FIA considering closed cockpit F1 in the future?
- Thread starter Hun200kmh
- 664 comments
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- 3,679
- Warwick Uni
- lbsf1 GTP_lbsf1
- obsmu (my brothers acount)
Very simple guys. The thing that kills in 99% of motorsport deaths if g-force, its not the speed that kills you its the stop that does.
Very simple physics tells you that the longer distance you make this deceleration over the less g-force acts on the body and thus the higher chance of survival.
Being in one of those little capsules bouncing down the track would leave you next to no crumple zone when you finally hit something and thus high g-forces.
Being in the whole car however would give you more stuff to crumple before you crashed, more decelleration distance/time and thus lower g-force and more chance of survival.
Very simple physics tells you that the longer distance you make this deceleration over the less g-force acts on the body and thus the higher chance of survival.
Being in one of those little capsules bouncing down the track would leave you next to no crumple zone when you finally hit something and thus high g-forces.
Being in the whole car however would give you more stuff to crumple before you crashed, more decelleration distance/time and thus lower g-force and more chance of survival.
- 2,998
- England
- Peasantslayer
A big curved windscreen with an open top would probably be the safest solution, it would still allow the driver to exit the car quickly but the screen would at least stop debris hitting the front of the driver's head.
- 21,262
- United States
- 505
- United States
The windscreen wouldn't even have to be that tall to offer enough protection in case of some carbon fiber debris. The only problem is, how are you going to engineer it to be strong enough to withstand a wheel and tire hitting it at 200+ MPH?
It might be possible because we've seen how strong the air boxes are directly above the drivers head in F1 haven't we? A car can flip and land on its top and result in no noticeable structural damage.
If it were possible to engineer it in the same way without obstructing the drivers view, then it would be problem solved.
- 12,123
- Liverpool
- CARBOYXJR
OP video?
- 505
- United States
I didn't watch the video before posting
They should either:
1) Make the windshield more curved towards the top so it will deflect the wheel without shattering some of the glass; you also wouldn't sacrificing looks.
Or 2) Use only the front half of the jet canopy so the drivers can still escape from the car in an emergency situation while continuing to offer protection.
Either of the two would be fine to me, as long as they don't make the windshields stick out like sore thumbs.
Tired Tyres
Premium
- 12,259
- West Yorkshire
- Tired_Tyres
- Tired Tyres
What they should do is something like this.
- 505
- United States
Maybe a little taller because a wheel could still hit the driver, but that's on the right track(pun sort of intended ).
This is what I think would be perfect.
I'm not sure about the part above the drivers head in the first picture because it could inhibit his ability to exit the car fast in case of an emergency.
).This is what I think would be perfect.
I'm not sure about the part above the drivers head in the first picture because it could inhibit his ability to exit the car fast in case of an emergency.
Last edited:
- 2,998
- England
- Peasantslayer
For side impacts they need sponge on the side of their helmets or a piece of bodywork which deflects debris but without being too close to the side of the driver's head and restricting their movement, both solutions would look stupid but probably safer.
- 5,888
- Vidzeme, Riga
- Driverman447
- None.
Maybe a little taller because a wheel could still hit the driver, but that's on the right track(pun sort of intended
This is what I think would be perfect.
View attachment 192765
View attachment 192766
I'm not sure about the part above the drivers head in the first picture because it could inhibit his ability to exit the car fast in case of an emergency.
A windshield like back in the 80's or so would be a good solution. 👍
- 505
- United States
All that is necessary to me is that they get the little windshield to protect from debris. It's going to be very rare for something to come from the side bigger than a small piece of carbon fiber so it would be sort of unnecessary.
Kind of like this?
- 5,888
- Vidzeme, Riga
- Driverman447
- None.
Something like that, yes. Updated and improved of course but using that facon.
- 74
- Vantaa
- Peg193
I think it would be good if the F1 cars would have closed top and closed wheels in a similar way as RB cars in GT or somewhat similar to LMP1 cars. There is no sense having open wheels in fast high-downforce cars IMO because it just slows cars down and makes them more fragile and unsafe (and not as good-looking). Lack of roof and wheel covers are understandable only when light weight is more important than aerodynamics. This is not the case at 300+ kph.
The roof alone could make the cars significantly faster. For example the Alpine A443 With bubble roof was about 8kph faster at Mulsanne straight at Le Mans than the open top version of the exactly same car.
But again they are just my opinions, open wheel and open top cars are tradition in F1 and may be that fans want them to stay that way. As I like closed wheel racing more, I can watch prototype- and GT racing then
The roof alone could make the cars significantly faster. For example the Alpine A443 With bubble roof was about 8kph faster at Mulsanne straight at Le Mans than the open top version of the exactly same car.
But again they are just my opinions, open wheel and open top cars are tradition in F1 and may be that fans want them to stay that way. As I like closed wheel racing more, I can watch prototype- and GT racing then
- 7,986
- GTP_Royalton
Again, I still believe open cockpit openwheel cars should be banned. They make an already dangerous sport even more dangerous needlessly. Its kind of silly that in this modern age Dario Franchitti can run into the back of another going just 20mph faster, get launched into the air because of openwheels and into a fence and have his career ended along with injuries to several fans.
The cars need to be totally revamped. No open wheels, completely closed LMP style cockpit with two quick release doors on either side for a fast exit. And if there is a fire a button which activates an extinguisher, which can also be activated remotely if the driver is unconscious.
The extra challenge of racing openwheel opencockpit cars is not worth a single life or limb.
The cars need to be totally revamped. No open wheels, completely closed LMP style cockpit with two quick release doors on either side for a fast exit. And if there is a fire a button which activates an extinguisher, which can also be activated remotely if the driver is unconscious.
The extra challenge of racing openwheel opencockpit cars is not worth a single life or limb.
- 2,095
- FL, USA, Earth, Sol, Local Bubble, Milky Way
- TeamACRZARacingo
- GyroxOpex
Or how about a fighter-jet style plexiglas canopy with the front joint mounted to an exploding bolt that could be triggered remotely to aid in driver extraction? And maybe a Remote Ignition Interruption System (RIIS) to prevent leaked fuel from catching fire. It would really go well with an onboard NASCAR-style automatic fire extinguisher system.
- 7,986
- GTP_Royalton
So what is a proper reaction?
Im in favor of more traditional doors with quick releases, almost like window nets in NASCAR.
- 2,095
- FL, USA, Earth, Sol, Local Bubble, Milky Way
- TeamACRZARacingo
- GyroxOpex
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