World Rally Championship Drivers Made Safer with ARPRO®ARPRO® helps World Rally Championship cars meet FIA mandate for side impact protectionJSP, the leading supplier of ARPRO expanded polypropylene (EPP), is supplying a number of leading WRC teams with side-impact protection measures in line with the FIA's safety mandate for 2008. The FIA has delivered an improved safety package for World Rally Championship cars, where a new Advanced Side Impact System will aim to reduce side impact injuries to drivers and co-drivers. The advanced side-impact safety measures are the first of a number to be introduced. Safety nets, energy absorbers, extra head space and belt anchorages made their debut in the World Rally Championship cars at the Monte Carlo Rally in January. Mid-season will see improvements to the seats and seat-rails, with an enhanced door safety cage also in development. "Protecting the driver and co-driver is of paramount importance," explains Paul Compton, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Europe of JSP. "ARPRO is strong enough to help the car protect its occupants, yet light enough to preserve the World Rally Championship cars' competitive edge." ARPRO expanded polypropylene provides a unique combination of material properties, making it ideal for use in a wide range of motorsport and automotive products. JSP is expert at tailoring ARPRO for specific applications, where the material can reduce system mass by 25% to 35%. Its extremely high strength-to-weight ratio is particularly beneficial in motorsport safety, withstanding multiple impacts without significant deformation and returning to its original shape following dynamic stress. "In the World Rally Championship, harsh conditions are not an issue for ARPRO, as it is unaffected when exposed to most chemicals such as oil, grease and petrol," continues Compton. The advanced side impact system, developed by the FIA's Closed Car Research Group, is designed to save rally crews from serious injury in the event of a high speed side-on collision with a solid object. To protect the driver and co-driver, the ARPRO side impact energy absorber is incorporated within the door cavities and/or between the inside door panel and the outside of the seat. JSP's World Rally Championship contribution follows on from its recent success at the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) awards ceremony. The plastics specialist and its client BMW won a 'Grand Innovation Award' for its seat design. Crucial to winning the award was the fact that they met all the design criteria: strength and stiffness, functionality and security, weight and cost.
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