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The images foreshadowed the worst. The car of the French Romain Grosjean left the track after contact with Daniil Kvyat’s Alpha Tauri and crashed into the containment barrier of the Sakhir circuit on the first lap of the Bahrain Grand Prix of Formula One. it broke in two and caught fire. However, 28 seconds later the Haas team driver left the cockpit under his own power and with minor burns to his ankles and hands. Immediately, the question arose of how he did it to be practically unharmed.
The performance of the security halo was decisive. However, the device faced questions in the past from the same pilots, such as Grosjean himself, who today welcomes the introduction of this titanium arch that works as a protection system for the passenger compartment., which prevents drivers from hitting debris or tires detached from other cars and thus avoiding decapitation. It weighs about 10 kilos, is shaped like a curved T and is made up of three titanium bars, which are installed in the front of the cabin. It was introduced as a mandatory item in 2018, three years after the death of Jules Bianchi in Japan after shaking his head with a crane that was removing another damaged vehicle.
“A few years ago I was not in favor of the halo, but it is the best thing we have introduced in F1. Without him I couldn’t talk to you today. Thanks to all the medical staff, both on the track and in the hospital “said Grosjean, as he recovers.
“The devices worked. The halo showed its efficiency and was validated, as was the survival cell. Without halo we would have had a fatality. In addition, the resistance level of the survival cell was successfully tested ”, says ex-pilot Alejandro Schmauk, who also affirms that an important part of the severity of the accident has to do with the circuit. “The Railing it was without a tire protection barrier, which would have made it possible to cushion the impact “, he maintains.
Anyway, he also puts himself in the shoes of the organizers. “It was a complex situation to predict. Nobody in their analysis thought about what could happen there. Under normal conditions, it would not have happened, since in 99% of cases it does not occur. It is rare for one of the cars to come off perpendicular “he adds. And he explains in that sense that “it is always about covering where an accident is most likely to occur.”
Likewise, Schmauk is concerned about the seriousness of the accident. “What one would have to ask is why it was set on fire. It could have to do with the battery and not with the gasoline, since they are hybrid cars ”, he raises, to finally highlight that “While there is a significant advance in technology to preserve safety, there is also a dose of miracle. If he had been unconscious, the rescue would have come late and the reality would be different ”.
Ross Brawn, Formula One sporting director, confirmed that they, as well as the International Automobile Federation, started an investigation in which Romain Grosjean himself and the Haas F1 team will also work closely on what happened.
“It is shocking for everyone in Formula One to see such a severe accident. We are not used to that, nor to the fire that occurred. But I am sure that we will carry out a thorough investigation to understand what we can learn from what happened. Because it is evident that what we do not want to see is a barrier breaking as it did “, explained the engineer in this regard, to later add: “I think that today we could be seeing a different situation if we did not have the halo. And for me that is what has the most value, he managed to keep the barrier separate when the car crossed it. I am sure we will do some deep research to understand what we can learn from it. Because fire is worrisome and seeing a barrier divided like this is clearly not what we want to see. “
Grosjean’s car weighed 746 kilos and the impact occurred at 221 kilometers per hour, for which an impact force of more than 50G is estimated, Such figures were quite a test for the security system. For example, the survival cell, which consists of deformable protective structures that help absorb the energy of an accident. Their flanks are protected by layers of carbon and zylon, a material used for bulletproof vests and serves to prevent carbon fiber chips or chips from entering.
On the other hand, anti-flammable suits have evolved, allowing greater comfort and safety when facing a situation as extreme as the one that Grosjean experienced. “If 20 years ago, the suits weighed between 1.8 and two kilos, today they do not weigh more than 300 grams”Schmauk highlights about this advance.
The French pilot, meanwhile, is grateful for this new opportunity and is ready to be discharged tomorrow, while the world continues to debate whether it was a miracle, a work of science or both that allowed him to survive without further ado drawbacks.
