Formula 1 Reimagined With Closed Cockpits And Simpler Aero
By Paulo Acoba
“There once was a time when the racing world was ruled by savage beasts.”
Dutch designer and overall F1 fanatic Andries Van Overbeeke has masterfully reimagined a couple of Formula 1’s greatest racecars and added his own practical twist. Van Overbeeke answers a simple question. What if Formula 1 returned to the savage competition that defined its golden era without sacrificing safety and competition? Van Overbeeke, with the help of a little computer-aided design, realistically answered these questions by designing what this would actually look like. That means a closed cockpit for improved safety and simpler aero.
Click HERE to check out all his work and specifically these three galleries on F1 reimagined.
Formula 1 in all its history has never had closed cockpits. In 2009, two accidents defined and pushed Overbeeke to unleash his creative powers to put pen to digital paper. Felipe Massa, factory driver for Ferrari’s F1 team suffered a massive skull fracture when a rear spring from the suspension of another car hit him straight on the helmet. A few weeks earlier, Henry Surtees (son of legendary driver John Surtees) was killed from a wheel and tire that also struck his head from another car during a Formula 2 race. Overbeeke takes away the roll hoop and puts on a closed canopy. What results is an elegant piece of work.
Then there’s the competition of it all. With design constricted by aerodynamics with the most successful teams invariably having the better aero from investing large amounts of money into research and development, the teams not so well endowed with investors are left at the back of the pack. Subsequently, when two cars do approach each other, it’s risky business for both drivers as the cars aerodynamics are disturbed. Overbeeke simplifies the aero, adds wider rear tires and makes passing commonplace (i.e. more exciting for everyone.)
The current Formula 1 program stifles innovation and competition, two things that make racing boring and dull for both competitors and fans. What Overbeek has done is realistically offered some real-world solutions. His designs not only look beautiful, but practical. Formula 1 management, please take notice.