"SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT FOR THE TWENTIETH CENTURY FORMULA ONE DRIVER. THIS HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE. MANY EARLY DRIVERS ORE OPEN NECK SHIRTS AND TROUSERS ON HOT DAYS AND AT BEST, COTTON OVERALLS WERE THE NORM FOR MANY YEARS. PROTECTION FROM FIRE IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS TO GUARANTEE DRIVER SAFETY. THE COLORFUL SUITS THAT DRIVERS WEAR ARE DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND 8 CRITICAL SECONDS OF FIRE EXPOSURE AND ARE MADE OF LIGHTWEIGHT FIRE PROOF NOMEX FIBRES. HELMETS AN UNWANTED SIDE-EFFECT OF HIGH SPEED OPEN WHEELER RACING IS THAT THE HELMET AREA SUFFERS THE MOST TURBULENCE. MICHAEL SCHUMACHER IN CONJUNCTION WITH SCHUBERTH HELPED DEVELOP THE FIRST LIGHTWEIGHT CARBON HELMET. TO HELP REDUCE THE STRAIN ON THE DRIVER'S NECK MUSCLES, FROM G FORCES AND MINIMIZE DRIVER FATIGUE FROM HIGH WIND SPEEDS. STEERING WHEEL THE STEERING WHEEL HAS VOLVED OVER THE LAST CENTURY OF RACING. WHAT WAS ONCE JUST A RUDIMENTARY WOODEN WHEEL ON SPOKES IS NOW A HIGH TECH COMMAND CENTRE FOR THE MODERN FORMULA ONE CAR "