FIA European Drag Racing Championshp to introduce new safety devices for 2023 season
The FIA has revealed it will supply an Impact Data Recorder (IDR) to each team competing within the FIA European Drag Racing Championship (EDRC) this year to enhance safety for competitors.
The FIA IDR – developed jointly with AiM Technologies – is a lightweight low-cost electronic solution which will be installed in the cockpit to gather impact data during incidents on track. Data collected during the IDR’s two-year lifespan will be used by the FIA so it can better understand the causes of different types of incidents.
In addition to the IDR, the FIA will also introduce a grip measuring device (KEG) to further enhance safety on track. The KEG will enable the grip level of various drag strips to be measured to collect data to define minimum traction and track standards. These regulations will then be implemented from 2024 onward.
The grip data collected by the FIA will also be provided to teams to enable them to choose the right vehicle setup in order to maximize performance on race days.
“As the governing body of world motorsport our role is also to ensure that our knowledge and expertise are available to local organizers, promoters and our member clubs, so that the same procedures and practices that are in place in top-level competitions are cascaded at national and regional levels,” explained Tim Malyon, safety director, FIA.
“The IDR is a fraction of the cost of the Accident Data Recorder (ADR) used in the FIA World Championships and the introduction of this device to the FIA EDRC is part of our ongoing work to improve safety in the sport of drag racing.”
