Coronavirus: F1 teams unite to respond to health crisis

2020-03-29T15:00:24.857Z

With an unrivaled capacity for innovation and production, the world of Formula 1 is teaming up to meet the demand for medical equipment across the Channel.

Divergences and struggles for influence are temporarily put on hold in the small world of Formula 1. As in most sports, the ultimate race in motorsport is making its contribution to the fight against Coronavirus .

Thus, the “Pitlane Project” was born on Friday. In a health context that wants to be more and more pressing across the Channel as the milestone of 1,000 deaths linked to the Covid-19 was exceeded this Saturday, the seven teams based in the United Kingdom - Mercedes, Red Bull, McLaren, Renault , Racing Point, Haas and Williams - have been tasked with pooling their engineering expertise in response to the British government's appeal to the private sector and industry in a logic of national effort in the design of medical material. Given the know-how of the Formula 1 engineers and their above-normal production capacity, this "Pitlane Project" is appropriate.

Introducing Project Pitlane pic.twitter.com/J1bcOf9XSn

- Formula 1 (@ F1) March 27, 2020

Search for a new artificial respirator prototype

Thus, this initiative includes three areas of work, as indicated on the official Formula 1 website. In addition to supporting the production of respirators as they are used today, engineers are responsible for designing and then producing a new prototype artificial respirator which, subject to certification, will be mass produced. "The Pitlane Project will draw on the resources of each member of the teams in the greatest efficiency, based on the heart of the skills of the F1 industry: rapid design, prototyping, testing and assembly "Announced the teams concerned in a statement. This initiative is nothing new, however, since Ferrari had announced that it would support the effort to produce artificial respirators in a submerged Italy a week ago.

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When the stables are invited to observe their traditional summer break, the engineers remain on deck and participate in the collective effort. These same "teams" are also available to health authorities for any other project: "The seven stables remain ready to intervene in other areas requiring a rapid and innovative technological response to the unique challenge of the Covid-19 pandemic . " Who said that Formula 1 was alone in the world?