The fatal accident with the Brazilian in 1994 has brought important changes and improvements over the last 30 years
A number of changes have been made to security aspects Formula 1 since the death of Ayrton Senna. Car sets have been improved to prevent new fatalities from occurring. In 30 years the category has had only one accident which led to the death of a driver, the Frenchman Giulio Bianchiat the 2014 Japanese GP, which introduced other changes.
Currently cars are equipped with structures that protect the driver’s body, from head to toe. The nose, the sides of the passenger compartment and the rear part have reinforcements capable of absorbing the impact in the event of an accident. Materials such as the synthetic fibers Kevlar and Zylon have made Formula 1 racing safer.
In addition to the traditional tire barrier, a few years ago F1 incorporated a new barrier, called “TecPro”, which simplified the procedure for assisting injured drivers and increased escape and protection areas on tracks around the world.
One of Senna’s requests on the eve of his death was to limit the speed of the cars in the pits. The idea was put into practice later and, currently, it is 80 km/h, with some exceptions, such as Monaco, where the pit lane is narrower, and the limit is 60 km/h.
Due to Jules Bianchi’s very serious accident at Suzuka, Formula 1 created a virtual safety car (VSC). If a small accident or problem occurs on the track, the cars slow down by 30% to 40% to prevent them from remaining at high speed even under a yellow flag.
The Enzo and Dino Ferrari Autodrome, in Ímola, has undergone changes to its layout. One of the fastest and most dangerous, he returned to the Formula 1 circus during the covid-19 pandemic, in 2020, after 13 years off the calendar. The circuit transformed the Tamburello curve, where Senna died, into a chicane, forcing the cars to brake. The Villeneuve curve where Ratzenberger had his fatal accident has also become a variant.
Among the main mandatory pieces of equipment for a Formula 1 driver is the Hans (“head and neck support” meaning “support for the head and neck”), since 2003. It attaches to the helmet and supports the pilot’s head and neck. what happened to Senna did not happen with the impact of the car’s suspension arm, which hit his helmet causing the fracture of the base of the skull.
The helmet and survival cell have been improved to withstand larger impacts and reduce damage to the rider in the event of a crash. The sides of the car were raised. Previously the pilot had his shoulders uncovered outside the cockpit, now the protection is greater. One of the main missions of the suit is to prevent the driver from getting burned if the car catches fire, gloves and sneakers follow the same pattern.
One of the most important safety measures was the adoption of the Halo after many tests and motivated mainly by Felipe Massa’s accident in Hungary in 2009, in which he was hit on the head by a spring detached from Rubens Barrichello’s car . The entry only became mandatory in 2018 and has already saved some lives in Formula 1, including Romain Grosjean and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton.
Source: Terra
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