Zhou Guanyu was covered by the roll over hoop on his Alfa Romeo vehicle, which helped him escape his horrific first lap crash at the British GP but what exactly is a roll over hoop in Formula One, and how does it function in F1 2022 halo
The rollover hoop on Zhou Guanyu’s vehicle was one of the factors that contributed to his survival. Hence, the race driver should be thankful that F1 technology has advanced to such a level where it can save the life of racers under any extreme condition.
Roll Hoop Bar Bracing Support In Halo In F1 2022 Explained And How It Saved Zhou Guanyu After His Car Crash Accident At Silverstone
F1 British GP in limelight as Zhou Guanyu suffers Horrible Accident
To be clear, the halo cockpit head protection system and the roll over hoop are not the same thing. The halo is a titanium bar that was added to the cockpit in 2018 to prevent heavy objects like tyres or other vehicles from striking the driver’s head. It is what kept Grosjean alive after his horrific collision in Bahrain in 2020 and kept Hamilton alive when Max Verstappen crashed into his Mercedes at the Italian GP in 2021.
Meanwhile, in F1, the roll over hoop, which is installed on top of the chassis, shields the driver in the unlikely event that the vehicle rolls over. The overall plan is to support the car while it is inverted with the roll over hoop and leave room for the driver to escape, if at all possible. The overall plan is to support the car while it is inverted with the roll over hoop and leave room for the driver to escape, if at all possible.
The top of the crash structure is connected to the cockpit by an invisible line that must not be crossed by the driver’s head in order for the driver to be considered safe. It is a crucial safety feature, and before teams can approve a new car, they must pass rigorous FIA crash tests.
What is Roll Hoop and How it has saved lives of many Racers?
The roll over hoop and halo did their job in defending the Formula One driver after Zhou was tipped into tumbling down the Hamilton straight by George Russell, who was then hit by Pierre Gasly. However, once Zhou’s wreckage had been located, the Alfa’s rollover hoop and top had been lost, leaving the vehicle with a pancake-like appearance. The rookie was also incredibly fortunate that the fuel cell did not burst in the collision because he came to rest stuck against the outside of the catch-fencing and tire barrier intended to shield spectators from such a smash.
Zhou joins Lewis Hamilton, Romain Grosjean, and Charles Leclerc in recent years as drivers whose lives were spared thanks to F1’s advancements in safety systems during a grand prix.
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