Cars
Ferrari’s Technological Innovations Part 7: The Terrible Joys of Enzo and the Sigma GP for Safety
The Sigma GP, a collaboration between Ferrari and Pininfarina, pioneered safety in Formula 1 with innovative design elements like deformable structures, anti-fire fuel systems, and improved driver protection.
Perhaps not everyone knows that Enzo Ferrari loved writing and did so with great communicative skill. His books Piloti che gente and Le mie gioie terribili (My Terrible Joys) are essential documents for understanding him. These books, transcending the emotional impact of current events, serve as permanent testimonies of experiences that, in Enzo Ferrari's case, often included the tragic loss of those he chose to drive his cars. It’s no surprise that he, along with many on his staff, including his son Piero, contributed significantly to a project proposed by the Swiss magazine Automobil Revue for the creation of a Formula 1 concept car designed with safety in mind.
The construction and design of the model were entrusted to Pininfarina, while Ferrari supplied the entire mechanical system: engine, transmission, steering, suspension, wheels, and braking system, all derived from the Formula 1 cars of the previous season, 1967. The car was built in 1968 and displayed in Geneva in 1969. Driver protection addressed all potential consequences of accidents, whether caused by collisions with other cars, impacts with barriers, or the high risk of fire at the time.
