
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- GTP_TheCracker
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- Northern Ireland
There's a few photoshops/mockups of the halo design knocking about, but the video below is the best one I've seen so far, using a render of the Ferrari + halo in rFactor.
By the comparison images shown at the start of the video it seems reasonably close to the real thing. It gives you a good idea of what it'll look like on the onboard view, and from the TV cameras (not so much the driver's view, which looks a little too high in this video). Skip to 1:10 for onboard, 2:50 for driver's view and 4:30 for the TV cameras.
One interesting thing to note is from some of the TV camera angles, the helmet is largely obstructed from view. Not that this is a problem, since most drivers' helmet designs are crap and indistinguishable on TV anyway
By the comparison images shown at the start of the video it seems reasonably close to the real thing. It gives you a good idea of what it'll look like on the onboard view, and from the TV cameras (not so much the driver's view, which looks a little too high in this video). Skip to 1:10 for onboard, 2:50 for driver's view and 4:30 for the TV cameras.
One interesting thing to note is from some of the TV camera angles, the helmet is largely obstructed from view. Not that this is a problem, since most drivers' helmet designs are crap and indistinguishable on TV anyway
- 6,293
- Canada
Not to mention it gets a little cold at 50,000 feet.The reason being that travelling at Mach1 without a canopy wouldn't be much fun
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