Formula 1 Safety Measures Through The Years

The recent F1 Grand Prix that took place in Monza at the weekend saw another race filled with excitement and enjoyment end in a one-two finish for McLaren, with Daniel Riccardo finishing first and his teammate Lando Norris finishing second.

However, this was not the main talking point from the race as Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton saw their race come to an end on lap 26. After a racing incident that saw Verstappen’s car go up on top of Hamilton’s, the recently implemented halo likely saved Hamilton’s life.

Hamilton later took to social media saying: “Today someone must have been looking down, watching over me!” showing he is just grateful to be alive.

F1 has seen many safety measures included over the years, and the recent work of the halo has put into perspective what has been added in, with measures beginning all the way back in the 1950s and over the years, has seen stronger precautions added.

1950s – Helmets

When F1 was first introduced to the world in 1950, Helmets were not mandatory. However, after a couple years of trial, it was agreed that it would be best for the safety of the drivers to wear cork helmets from 1952 onwards. They are used to this day, with technological advances making them even safer.

1960s – Overalls

Overalls were seen as a high priority from 1963 onwards. The FIA (governing body for world motor sport) concluded that overalls must be worn with every drive from that point on, making it obligatory to wear them. They would later be modified to protect them from fire.

1970s – Overalls had to meet fire-resistant standard

1975 saw the introduction of the fire-resistant overalls, due to high risk of fire when racing with the fast cars and ant potential crashes.

This is still something that is used in the modern day but is far more advanced with the current ones made of lightweight and far more breathable material.

1980s – The survival cell

The survival cell, or more known as monocoque, was introduced in 1981 and it was designed to protect the drivers from the worst of crashes. It is made from 6 millimeters of carbon fibre with a layer of Kevlar.

This will absorb high amounts of energy during a crash.

1990s – The safety car

Arguably the most well-known safety procedure added in F1 history, the safety car is there to slow the race down and to protect drivers who may have had to retire on track in a race, it is there to make other drivers avoid potential debris on the track. The safety car must not be overtaken and other racers mustn’t overtake one another in these circumstances when a yellow flag is out. The safety car was actually first introduced in 1973, but after mass confusion in its first ever race, it was never used permanently until 1993.

2000s – 2020s – The halo

First introduced in 2018, the F1 car’s Halo is a strong protective barrier that stops significantly large objects and debris from entering the cockpit of the driver’s car. There were questions as to why the halo was actually introduced, but since the events of last weekend which saw Max Verstappen’s tire avoid Lewis Hamilton’s cockpit due to it, we can safely say it will be a main-stay in the F1 car for the foreseeable future.