This paper presents the design detail of the Lear Extractable Safety Seat, which has been developed in conjunction with the FIA and Stewart Grand Prix for use in the Formula One race car cockpit.
The seat is designed for use in the event of an accident that renders the driver incapacitated. The Extractable Seat allows the driver to be fully immobilized for extrication without the need for torso manipulation. This minimizes the risk of exacerbating any potential spinal injuries, while allowing for efficient removal of the driver from the cockpit.
The seat was introduced at the 1998 Japanese Grand Prix, and the design has now been specified by the FIA as mandatory for all formula one cars from the 1999 season and beyond.
Continued developments are currently underway for the next generation seat in order to improve efficiency of the system and address issues from its first season of implementation. The status of these developments is also presented in this paper.
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