The safety message at this year’s Vodafone Rally of Portugal is clear – do not touch the cars!
The advent of Rally1 with hybrid systems, faster and with more embedded technology, has brought new challenges in safety. Despite being extremely safe for everyone involved, the new Rally1 uses a set of high voltage batteries that can, in the event of an accident, be lethal.
The FIA ensures that the highest safety standards are met and requires the presence of a series of protection and warning measures. Batteries are enclosed in a shockproof carbon fibre case and all cars are equipped with two safety circuit breakers.
In addition, there are three warning lights: red, green and blue. It is crucial that everyone involved is aware of the red one that represents danger and requires the intervention of specific and specially trained security teams. This light alert is accompanied by an audible warning that signals danger. Even when the cars are stopped, it is mandatory to have a coloured plate indicating the state of the car (green which means no danger and red which indicates any problem).
As per the regulations, on the special stages, the rescue teams are 10 minutes, or less, from any accident zone. The FIA continuously monitors the status of the hybrid system, so any problems are immediately detected.
That's why the message conveyed to spectators is to never touch the cars or give in to the temptation to help drivers when they leave the track or have any kind of accident. If in doubt, all cars should be treated as having a red light, posing a danger to themselves and others.