"Halo saved me." In yesterday's F1 British Grand Prix, Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu was involved in a fierce collision. His car was overturned and then flew into a gap outside the track. The car was injured. The damage was serious, but fortunately Zhou Guanyu was not seriously injured. On July 4, Zhou Guanyu said via social media: "I'm fine. I'm lucky to still be here. Halo saved me today." What exactly is the "Halo" that saved Zhou Guanyu? What role did it play in the accident during the race?
The racing car was overturned and then fell to the ground , Halo became the last line of defense
According to media reports, yesterday's accident occurred at the start of the race. Drivers Gasly and Russell collided, causing the car to pull out. Serge's car lost control and crashed directly into Zhou Guanyu. Zhou Guanyu's car was overturned and fell to the ground. After that, the car rubbed against the ground at high speed. The car slid off the track with a lot of sparks and got stuck between the tire wall and the metal guardrail. . Fortunately, Zhou Guanyu's car did not burn, otherwise the consequences would be disastrous.
In this collision, Zhou Guanyu's racing car's roll cage had been shattered, which meant that the car that "turned upside down" and rushed out of the track at high speed was protected by the Halo safety system alone. He tried to avoid fatal friction and collision. After examination, Zhou Guanyu's body is now in good condition. As he said, Halo saved him.
The "flip-flop" design was opposed by fans and the team , and FIA forced the installation of
. On July 4, "Halo has made a contribution again" was on the Weibo hot search, which also aroused the curiosity of netizens. What is the "Halo" system that allowed Chinese F1 driver Zhou Guanyu to escape death? The so-called Halo is a ring of titanium alloy protective structure located in front of the driver's cockpit. Because of its unique shape, it is nicknamed "flip-flop" by Chinese car fans. The
Halo safety system was introduced into the F1 competition in 2018. The minimum price per set is 15,000 euros. It weighs only 7 kilograms but can withstand an impact of about 12 tons. F1 official once had a vivid metaphor that the Halo system can bear the weight of an double-decker bus . In the vehicle's environmental test, the Halo system can effectively prevent the driver from being injured by flying objects such as debris, tires, etc., and at the same time, it can also prevent the driver from being squeezed and injured in a collision.
However, Halo, which saves people in distress, has also been questioned and opposed. Fans said that the system does not look good and deviates from the original appearance of the formula racing car. The team is also worried that it will be installed in front of the car. It affects the driver's vision when driving and blocks the vision on some uphill curves, thus causing danger. Therefore, in an official FIA voting session before the installation, 9 out of 10 teams voted against it. Fortunately, the FIA still requires teams to install Halo.
Not only Zhou Guanyu, Halo also saved seven-time champion Hamilton
In the F2 British race that started on the same day as Zhou Guanyu's car accident, there was also a collision between two cars. The driver Nissani was hit by another car at high speed. After flying up, it pressed on top of the head. Fortunately, thanks to the protection of the Halo system, Nissani was safe.
Since the 2018 season, Halo has played a crucial role in many near-fatal accidents. Former opponents Alonso were also fans of the Halo security system. In the 2018 Belgian Grand Prix, Alonso's car was hit and fell directly on top of Leclerc's car. The Halo system that had just been introduced that year protected Leclerc well. Alonso said after the game, "I have never been a fan of Halo, but I am very lucky to have such a device on my head today."
In the 2020 F1 Bahrain race, driver Grosjean lost control of his car and hit the guardrail, causing A fire broke out in the cockpit and the car was broken into two parts. However, thanks to the protection of the Halo system, Grosjean only suffered broken ribs and minor burns, and his life safety was guaranteed. Grosjean also said afterwards: "Halo is the greatest invention."
In last year's Monza race, Verstappen's car was pushed into the air by Hamilton. If it were not for the protection of the Halo system, he would have won seven championships. Hamilton Wang's life may be in danger.
It is reported that Zhou Guanyu returned to the paddock immediately after being released from medical observation. He said he is eager to return to the competition again, and if all goes well, he will return to the competition in Austria this week.
Xiaoxiang Morning News Comprehensive Report Intern Editor Li Guodong
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