While Max Verstappen at Silverstone experienced a dream start at the front, there was a horror crash at the back of the field. Miraculously, Formula 1 driver Guanyu Zhou was probably unhurt.
Miraculously, Formula 1 driver Guanyu Zhou survived a horrific accident at the Silverstone Grand Prix without serious injuries. The Chinese overturned in his Alfa Romeo shortly after the start on Sunday after a collision with Mercedes driver George Russell and crashed over the tire barriers into the safety fence. The race was stopped immediately. After anxious minutes, Zhou’s team announced that the 23-year-old was fine. “He speaks and doesn’t seem to have any external injuries,” Alfa team manager Beat Zehnder told Sky TV.
Halo probably saves Zhou’s life
Zhou was taken to the track hospital on a stretcher. Several cars were involved in the violent accident. Frenchman Pierre Gasly had touched Russell’s Mercedes in the Alpha Tauri when attempting to overtake. The Silver Arrow driver then crashed into Zhou’s car, which spun and went headlong off the track.
Vital for Zhou: the so-called halo system. The “halo” is the bracket that wraps around the rider’s head and connects to the chassis at three points – hence the translation “halo”. Official name: “Secondary Roll Structure”. The bracket is made of titanium, weighs nine kilograms and, according to the International Automobile Federation (FIA) standard 8869-2018, must withstand loads of up to 12.5 tons. He probably saved Zhou’s life on Sunday.