HANS is coming

05. May 2008HANS is a common first name in many Central and North European countries, but in motor sports HANS stands for ‘Head and Neck Support’. In 2003 HANS came into use for the Formula 1. Prior to this it had already awoken the enthusiasm of the DTM pilots. And as of 2008, HANS will be mandatory for the truck racing series, same as for all the other motor sports series under the control of the FIA. James Penrose, the actual inventor of HANS, which was further developed by the University of Michigan, was in Nogaro during the tests and brought along a wide choice of HANS devices. The Irish FIA safety delegate went from one pilot to the other and had them try out the different sizes and shapes. Most of the drivers were highly pleased with the devices, others felt constricted. Those were possibly the ones who still bear in mind what Justin Wilson said after the Malaysia GP in 2003, namely that the pressure of the shoulder frame caused a feeling of numbness to the point of minor signs of paralysis. And Rubens Barrichello once stated that the restricted capability of movement caused by HANS was to blame for his spinning off the track, and applied for an exemption from the mandatory HANS device wearing – to no avail. But by now this system has already proved its worth repeatedly; and certainly no F1 pilot would want to do without that device any more.
At the start of the season in Barcelona this weekend, all the truck racers, too, are going to wear this glossy black-metallic, carbon-fibre device where also the helmet is fixed on. And soon even the sceptics among the pilots will certainly get used to the slightly restricted capability of movement.