FIA To Propose ‘Windscreen’ To Protect Drivers

[myurr]

I have that BMW HUD, and it's amazing. Whenever driving another car I always subconsciously look where the HUD should be and then get really frustrated when it's not there.

Whilst I'm not a fan of the wind shield, if they do go that way then a HUD with a cockpit mounted camera that can see the output would be amazing.

[Steven]

I guess this will make its entry into the sport sometime, there is hardly any way to avoid it I believe. F1 rule makers are convinced that this sport should be injury-free, so they would do whatever they deem necessary.

On a personal note, I don't think we need it. As for the spring incident with Massa, better helmets and the recently tested stronger visors should here quite a way there. Still that wouldn't solve Surtees' fatality, with a wheel bumping on the top of his head, breaking his neck. I really have no idea how to resolve this safely, apart from this windscreen idea. The problem is always that nothing "static" much can be placed above the driver's head, as he needs to be able to leave the car quickly.

And as for that HUD, that looks to me like a gadget to lure the big public into accepting such a windscreen. Nothing more, nothing less.

Merry Christmas!

[alexbarwell]

We have had screens of sort before now - granted ones only about an inch tall, almost like a trim to the cockpit edge, but it need only be large enough to deflect from a critical area. Also the cockpit is a bit of an awkward area as it is a large hole, odd shaped hole in the middle of the car making a big variable for aero. New realm of development possible as a result?

[autogyro]

Interesting subject and strangely undeveloped IMO.
The drivers vision is perhaps one of the essential things to maintain at top level to achieve results in racing and yet aids to improve or protect this requirement have been sadly lacking throughout motor racing history.

A helmet visor with tear off throw away bits of plastic! Bit like a kids game isnt it.
The screen suggested looks almost like those used on a WW1 biplane.
Surely there are better ideas out there?

[Blackout]

Lola's solution:



A similar top protection solution:



The windscreen is not necessary if the new helmets are strong enough, I agree.

[autogyro]

Not sure the level of head restriction will be acceptable in that design.
A scrolling visor strip would be useful in the helmet though, as would a miniature environmental control.

[alexbarwell]

There are the situations that developed due to cars being both open-wheel and open cockpit. Felipe Massa and the spring, Henry Surtees, Mark Webber going skywards and a number of occasions of drivers finding another car trying to park on top of them - most recently one M Schumacher. I think indycar were looking into addressing the problem of wheel-wheel contact. Its a start.

[bettonracing]

A wiper would be presenting only its narrowest profile on this shape of windshield (since it would need to rotate about the longitudinal axis of its torpedo-like shape), so the drag would not be as much of an issue, compared to what you are saving by adding the windshield in the first place. Similar to this:

That "narrowest profile" approaches its widest profile when the car is turning. The result is usually fluttering of the wiper due to lift, and any effort to create net downforce would result in [relatively] significant drag. As a result, most GT & LMP cars run with their wipers tucked below the rearmost section of the bonnet, instead of in the upright position.

In addition to the drag, there's also some additional weight for the wiper mechanism.

Regards,

Kurt

[Formula None]

I'm not sure what your mean. Every closed LMP I've seen has the wiper directly mounted to (or through) the windshield. There's not much "hood" to speak of on these things to tuck a wiper into:






[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3YgDeoKXeo[/youtube]

[greenpower dude reloaded]

How about this for a windscreen concept? Still allows rapid exit but protects the driver quite elegantly.

[Formula None]

Did the F20 series ever take off? I never heard anything after I saw those concepts.

[mach11]

why not re-model a normal road car and ask the drivers to sit in it.. .

This thread is really funny

[greenpower dude reloaded]

After spending a while trawling through the internet just to find some decent res pics of any of the F20 cars my guess would be that no, sadly it didn't.

It's funny really I think that to create a series that you'll get a decent field of competitors you need strict regulations.

Open series, unless they're with road cars, often fail because it's too blank a canvas.

Cool cars though

[autogyro]

The regulatory structure is all these days, are you going to the conference in January GPD?

[greenpower dude reloaded]

Yup, I'll be there! Looking forward to it.