By Caleb Whisler, Staff Writer
INDYCAR officials announced today a new safety component set to debut at the INDYCAR Grand Prix.
IndyCar will implement an Advanced Frontal Protection debris deflector, which provides a frontal protection for drivers. The sanctioning body tested the component earlier this week at the open test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
INDYCAR president Jay Frye said this safety component is ready for use in all NTT IndyCar Series events this season.
“Thanks to a phenomenal effort by Dallara and all of the INDYCAR teams, we are ahead of schedule in making this happen,” Frye said.
The AFP component will be bolted on the Dallara IR-18 chassis centerline ahead of the cockpit. It is designed to pish debris away from the driver. The component passed the same load testing as the Indy car roll hoop sitting behind and above the driver.
“It’s great to see that INDYCAR is always pushing safety,” James Hinchcliffe said. “Obviously, this is just Step 1 in an evolution of head protection. But having been hit by a piece of debris that would’ve been prevented with this device, I’m all for it. It’s also comforting to know that behind the scenes we are still working hard on a more comprehensive solution.”
Frye mentioned that this component is “Phase 1 of our solution” to improve cockpit safety with the next phase to be revealed next month.