History and development of motor sport safety.
Thirty to forty years ago, in the 1960's, racing driver's attitudes toward safety were vastly different from those today. Racers were generally seen as dare devils or mad. Many drivers of the time raced simply because it was dangerous, the risk of serious injury or death feeding a personal adrenaline addiction. As racing became safer, a new breed of driver emerged with more respect for their own well being. This section will discuss the drivers of the 1960's and 70's, and the measures they took to protect themselves. The changes up into the 1980's will be then discussed both in terms of vehicle and track safety. The majority of the safety development study will be Formula 1, with some local Australian sports cars.
Drivers in the sixties were just beginning to learn about safety when they raced. Up until then, the aim of motor sport was to make the cars as light as possible and as fast as possible, with little concern for the well being of the drivers. Rollover protection for the drivers was totally inadequate, if there at all. There were few safety regulations to speak of, although approved helmets were mandatory from the early 1950'. Cars caught fire regularly and often burned themselves out before the fire cart arrived. The tracks themselves could not be described as 'forgiving', many with trees and poles close to the racing surface, with no protection in the event of an impact. In the likely occurrence of a high-speed accident, it was almost always the spectators who were first on the scene. First aid was rudimentary, death was common.
Vehicle and driver safety.
As can be seen in this 1958 photo on the right, of Australian LexDavidson in his Ferrari at Albert Park ,there was no rollover protection at all. The drivers sat up out of the cars, the helmet is very basic, there appears to be no seat belt and the driver is poorly protected from fire with bare arms. Lex Davidson was killed at Sandown in 1964 when his car left the circuit, jumped a ditch and ploughed through the barrier of the nearby trotting track.
The Photo on the right of Sir Jack Brabham in 1964 (Figure 2), shows the change in seating position over the older car above. The driver sits lower in the cockpit, but still has no rollover protection, and probably no seatbelt. There was no side intrusion protection for the driver and no energy absorbing crush zones in the vehicle.
In 1969, aerodynamic wings first appeared on Formula One cars. As high and ungainly as they were, the increase in speed as a result can be seen in this 1969 picture of the Australian Grand Prix at Sandown (Figure 3). All the front runners have wings, while all those bringing up the rear do not. Some of the teams actually had electrical adjustment on the wings, attached to the brake pedal, giving more down-force and drag under braking. Close inspection of the photo shows a roll bar, although it is not as high as the driver's head. The helmets are starting to
look effective, the track shows a runoff area, but the cars still do not have any energy
absorption. These cars also have slick tyres, adding to the grip and the speed of the vehicles.
By 1974, the Formula One cars were developing the characteristic shape so familiar in high-level open wheel racing, see left. The adjustable wings had been outlawed due to so many of them collapsing. The tyres were very wide, the cars low and sleek, with side mounted crushable radiators which protected the driver in the event of a side impact. The rollover protection, also incorporating the air intake for the engine, was high enough and proper helmets were worn. By now, regulations were in place making approved harnesses mandatory, and the use of
new age light weight composite materials was making the cars lighter and stronger.
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