03/07/2007
NEWS STORY
The fact that Robert Kubica walked away virtually unharmed from his 280 km/h accident at the Canadian Grand Prix is testament to the work of the FIA Institute, the FIA Safety Commission and the constant behind-the-scene developments in Formula One safety.
This season the FIA brought in the most stringent crash tests yet for an F1 car. It implemented three new crash-test requirements, all of which had a bearing on the severity of Kubica's injuries in Montreal. These requirements, accompanied with the numerous other safety features brought into the sport over the last few years, worked together to minimize the driver's injuries.
FIA Safety Commission President Peter Wright said: "If you asked me to list the factors that had a direct influence on Robert's accident, I'd say the following: the extremely strong survival cell, the restraint system, the front and side impact structures, the high cockpit sides with padded head rest, the new high-spec carbon helmet and the HANS device. Without any one of those, the effects of the accident would have been much worse."
Kubica lost control of his BMW Sauber car at 279km/h after making contact with the rear of Jarno Trulli's Toyota. His car flew off the track and slammed into a concrete wall at 227.5 km/h before going into a series of rolls. The collision sent thousands of pieces of carbon fibre across the track but the driver's safety cell remained intact throughout.
Kubica suffered no major injuries and was released from hospital the following day.
Super Aguri managing director Daniel Audetto admitted: "We have to thank Max Mosley, Charlie Whiting and the FIA, because they have made such stringent rules. Sometimes we complain, you know, when you have to pass the crash tests. We failed a couple of times this year and we kept saying that the cars were already too safe. But when you see an accident like this, then you can just say thanks to Max and Charlie for making it so difficult."
Crash tests were first introduced in 1985 and have become increasingly more rigorous to deal with the escalating speed and power of the F1 cars. For this season, the FIA implemented a number of new requirements in the crash-test procedure.
The front impact of the crash test was increased from 14 to 15 metres per second, which required the teams to find new methods of energy absorption in the nosecone. A 6.2mm coat of zylon, a tough material used in bullet-proof vests, was added to the sides of the monocoque to prevent side impact penetration and to stop the chassis split lines from breaking in the event of a high-speed frontal accident. Finally, the energy absorption of each wheel tether was increased to 6kJ (kilojoules).
These requirements made the monocoque 8.7 kilograms heavier but the teams recognised that this is a small price to pay for greater safety.