Northstarmotorsports Logo
xxx

NORTHSTAR MOTORSPORTS BLOG

View additional titles by mousing over any of the links below

Northstar Motorsports
Products
Formula One
New Vehicles
Racing Info
Racetrack Info
Karting
Northstar Newsletters
Pagid Racing Brake Pad Bedding-In Procedure Video
Pagid Racing Brake Pad Compound Overview Video
HANS Device Review and Demo Video
Introducing Northstar Motorsports GIFT GUIDE!
Northstar Motorsports Video Compares OMP Driving Suits - Entry Level to Top of the Line
Northstar Motorsports Video Compares Entry Level, Composite and Carbon Fiber SA2015 Auto Racing Helmets
Northstar Motorsports Video Compares an SA2015 Auto Racing Helmet vs an M Rated Motorcycle Helmet
Northstar Motorsports Video Demonstrates the Proper Fit for an Auto Racing Helmet
Northstar Motorsports Sponsors Hole at Recent PCA Golf Outing
Northstar hosts Windy City BMW Club Tech Session - February 7, 2015
Northstar Motorsports Unveils Its New Website
PCA Fall Tech Session held at Euroquipe, St Charles, IL - November 3, 2013
Northstar Motorsports Named Offical Safety Equipment Supplier of MVP Track Time
Northstar Motorsports Selected For Exhibit at Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago
Northstar Develops a Spring Safety Equipment Checklist
Northstar Motorsports Attends OMP Worldwide Dealer Meeting in Italy
Northstar Customers Qualify Well for Races at Daytona
Northstar's John Ruther to Speak at Winter Bench Racing Session at VFC Engineering
Northstar Provides Pagid Brake Pads and other Equipment to several teams running in the 2008 Rolex 24 at Daytona
Northstar Motorsports to Sponsor Golf Outing with Michael Andretti to Benefit the Homeless
Northstar Motorsports Provides Safety Equipment for Stunt Drivers in New Batman Movie
Northstar Motorsports Sponsors SCCAs June Sprints
Americans Like White, the World Likes Silver in New Color Popularity Report
MTM Audi TT RS Packs Up To 424 Horsepower, 185 mph Top Speed
Ferrari Preparing Hardcore 599 GTO?
Another Day, Another Racing 911: Introducing the Porsche GT3 R
Car and Driver Runs Porsche Panamera turbo in The 24 Hours of Dayton
Seven New Porsche Models Reportedly Due Over Next Four Years...Could There Be More?
BMW M3 GTS is Unveiled!
Evidence Mounting That 2010 Audi S4 is Underrated
Porsche 911 GT3 RS Reportedly Laps the 'Ring' in 7:33
From the Prancing Horse's Mouth: Montezemolo Reportedly Confirms Ferrari 458 Spider
Porsche Unveils 2010 911 GT3 Cup Racecar Ahead of Frankfurt Auto Show Debut
Porsche Unveils Sportier 2010 911 GT3RS
First Images of Gemballa's Mistrale Modified Porsche Panamera Surface
GM Reveals Details on New Chevrolet Corvette C6.R GT2 for ALMS
Ruf Updates Its Lineup With the 685 HP RT12S
2010 Ford Mustang GT500 Production Limited to 2,000 Units
In Car Navigation Systems Set To Go 3D?
BMW Considering Offering M3 GT4 to Gentlemen Racers
BMW Readies It's New M5 To Arrive Sometime in 2011 or 2012
Porsche Driving Pointers With and Without ABS
Jaguar UK Launches a New Police Package for XF
Audi Dropping 3.2 Liter V6 From 2010 A3, A4 and TT
2010 Porsche 911 GT3 runs the 'Ring in 7:40
BMW M3 GT4 to Campaign in Nurburgring 24-Hour Enduro
Homewood, AL Has a Porsche 930 Turbo As Its Latest Police Car
Audi Releases More Details on the R15 TDI
Porsche Unveils the New 2010 GT3 at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show
Porsche Unveils Updated 911GT3 for 2010
New Porsche Museum Opens This Week in Stuttgart
Spy Shots of New Porsche 911 GT3 RS
Porsche Unveils its Latest GT3 RSR
Audi Motorsport Announces New R8 LMS GT3 Customer Racecar

F1 Cockpit Protection, Competition Harnesses

Peter Sygieda
Published: 2012-10-15 11:37:06
Last Updated: 2012-10-15 08:54:33

F1 Cockpit Protection  - Part 2

This blog will be about Competition Harnesses in a Formula 1 car as well as other race cars.

F1 Competition Harnesses attach to the car's monocoque. They are made of specially woven polyester and consist of schoulder straps, lap straps and crotch (or anti-submarine) straps all meeting at a central camlock or buckle. Most FIA approved harnesses are made of polyester rather than Nylon since Polyester has a much slower degradation to light (UV), is much more resistent to acids like battery acid and also they do not absorb moisture. In addition, Polyester has a much better force/elongation ratio than does Nylon so this webbing can convert more energy than Nylon can.  

Everyone of us amateur racers is also required to have this type of safety harness in our racecars. There are many different brands of safety harnesses on the market, however the best known and our best seller at Northstar Motorsports are made in Germany by Schroth. Schroth is at the forefront of safety in all forms of competitive motorsport. These Schroth Harnesses have an engineering advantage over the competition, and feature solutions to common installation pitfalls. Schroth harnesses also come in many different configurations and are available in standard 3" widths for lap and shoulder belts and also a  2" lap belt with a 2"/3" combination shoulder strap for use with a HANS Device.  All of Schroth's harnesses are FIA approved so they have an approved life of 5 years. Many belts which are made of Nylon are only SFI approved and are good for only 2 years. So be careful about harnesses that appear to be a "really good deal". Most of these are only SFI approved (rather than FIA) and you will need to replace them 2 1/2 times more frequently than an FIA approved harness.

The idea of the harness in the racecar such as described above is for the driver to be able to undo the belts with a single hand movement so he can get out of the car quickly. It is a simple device, yet responsible for so many saved lives in racing around the world. 

 See you next month for yet another inside the Cockpit Protection blog.


by Peter Sygieda
Sales Manager
Northstar Motorsports