F1 Safety Helmet
Accidents are a common occurrence on our roads – and they happen under regulated speed limits. So driving at high speeds on a narrow circuit would increase the risk of collisions many times over. The last fatality in Formula One occurred in 1994, when Brazilian Ayrton Senna died from horrific head injuries as a result of crashing his Williams into a concrete wall at over 210km/h. Ironically, Senna has gathered all the competitors earlier in the day of the race with intention of forming a driver’s group to look into F1 safety. He did so following the severe injuries suffered by close friend and countryman Rubben Barrichello and Austrian Roland Ratzenberger (the Austrian eventually succumbed to his injuries.
Since then, F1 have taken great measures to improve safety. They have looked into everything from car to driver, to minimize the risks of the dangerous pursuit. The driver’s helmet is a perfect example. These dome-shaped devices proved just how strong they are during Felipe Massa’s freak accident at the Hungarian Grand Prix. A spring was hurled at him at racing speed. If not for this helmet taking the full force of the impact and protecting his head, his injuries would have been even more devastating. +Continue Reading
