F1 deaths: F1 drivers who became victims of thrilling speed

F1 is one of the most dangerous sports in the world, and even though the car manufacturers take every step possible to ensure the safety of the drivers, sometimes it is not enough. Throughout the course of a season, we see multiple accidents on track, which often damage a car beyond repair.

Thanks to modern technology, these crashes don’t result in fatal injuries as frequently as they used to back in the day. In spite of that, sometimes we do bear witness to awful injuries or even worse during a Grand Prix weekend. Some of the past’s most notable fatal accidents involve Ayrton Senna, Jules Bianchi, and Anthoine Hubert.

All these accidents saddened the entire sporting community and brought about huge changes to the safety implementations in F1, including the introduction of the Halo device.

Also read: Audi rules out Mick Schumacher from driver programme after Mercedes move

Ayrton Senna: 1994 San Marino Grand Prix

Senna’s fatal crash at the 1994 San Marino GP was arguably one of the darkest days in sporting history. He was a legend in the sport, with three World Titles to his name, and could possibly have added another to his list that year.

However, he lost control of his car and hit a concrete barrier. The injuries he sustained led to his death, and it was the first fatal crash in F1 in over 12 years. After investigation, it was determined that mechanical failure to the crash.

Jules Bianchi: 2014 Japanese Grand Prix

Senna’s accident in Imola changed the way F1 cars were designed, and newer safety measures were imposed. On top of that, the FIA also decided to remove all exposed concrete barriers from race tracks, and replaced them with rubber padding.

However, at the 2014 Japanese GP in Suzuka, Jules Bianchi suffered a horrible crash under safety car conditions. The weather was treacherous that afternoon, and a recovery crane was brought out when the SC came out. Bianchi lost control of his car and it crashed into the crane, which led to several critical head injuries.

The Marussia driver fought for his life for several months, but succumbed to his injuries in July of 2015.

Also read: After Lionel Messi, Carlos Sainz Senior & Junior get honoured with bishts

Anthoine Hubert:  2019 Spa-Francorchamps Formula 2 round

Hubert’s fatal crash at Spa Francorchamps in 2019 shocked everyone, because it proved that the Halo device did not guarantee safety. The Frenchman was driving for BWT Arden in the F2 Sprint race ahead of the Belgian GP when he suffered a crash involving Juan Manuel Correa.

After losing control his car, Hubert hit the barriers and bounced back into the middle of the track. Correa’s car hit him at full speed, which led to severe injuries for both drivers. Unfortunately for Hubert, the injuries he sustained were fatal, and he passed away that weekend.

All drivers, officials and fans paid tribute to the promising young driver who tragically lost his life that afternoon.

Safety in F1 over the years

In the early days of F1, the safety standards for drivers in F1 were woeful compared to what they are today. There were far more accidents and deaths in those days, but the organization always worked hard towards making the sport safer for everyone.

The design on an F1 car has changed accordingly over the years and new safety elements have been added to the cars. The most recent development that was the introduction of the Halo device. When it was first introduced, several people including Lewis Hamilton criticized it because of how it looked.

However, since the device was added, it has saved a number of drivers from suffering horrific injuries including Guanyu Zhou, Charles Leclerc and even Hamilton!

With so many safety measures taken into account today, it is easy to forget that F1 remains one of the most dangerous sports in the world. However, one thing is sure. The sharpest minds in the sport will never stop looking for ways to make the sport even safer.