The American series will test the infamous ‘Windscreen’ on track for the first time, aiming to improve driver safety. Since Justin Wilson’s fatal accident in 2015, IndyCar has been looking for a system that will protect the drivers’ heads and it seems like the ‘Windscreen’ is the ideal candidate.
While in Formula 1 it is known as ‘aeroscreen’, in IndyCar they call it by a more descriptive name: “Windscreen”, perhaps also to distance themselves from the historical rivals. The system that will protect the drivers’ heads continues its process of evolution and for the first time it has been shown while mounted on a chassis, less than one week away from its first dynamic test on track on the 8th of February.
Many doubt its efficiency but, according to RACER Magazine, the ‘Windscreen’ is capable of absorbing the hit of a bird at 600 miles per hour (approximately 960 kilometres per hour), which would not be enough to break it. Despite this, there are still several tests to be completed, such as rain visibility tests and other ‘bullet’ tests.
The key of IndyCar’s ‘Windscreen’ is the material with which it is built. Produced by PPG under the name ‘Opticor’, it is a material which has a higher rigidity than the ones used with these screens in Europe, which would remove the worrying deformation that was observed in the Formula 1 variations of the ‘aeroscreen’ that were tested recently. These screens will also include ‘tear offs’, like the ones used on helmet visors.
The initial idea was having Scott Dixon test the system aborad his Chip Ganassi car on the 9th and 10th of February. Finally, the scheduled plan suffered some changes and instead it will move forward to the 8th, where several rookies will drive around the Phoenix International Raceway. The test will be divided into three parts, starting with the rookies before giving Dixon the chance to test the ‘Windscreen’ under the strongest sun of the day. The third phase will come after the rookies drive again, with a night test under the artificial lights.