An introduction to the safety requirements of competitive motor sport.
For years now, people have had the desire to always go faster, higher and further than those who came before. This has led to the sound barrier being broken in the air, and almost on the ground. All the world's mountains have been climbed, and someone has walked on the moon. This fierce determination has been responsible for most of the technical advances of our time. One of the by-products of this drive has been the introduction of motor sport. Depending on the class of motor sport, regulations are set and all competitors aim to be faster and more consistent than rivals, while remaining within the regulations.
Formula One is considered the international pinnacle of motor sport. The current regulations for the F1 cars dictate a 3.0 litre engine, naturally aspirated (no turbo or supercharger) of up to 12 cylinders. The cars may be no more than 180cm wide including wheels and tyres. Minimum weight of car and driver is 600kg, minimum height is 95 cm, 4wd is not permitted (FIA technical regulations appendix 3). There are many other regulations as well. Whilst staying within these regulations, these cars produce over 700 horsepower or about three times as much as a Porsche 911 RS, with about half the weight. The 911 does 0-100km/h in 5.5 seconds as an example of the power to weight ratio we are considering. An average F1 car can travel from 0-160km/h and brake back to zero in less than 6 seconds, and depending on the gear ratios and the racetrack, can easily exceed 300km/h.
The speed of Formula One cars means that when something goes wrong, the drivers must be protected. To do this, the cars must contain the driver within a 'safety cell' while the runoff areas and barriers around the racetrack must bring the car to a standstill without placing fatal forces on the driver, although this is not always possible. The use of tyre barriers, concrete walls and gravel traps can be used in such a way that an out of control vehicle can be stopped safely (see current practices below). If the driver is injured, it is essential that they get medical attention as soon as possible. The track must also be cleared and normal racing resumed quickly. This type of action requires quick response emergency teams at regular intervals around the track, all working together in a pre-arranged fashion.
Spectators at all motor sport events must also be protected. The risks to the drivers are a well known and accepted part of racing, but when spectators are killed or injured, someone usually takes the blame, often the race organisers. The public nature of motor sport, especially an internationally televised race, mean that any spectator injuries are a public relations nightmare. Solid concrete walls protect the spectators from the cars, and steel mesh catch fences stop airborne debris (see current practices below). The spectators must also be free to move around but kept away from areas where they would be a nuisance or in danger.
Other forms of motor sport require different levels of safety regulations, for example mud racing does not involve very high speeds, but if a vehicle rolls, the driver may be trapped underwater, requiring very fast response by the safety teams. Long trek desert racing, as another example, cannot have regular safety teams placed around the track, as one leg of the race may be over 700km through the desert. Rally driving has the added problem of spectators lining the route, as well as cliffs, houses, agricultural fences, animals, snow and ice for the drivers to contend with.
All the aspects of safety at a motor sport event, both vehicles and course safety must work together. Casualties of any form must be avoided if possible. Any response to an incident must be coordinated from a central point and should be a planned response, not an ad hoc reaction to a problem. The remainder of this report will examine all aspects of motor sport safety, how it has developed, and what has happened when plans fail.