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Safety in Formula One™

An in-depth and up-to-date analysis of safety in Formula One™: Things you didn’t know about Formula One™ – a ground breaking network of measures guarantees the highest safety standard possible!

 

Did you know...

  • ...that the first Safety Car in Formula One™ was used in 1973 at the Canadian Grand Prix?
  • ...that on all FIA approved race tracks a track marshal and a fire extinguisher must be posted along both sides of the track every 300 meters?
  • ...that 8 million ignitions occur in a Formula One™ engine over an average race distance of 300 kilometers per Grand Prix?
  • ...that Formula One suffered no fatality since Imola 1994? That is proof that the risks of Formula One™ are well handled and a considerable progress in terms of safety has been achieved.
  • ...that 15 functions can be monitored by the drivers on the display of their steering wheel? These functions include basic information such as gear change, speed, fuel level and various temperatures.
  • ...that the safety of the spectators at Formula One™ races is provided by approximately 150 security officials, in addition to approximately 130 medics and doctors?
  • ...that Formula One™ tires easily endure temperatures of 130° Celsius? Above that the tire treads start to blister.
  • ...that 1200 liters of fuel are used by a team, on average, over the course of a Grand Prix weekend? This is used in addition to roughly 70 liters of engine oil and up to 30 liters of transmission oil.
  • ...that for a monocoque, about 30 square meters of carbon-fiber mats are processed, in which the individual fibers are five times thinner than a human hair?
  • ...that the FIA prescribes fireproof clothing in Formula One™ since 1975? It used to consist of five layers of a fire-resistant material, as also used by NASA for space suits. Nowadays, the overalls that are tailor-made to fit the drivers perfectly are made of two to four layers of material made of Nomex® fiber 1.
  • ...that 55 meters is the braking distance a Formula One™ car travels when performing a full stop from a speed of 200kmph? The process takes 1.9 seconds and creates deceleration forces of up to 5 G. A driver weighing 75 kilograms would thus be pushed against the seatbelts with a weight of 375 kilograms.
  • ...that by now there are three dynamic tests as well as twelve endurance tests during crash tests in Formula One™ which originally were introduced in 1985?
  • ...that the drivers have been given the additional protection of the HANS system since 2003? HANS stands for "Head and Neck Support". In the event of an accident, the HANS helps to avoid overstretching of the spinal vertebrae.

Bernd Mayländer, Official Formula One™ Safety Car driver about safety in Formula One™

Always in the background and still a vital part of Formula One: Bernd Mayländer, the Official Formula One™ Safety Car driver. The FIA is responsible for the deployment of the Official Formula One™ Safety Car and sends it onto the track in hazardous situations.

 

"In the field of safety, a lot has changed over the past few years. Regardless of which Formula One™ topic you speak about, whether it is the race car, the circuit, or the procedure of a Safety Car deployment – everything is being actively thought about and there is always room for improvements. There are different departments within the FIA which are responsible for safety in Formula One™ and there are many regulations which are created in co-operation with the Formula One™ teams. These intensive exchanges with the drivers ensure constant improvement. Currently, we already are at a very high level and strive to continuously enhance safety standards in the future."
 

More exclusive insights by Bernd Mayländer are available for download in the Allianz Safety Dictionary: > more

 

1 DuPont™, KEVLAR® and NOMEX® are trademarks or registered trademarks of DuPont™ or its affiliates.