Closed cockpit F1

The drivers have given it a thumbs down, and also raised a point I hadn't even thought of ....

It's all well and good the debris ricocheting off the canopy to protect the driver, but what about the spectators? If that spring that hit Massa hit his canopy instead it could easily have flung over the fence and pelted a spectator.

Aside from that they also point out that if the car is turned upside down, they could be trapped in the canopy, and if the cars on fire, well .... doesn't take much imagination on that one...
 
smr said:
The drivers have given it a thumbs down, and also raised a point I hadn't even thought of ....

It's all well and good the debris ricocheting off the canopy to protect the driver, but what about the spectators? If that spring that hit Massa hit his canopy instead it could easily have flung over the fence and pelted a spectator.

Aside from that they also point out that if the car is turned upside down, they could be trapped in the canopy, and if the cars on fire, well .... doesn't take much imagination on that one...
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If the car is upside, they are trapped anyway..
 
Skeeter said:
It bings a whole load of complications with it. Just look at Le Mans cars.

A closed cockpit creates heat, which means Le Mans cars are mandated to run AC in closed cars. This is extra weight and systems that they will need to find space for in an F1 car.

Then there is the curved window. It can distort your vision out, and reflect light in all sorts of odd ways. I can imagine this will be a nightmare for places like Abu Dhabi and Singapore with the low level lights.

However, ignoring these things, if you look at the high sidepods and low seating now in F1 cars now, fitting a canopy wouldn't be that difficult, and the safety aspects are obvious.
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Airconditioning is not mandated in the closed cars, only a maximum allowable temperature. How the teams prevent the car from getting too hot is down to them, AC is just one option and the Audi R18 doesn't have aircon.
 
Apparently the wheel fired at the full canopy was found a mile down the test range.

So thats nice and safe for the spectators and marshals.
 
Ceryndrion said:
if a canopy was made an integral part of that removable part of the cockpit, then it wouldn't really be so much of a problem getting out in a hurry..
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not sure what you mean by "the removable part of the cockpit"

there isnt any integral / removable part currently (apart from the steering wheel, and depending on how you look at it the HANS device around the drivers neck)

Its been proven that currently IF an F1 car goes upside down a driver will be able to get out of the car quickly and easily due to the roll hoop at the back of the cockpit

This would obviously drastically change if there was a closed cockpit blocking his exit, however good the cockpit is in other respects


hmmm I hadnt thought about the closed cockpit deflecting debris over the catch fencing - what a really frightening thought
 
the part I was referring to, was the foam part that clips in around and over the drivers shoulders after they have gotten into the cockpit, which necessitates a more twisty get out, unless they pop the fasteners that hold it in place.

As can be seen in the following old picture...

cockpit01.jpg


I am sure that ultimately, since the drivers say "oooh we're not sure about that" then it will come to nothing, because they dictate the sport after all.
 
I really dont see it being as much of an issue as people think, when was the last time that a driver crawled out of an upside down car, pretty sure that when webber flipped last year, he was told to stay put until he could be checked..

Either way, its not 'that' much of a problem..
 
Ceryndrion said:
I really dont see it being as much of an issue as people think, when was the last time that a driver crawled out of an upside down car, pretty sure that when webber flipped last year, he was told to stay put until he could be checked..

Either way, its not 'that' much of a problem..
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Webber landed on his wheels, in the barrier, and promptly threw his wheel out, hopped out, and wandered off before the marshals got there.

The issue with canopy's and being trapped is such: A canopy will open in a certain direction. It will either flip upwards, or backwards, or forwards, or sideways. When the car inverts there is always the possibility that it will end up lying in such a way that the floor is in the way of the canopy opening. Therefore the driver is trapped inside the car until it is righted or moved. With potentially unknown injuries marshals do not move cars untill the driver is out wherever possible. The design of the open cockpit and roll over hoop are in such a way that (providing the hoop doesn't dig in to far) there will always be space around the open cockpit for the driver to either get out, or at least be able to communicate with the marshals without having to remove anything. This is the concern the drivers have, and I agree with them.
 
Some fighter jets have a canopy fracture system where the whole canopy is basically blown up into little pieces which could be used here in case a car inverts.
 
Guys, seriously.. do you not think they've considered the possibility that these canopies will hinder the driver's ability to get out of the car?

That would be the first thing asked. They will have an answer for it.
 
not really gonna be an issue tbh.
In current generational the drivers ability to exit the car is already hampered by the steering wheel and shoulder restraints.
The canopy can be easily attached via quick release connectors like in lemans single seater's. plus a full enclosed safety cell is less likely to be penetrated by leaking full or objects so the safety factors really out weigh any exit disadvantage.
 
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