Your eyes only

The need for spotters in a modern F1 pit lane

05/08/2013 by Christine

There were plenty of suggestions about how to improve safety in Formula One, in the wake of the errant tyre that struck pit lane cameraman Paul Allen during the recent German Grand Prix. We however are all speculating from the comfort of our homes, and thus it was wonderful to hear from someone who has actually filmed within a hectic pit lane and knows many of the challenges it can bring. Brian Benjamin worked as a camera operator covering Formula One in the late 1990s and has been kind enough to lend us the following insight about the day job.

The after-effect of Imola and the positives to take away

An alternative look at the remembrance of that fateful weekend

30/04/2013 by Lukeh

Following 1994, the last few days in April continue to bring a regular amount of sadness to Formula 1 fans year after what transpired during the San Marino Grand Prix of that year. This was of course this race that brought the untimely deaths of Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna across a very dark weekend for the sport. Every year we remind ourselves of these events with much sadness but I feel that an argument can be raised to view this weekend in a different light.

It's time to treat safety seriously

Motorsport safety is constantly improving, but it's never complete

20/10/2011 by Steven Roy

There has been a huge outpouring of sadness about the death of Dan Wheldon and a great deal of soul searching by many race fans who have never watched a young man die behind a wheel before. My first emotion as it usually is in these cases is anger that yet another driver has died in a preventable impact and in a clearly predictable set of circumstances.

Protecting the vulnerable

Motorsport is already dangerous, before you throw in poor weather

25/10/2010 by Leigh O'Gorman

At the beginning of yesterday morning’s Korean Grand Prix, the race was held stationary for over an hour as organisers assessed what were, in reality, crazy conditions.

Those that let us race

Paying tribute to the marshals that keep motorsport running

12/09/2010 by Leigh O'Gorman

While many racing fans will speak of Ayrton Senna as the last fatality over a Grand Prix weekend, we must not forget those that died in accidents outside of the cockpit. Friday September 10th signalled the tenth anniversary of the death of track marshal, Paolo Ghislimberti.

Innovation and safety

Is there any room for compromise when it comes to new F1 designs?

10/05/2010 by Steven Roy

We have grown used to certain things on F1 cars being so fundamental that they only change when regulations make change inevitable. Most changes in recent years other than incremental aero updates are invisible to fans regardless of how hard we try to spot them.

What about those who really matter?

The introduction of KERS has raised some important questions about safety

13/02/2009 by Christine

From what we know about KERS, as long as everything is going to plan, it's all fine. That's true for a lot of things, I suppose, but when it comes to storing electricity, it becomes slightly worrying. Many of the questions we've been asking, quite rightly, concentrate on how safe the drivers will be, as they navigate the circuit on a race weekend.