Helmet Spoilers

[HustleRussell]

I have found that in single seaters my helmet is trying to lift at the front.

There is a front spoiler and a rear spoiler available for my helmet.

Does anyone use these spoilers and do they work?

The front one is a chin bar gurney which seems to make sense and it was really cheap so I've ordered one.

Not sure what the rear one is supposed to do?

Edited by HustleRussell on Monday 5th November 13:47

[Altrezia]

The F1 boys don't seem to add them (though I suspect the car aero is 'better' and less on the hat?)..

[HustleRussell]

I don't know about other series but I have definitely seen spoilers like these used on F1 driver's helmets and have heard F1 drivers discussing helmet aero over the radio during test sessions so I presume these spoilers have a practical function for them even though they sit very low in the car and are surrounded by high cockpit sides.

When I was looking for a picture of my model of helmet with the spoilers fitted I happened upon a picture of Alonso's Indycar helmet with a similar chin spoiler and also Sebastian Vettel's helmet with spoilers fitted front and rear.

Whether amateur drivers like me are finding these devices helpful in slower cars is really my question. I'm going a lot slower, maybe 130mph max, but my head and neck are sticking out completely clear of the car's bodywork / screen- very exposed. The lift was so bad that even though the helmet fits properly it was trying to rotate over my head and it was a bit of an effort to keep my chin down so I could see the track and this was probably only 110mph.

[andrewcliffe]

Sometimes on single seaters a tiny little 'windscreen' was sufficient to reduce aero loads on the drivers head.

[sherman]

Altrezia said:

The F1 boys don't seem to add them (though I suspect the car aero is 'better' and less on the hat?)..

They are already moulded into the helmets plastic or clear plastic attachments so as to not hide the sponsors.

[HustleRussell]

andrewcliffe said:

Sometimes on single seaters a tiny little 'windscreen' was sufficient to reduce aero loads on the drivers head.

The car has a little screen but somehow at six foot I seem to be too tall for it? I have made a 'seat' and adjusted the pedals since the last try in an effort to fit better. I have a front and rear spoiler on the way, I'll experiment and update the thread with my findings.

[andrewcliffe]

You may have to make a slightly larger screen.. Our drivers always preferred having a little windscreen do it, rather than having their head buffeted about. Your neck will appreciate it.

I'd experiment with different screens first and see if that fixes it.

Trying to control something which wobbles around by adding stuff to your helmet may not have the desired effect, and may be worse on a windy day.

Out of curiosity what type of car? We used screens on late 1980's Reynard F3, and Dallara F3 from 1998 to 2011 and they worked a treat. The Dallaras from 2005 onwards had high cockpit sides so less of an issue, but the F398 and the Reynard were comparatively exposed.

[HustleRussell]

It's a Lotus 22. It has the standard screen which looks like it should work but I am head and neck above the line of the screen so it's probably of limited use. I've ditched the seat back now so my head will be a couple of inches further back in the car which should help. Can't really get any lower, already sitting on the floor!

[andrewcliffe]

Having looked at a photo I can see. Lovely shape.

I suspect it would only take a tiny amount adding somehow (clip on?) to the standard screen to deflect air enough to stop your helmet buffetting.

[Nampahc Niloc]

Not helpful I know but I just wanted to say lucky you. The lotus 22 is probably my all time favourite car. It just looks the part, with it sleek lines. It’s the perfect example of pre-aero single seaters.

[HustleRussell]

andrewcliffe said:

Having looked at a photo I can see. Lovely shape.

I suspect it would only take a tiny amount adding somehow (clip on?) to the standard screen to deflect air enough to stop your helmet buffetting.

Will certainly look into this if (fingers crossed) driving this car becomes a regular thing. I think I can imagine what you're getting at. I've seen tiny little near vertical screens maybe 2" high on the leading edge of the cockpit on all kinds of cars including F1, I suppose something similar could be fixed onto our screen- the challenge would be making it reversible and not too ugly!

Nampahc Niloc said:

Not helpful I know but I just wanted to say lucky you. The lotus 22 is probably my all time favourite car. It just looks the part, with it sleek lines. It’s the perfect example of pre-aero single seaters.

Thanks, I'm a lucky boy. The car is my Dad's and he has raced it all season. He's been offering to let me have a go all season but I always declined as I was petrified of buzzing the engine or something and ruining his weekend.

For me the Lotus 33 is ‘the archetypal racing car’ even though it proceeds me by over 20 years, the 22 obviously pretty similar looking although in this case it’s a Formula Junior with the 1100cc engine rather than the Grand Prix version

I did do one session at the last event of the year at Silverstone but to be honest found it bloody stressful, seating position and belts were all wrong, my boots (11s) were getting wedged in the chassis tubes so I couldn't get off the throttle onto the brake cleanly, the car has 5 ratios in 4 speed casing so as well as being a wrong-handed shift it's a dog-leg first, the gait is pretty vague and it obviously has no centralising springs to help you navigate, the engine doesn't really deliver the goods until 7k+ but I had a self-enforced limit of 9k so it was tough just to keep it on cam, I had been told by Hewland not to use the clutch on the upshift or downshift to conserve the gearbox which is bloody tricky considering excuses 1 through 5^, and to cap it all off I had Formula 3 cars and Formula Ford 2000s on slicks running rings around me in the slow corners and appearing on my outside at corner exit when I was trying to get the engine to come on! I had so many bruises when I got out because I was moving about in the car and bracing myself with my knees against the dash, and belting my elbow on the chassis every time I exited Woodcote and went for 5th. Worst thing about it was how bloody slow I was!

Incidentally Dad is 6'3 and says he has no trouble with helmet buffeting. He uses no seat at all, sitting directly on the floor with his back propped up against the fuel tank. I’m really fussy about pedal setup and seating position but none of this stuff seems to bother him in the slightest.

[HustleRussell]

Session one, lap zero, gearbox exploded in pit exit!