Tecpro Barriers is the Safety Innovation of the year 2007

Over six years in development this three-layer barrier formed in interconnecting sections is capable of absorbing the energy of a 200 Km/h impact while keeping the g-force experienced by the driver to tolerable levels.

The research program that led to the barrier's development was triggered by Michael Schumacher's accident at Silverstone in 1999, when he sustained a broken leg but was lucky to escape head injuries.

The work was led on behalf of de FIA Institute by FIA ingenior, who developed the concept of the whole barrier and defined the tests in close collaboration with the automobile safety group, DEKRA in Germany.

Using a combination of data from real-life accidents, computer simulation and physical tests, FIA ingenior determined which barrier design would give the driver tre ideal momentum in a crash. A 4m-deep barrier concept was developed featuring a row of energy-absorbing blocks from French compagny, TecPro International, rows of tires filled with poly-aethylen ans a moveable retaining wall supplied by Hermann Spengler GmbH in Germany.
A final test at 187 Km/h showed the barrier could decelerate the driver at 55g, well within acceptable limits. The barriers were deployed for the first time in a Formula 1 race in September 2006 at Monza, Italy.