Daniel Ricciardo has just taken the new Aeroscreen for a trip around the Russian GP circuit in Practice 1. To coincide with the discussion, Red Bull have released a video of the Aeroscreen being tested. To test the strength of the screen against impacts, they fired a F1 tyre at 225 kilometers per hour at the screen. Sure, it cracked, but it survived.
The test looks like an insane Mythbuster creation and fires a Pirelli F1 tyre using a hydraulic arm, propelling the wheel towards the Aeroscreen and in less than a second accelerates to a staggering 225km/h. In the slow-mo replay, you can see the composite material flexes slightly as the tyre impacts it, but is then safely deflected away. Despite F1 mandating wheel’s have tethers to ensure they don’t become a dangerous flying object, we’ve seen enough crashed where the strength of those tethers has been exceeded.
Taking in the view. Our first shots of @danielricciardo and the Aeroscreen making its debut at #RussianGP. pic.twitter.com/go0zgjVyEW
— Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) April 29, 2016
After a single installation lap at Sochi, Red Bull removed the Aeroscreen to continue regular practice for the event. Other than a lot of media attention, the test went by with no issue. It’ll be interesting to hear from Aussie Ricciardo to hear his thoughts in terms of visibility, but it looks like a dramatic improvement on the last suggestion and its safe to say, the ‘halo’ proposal is dead.
Christian Horner on Aeroscreen: “The brief was… something a bit more elegant and deals with the safety elements”
Watch the amazing video here.
