The Chinese driver Guanyu Zhou, the protagonist of a dramatic accident on Sunday at the Formula 1 British Grand Prix, made a hopeful post on his social networks just 24 hours after the event, in which he is seen practically recovered and is even encouraged to plan his return to the tracks next Sunday at the Austrian GP. The images, which traveled the world, were shocking, but thanks to the safety halo the Alfa Romeo driver saved his life.
“Hello everyone! Thank you all for the kind messages. I want to thank the race stewards and medical team at Silverstone, they were really fantastic. I look forward to getting back to normal more than ever, see you in Austria!” Zhou tweeted, as he waited for Alfa Romeo mechanics to tune up his car.
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This was the accident of the Chinese driver at Silverstone
The British Formula 1 Grand Prix, for the tenth date of the season, had a really rough start, with a very strong massive crash in which five cars were left out of competition and that, especially, caused enormous concern about the state of health of the Chinese pilot Guanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo), the main affected of the maneuvers.
At the Silverstone circuit, the accident involved Alex Albon’s Williams, George Russell’s Mercedes, Esteban Ocon’s Alpine, Yuki Tsunoda’s AlphaTauri and, as already mentioned, Zhou’s Alfa Romeo, which traveled about 200 meters turned upside down. The public was shocked to see how the single-seater even exceeded the protection rows, ending up against the fences.
This angle of Zhou’s accident is the WORST of all.
I find it incredible that the car would fly like that. Like Alonso in Australia 2016.
I’m thankful that Zhou is okay. Blessed safety of F1pic.twitter.com/klQzvsREOX
– David Moreno ✨ (@_DMS16) July 4, 2022
Replays of the accident really make your skin crawl. On the main straight Russell touched the Chinese driver’s car, the Mercedes swerved to the left and first avoided contact with Pierre Gasly’s AlphaTauri, but then Russell went straight into the Alfa Romeo which got up. Zhou’s car was wedged between the tire barrier and the protective mesh. shocking
“Following an accident at the start of the British Grand Prix, Guanyu Zhou is conscious and is now in the circuit’s medical center to undergo an evaluation,” confirmed Alfa Romeo. A short time later it was reported that he had already been discharged.
“I’m fine, all clear. The Halo saved me today. Thank you all for your kind messages!” The Asian wrote on his Twitter account, in a post to which he added a selfie.
Made of Grade 5 Titanium, an ultra-resistant, low-deformable, low-weight alloy widely used in the aerospace industry, the halo was received with great skepticism by drivers and teams, when the FIA, determined to increase safety for racers, announced, in mid-2017, that it would become a mandatory element of the cars for the 2018 season. Before opting for it, it had been tested without success with a transparent screen, a kind of “windshield” called Aeroscreen, and then with the “shield”, a similar element. But the Halo won the election.
Cockpit protection again showed its worth in the action involving Zhou. What would have happened to the Asian if he did not have that additional protection and traveled so many meters with the car upside down, with all the weight on the head of the Asian…? The consequence shudders just thinking about it.
“The halo saved my life, without hesitation. This shows that every step we take to improve our cars has real and valuable results, “said the 23-year-old Asian, through a statement to the press issued by the Italian team.
More proof of the efficiency of the Halo system
At the time, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) reported that the adoption of the “Halo” system was decided after a “unanimous agreement” within the Formula 1 Strategy Group, which normally includes the six most powerful squads. of the category (Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull, Williams, McLaren and Force India). Some engineers said it would affect the aerodynamics of cars, but over time it was shown to be a life-saving breakthrough.
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You don’t have to look far for another example, besides Zhou’s, of the effectiveness of the “Halo”. This Sunday a misfortune was avoided: in the Formula 2 race at Silverstone, Roy Nissany, the reserve driver of Williams in Formula 1 and of DAMS, closed Dennis Hauger, the champion in 2021 of Formula 3, he went straight against the inside of the curve, where Nissany appeared again, the safety lane caused the car to get up and not hit the Israeli head-on, but it did ride on him, and the “Halo” prevented a tragedy.
In September last year, at the Monza GP, the protective “Halo” saved Briton Lewis Hamilton after a shocking crash with Max Verstappen.
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