The reconstruction of the F1 driver Zhou’s accident, saved by the Halo

Crashalong is a Youtube channel that recreates Formula 1 accident scenes in 3D. This is not the first video that the YouTuber has recreated in 3D, and the images are increasingly impressive in terms of quality and realism.

To better understand the accident experienced by the Chinese pilot, these 3D reconstructions are essential. Based on real TV images, they show the moments when certain safety elements of the cockpit roof give way and how the driver becomes trapped between the tire wall and the fence.

3D reconstruction:

The accident took place at the start of the British Grand Prix, during the Sunday race. (Weekend in sprint format with two races). Guanyu Zhou starts and keeps his trajectory on the left side. George Russell, by his side, seems to take a trajectory to close the first turn and therefore leaves some space between the two cars. Pierre Gasly then tries to insert himself after a better start. Unfortunately for the AlphaTauri driver, George Russell closes the gap and hits Gasly’s right front tire with his left rear tire. At this speed, Russell’s car loses control and is thrown onto Zhou’s car, on the far left of the track.

That’s when the unexpected begins. Zhou’s car spins out of control and with the impact is launched into the air, performing a somersault. The Alfa Romeo then slides on the ground, overturned, with the only protection for the driver being the halo and the roll hoop above the helmet air intake.

With the heat, speed, and impact, the roll hoop gives way as it goes over the rumble strips, and the driver is then saved by their halo, the only protective appendage to prevent being crushed by the nearly 700 kilograms of their single-seater.

Once reaching the gravel area, the race car spins again and comes to a stop against the safety fence, after the tire wall intended to reduce the impact force. The race car then falls between the two protective systems: the fence and the tire walls. The driver is then trapped and unable to extricate themselves on their own.

Without any fire, the commissioners were thus able to take all the necessary measures and time to safely extract the pilot. More impressive than anything else, the Chinese driver was able to compete the following weekend in Austria, without any injuries.

This accident highlights, however, two important safety points to address in the future: The roll hoop above the driver’s head should not have given way, and the fencing, once the single-seater was intercepted, left too much space with the tire wall to restrain the driver in this cramped area.

The FIA will introduce new stricter measures from 2023 onwards.