APRIL 30, 2006

F1 noses to be redesigned?

The FIA Institute has announced that it is planning a series of tests this summer to learn more about wheel over wheel accidents.

The tests will be carried out at the Transport Research Laboratory in Crowthorne, Berkshire, and the FIA hopes that they will reveal ways to stop cars flying after wheel-to-wheel impacts. The tests will also be used to simulate nose-to-wheel impacts. The big concern at the moment is that a wheel-over-wheel crash will result in accidents involving marshals and spectators.

The tests will be performed on an external rolling road which will simulate and measure the effects of cars colliding with one another at around 100mph. The FIA is being helped out in these tests by Red Bull Racing and Toyota. If the tests reveal a safer design for front wings and noses, it is likely that there will be rule changes in the future to reduce the risks of such crashes.