The FIA is nearly ready to impose windscreens

[John S]

OMG are they really going to put goldfish bowls on F1 cars. What will happen in the wet, will they have to fit wipers???   
Sorry if the Auto.it site reads a little funny in translation.

http://www.auto.it/news/2010/12/22-7045/Le+Formula+Uno+avranno+il+parabrezza%3F

[lkjohnson1950]

First of all, you cannot protect the driver from everything that might happen in a race. Secondly, the fact that Schumacher was uninjured in his accident, and Massa survived about as bad a hit as you are ever likely to see happen shows that the current level of safety is pretty good. Any windscreen tough enough to survive the sort of impact they are discussing will have to be awfully thick. And I agree totally with John, what if it rains? Wipers on an F1 seems totally out of place. Maybe we should just red flag it like NASCAR.

Lonny

[Jericoke]

It's not just rain.  There is oil, exhaust particulates and rubber flying all over the track.  Drivers have tear away strips on their visors for a reason.  Even in the absense of tear aways, a glove does a quick job cleaning an oil spot.  I'm not sure how the wind screen would help in that case.

Further, for the windscreen to be safe enough, it has to be HEAVY.  It cannot be integral to the car, so there is a greater than zero chance of the windscreen being dislodged in an accident.  Does a 40 pound chunk of glass at neck level seem like a good idea in a high speed crash?

If they're going to try 'far out' ideas, why not a bar or roof OVER the driver?  They don't need to see up, it would remove the need for those umbrellas in the pit lane for keeping the sun out.  I know it wouldn't look fantastic, but it seems like an all 'round safer approach than a non cleanable window.

[lkjohnson1950]

Most likely they would be made of lexan not glass. Still, could be broken in a hard crash. Open wheel cars with roofs or full roll cages are a bit odd looking to say the least, but the FIA will do what it will do.

Lonny

[Canada Darrell™]

While they're at it how about ejection seats, airbags, rear-view cameras, HUD displays and  radar assisted avoidance detection systems?

 

[Dare]

My first thought was now the lolypop man has something
to stick the lolypop thru.

[Scott]

My first thought was that a helmet is enough...I don't want something the teams are trying to make as light as possible taking my head off when it breaks.

[cosworth151]

Maybe Perspex is kicking some cash to the FIA. 

[David]

The FIA boffins strike again with another super idea. 

[Jericoke]

While they're at it how about ejection seats, airbags, rear-view cameras, HUD displays and  radar assisted avoidance detection systems?

 

If the ejection seats can be operated by the team principles, it would be MUCH easier to enforce orders...

[Canada Darrell™]

 

Good one Jeri!