Role of helmets in aerodynamics

[ds.raikkonen]

From what i heard during the Bahrain GP, Peter Windsor was talking about the helmet issue in Red Bull F1 team, he said that Adrian Newey recommended Arai helmets than Schuberth. How do they make a difference?

[scarbs]

Just like any surface touched by the flow of air over the car, the helmet affects the flow over the centre of the car and into the snorkel behind the drivers head.
Coulthard wears an arai, as did CK last year. Thus the team probably had the Arai in their CFD and wind tunnel models. Now Webber rocks up in a Schuberth, the air will flow slightly differently over his helment\car.
At Ferrari the Schuberthe has been the standard helmet, although Rubens took a while to convert, Schuberth has a small wind tunnel and Ferrari cockpit model at their factory to help devleop the helmets.

[modbaraban]

At Ferrari the Schuberthe has been the standard helmet, although Rubens took a while to convert, Schuberth has a small wind tunnel and Ferrari cockpit model at their factory to help devleop the helmets.

Kimi switched from Arai to Schuberth because of that

[manchild]

...Schuberth has a small wind tunnel and Ferrari cockpit model at their factory to help devleop the helmets.

Schuberth Engineering AG in Braunschweig, Germany, develops and manufactures high-tech helmets that are also preferred by many Formula 1 teams. Michael Schumacher, Rubens Barrichello, Ralf Schumacher and Nick Heidfeld rely on the individual and tailor-made helmets.

For tailor-made manufacturing, the 3D digitizing system ATOS II, a product of GOM, records the shape of the racing driver's head precisely, quickly and completely.

During a Formula 1 race, forces occur that are four times the amount of the gravitational acceleration. In order to allow for best possible protection, convenient wearing and mobility, a light, stable and compact helmet is required that is individually adapted in shape and upholstery. For this purpose, a special layered structure with a high-performance carbon fiber is used, the material of which the Formula 1 monocoque chassis are made of as well.

For optimizing the shape of the helmet, reducing its weight and improving aerodynamics, it is important to precisely and completely record the individual shape of the driver's head.

For measuring, the hair is pressed on the head by means of a rubber skin in order to simulate the force of pressure of the helmet. Then, the ATOS system measures the head from different directions to completely digitize it.

In the areas of the driver's face and ears, digitization is also performed with the helmet on, in order to later transform the point cloud of the head into the coordinate system of the helmet.

The result: A polygonal network which completely describes the shape of the head in detail. Then, using CAD, the helmet is constructed around the head. In case of suggestions regarding optimization - e.g. from the wind tunnel - it is possible to immediately check, if all minimum distances between helmet and head are met.

Due to the Schuberth technology and the GOM measuring system, Rubens Barrichello's helmet just weighs 1050 grams and thus is about 500 g lighter than his old helmet. That way, during a race, the muscles of the neck are essentially relieved. The slender form of the helmet results in less air resistance and better streaming to the air box. Therefore, an increased power of 10 HP is available.

Fig. 1: ATOS digitization R. Barrichello


Fig. 2: Measuring images



Fig. 3: Special helmet: Measuring for data transformation into the coordinate system of the helmet


Fig. 4: Measured and helmet data

[ds.raikkonen]

ok...thanks..and what about SHOEI helmets? dont they use them?

[scarbs]

Shoei haven't been in F1 for some years.

Bell, Sparco, Arai, Schuberthe; are the current ones I can think of

[ds.raikkonen]

Shoei haven't been in F1 for some years.

Bell, Sparco, Arai, Schuberthe; are the current ones I can think of

ya..ive only seen bikers wearing them lately

[Ian P.]

I seem to recall that back in the Benneton days, Michael S. once commented that if he scrunched down lower and moved his head to the side, he gained 300 rpm at the end of a straight.
Most likely the air off the top of the helmet getting into the intake better.
It's little things like that, that set him apart from the rest of the crowd.
Seems that a helmet integrated into the overall configuration of the car can make a difference.

[ds.raikkonen]

I seem to recall that back in the Benneton days, Michael S. once commented that if he scrunched down lower and moved his head to the side, he gained 300 rpm at the end of a straight.
Most likely the air off the top of the helmet getting into the intake better.
It's little things like that, that set him apart from the rest of the crowd.
Seems that a helmet integrated into the overall configuration of the car can make a difference.

Thats interesting, helmets do make a difference then...MC was always known for his involvement with his racing car, unlike Kimi these days. But how can you gain 300rpm by concentrating the air flow at the inlet?

[mx_tifoso]

Thats interesting, helmets do make a difference then...MC was always known for his involvemen.....

Are you refering to manchild or Michael Schumacher(MS)?

[ds.raikkonen]

Thats interesting, helmets do make a difference then...MC was always known for his involvemen.....

Are you refering to manchild or Michael Schumacher(MS)?

oh! sorry ...its of course MS

[Ian P.]

But how can you gain 300rpm by concentrating the air flow at the inlet?

Not so much as concentrating but avoiding disruption of the air inlet to the snorkle.
If you notice on virtually all the cars, the lower edge of the inlet is very close to the level of the top of the helmet. Also there is usually a 2-4 cm extension of the snorkel forward right at the base of the inlet opening. Presumeably to avoid boundary and edge effects to get a clean and consistent flow to te intake.