MARCH 12, 2001

F1 set to introduce HANS?

FORMULA ONE is set to see the introduction of the Head and Neck Support (HANS) system next season.

The innovative system is believed to be on the verge of being made compulsory after the big crashes involving Michael Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve during the Australian Grand Prix weekend this season.

HANS can be fitted in the cockpits of Formula One cars and is designed to restrict the movement of the head and neck in the event of a crash.

Several top Formula One drivers have tested the HANS system and some of them, including Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello, believe that alterations would need to be made before drivers could wear the device in the confined Formula One cockpit.

The system has already been used in other series, including NASCAR, and, regardless of the drivers' feelings, the FIA are expected to introduce HANS during test sessions later this year.