This Series revisits past incidents and controversies in Formula One, asking whether the tough questions were ever truly answered. It explores leadership, accountability, and the stories left unresolved, examining what was said, what wasn’t, and what remains outstanding in a sport that rarely looks back.
Formula 1 safety has come a long way from what has been termed “The Killer Years”[1], 1960 to 1976, when the expendability of drivers was quietly accepted. Jack Ickx said it best, “Survival is not a question of talent, but of luck.”
The sport has been forced to evolve through hard lessons, bold innovation and constant pressure from drivers, team management and the late Professor Sid Watkins.
We’ve gone from flimsy cockpits and fireballs to survival cells, HANS devices and the Halo and state-of-the-art Medical Centres and trackside intervention. This blog examines the changes, who drove these changes and how the sport continues to keep drivers, track officials, pit crews, and spectators safe.
[1] Grand Prix , The Killer Year. John. L Mathews. 2016 Arena Sport