F1 can prepare itself for more night races because of a new flood listing technology which has been developed by Swiss debris fence maker Geobrugg in partnership with lighting provider DZ Engineering SRL. The reason this listing system is viable because of the cost -- and the fact that it can be adapted by most race tracks around the world. DZ Engineering already supplies lights to the Singapore GP. Its technology allows the lights to be fitted on the debris fences which will allow night races to happen in a cost-effective way at most F1 tracks. The lights are on poles that are fixed to the base, with the concrete sections added to the debris fences on the top for stability.
There could be more night races in the future thanks to this new technology
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"Geobrugg's range of FIA-homologated debris fences have a 'plug-in and play' philosophy at their heart, so to develop a new, lighting-friendly system to simplify the process of hosting night races is another positive step forward. It also links into another key element of our ethos, which is cost-effectiveness. Night races can be expensive, particularly on temporary venues such as street circuits, so by combining the costs of those two systems together, we could see increased feasibility for these events to take place," Jochen Braunwarth, Geobrugg's Director of Motorsport solutions.
Both the companies have already done several crash tests to ensure that the lighting system is not compromised by the potential impact of a car on a debris fence. In one test, a one-tonne car crashed into the barrier at 120 kmph and there was no movement in the lighting pole.
These new floodlights can be installed on the debris fences
"We're very satisfied with the system's performance during both crash tests, and it's been a great exercise to combine our resources with Geobrugg to open up a new avenue of development in this area. I hope this means that other championships get to benefit from spectacular night races that appeal to fans worldwide," said Roberto Grilli, GM of DZ Engineering.
