Ferrari’s Technological Innovations Part 7: The Terrible Joys of Enzo and the Sigma GP for Safety

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 Sigma GP sketch created by Paolo Martin at just 24 years old for Pininfarina.

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.

Displayed at the 1969 Geneva Motor Show, the Sigma GP was revolutionary for its time, featuring technical solutions to safeguard the driver.

The frame, made of Avional aluminum alloy, was designed to protect the driver and featured deformable structures on the sides and front. The seatbelt system included an ingenious anti-whiplash mechanism connected to the helmet, a concept that predated the modern HANS system by 30 years. The deformable structures also served to reduce spray in wet conditions, a challenge still unresolved today.

The Sigma GP’s Avional aluminum alloy chassis was also designed with deformable structures for driver safety.

To combat fires, Ferrari's tire supplier at the time, Firestone, developed multi-layered fuel tanks using technology to prevent leaks. The aircraft-style filler caps further minimized the risk of fuel spills during refueling. Every detail of the car was analyzed with safety in mind, with input from the renowned Belgian driver and journalist Paul Frère, himself a former Ferrari driver.

Fuel fires were common in Formula 1 at the time, as seen in the 1970 Spanish GP with Jacky Ickx’s Ferrari 312B in flames.

This led to the development of much more readable onboard instrumentation – today’s equivalent being the highly visible steering wheel-computer – and a collapsible steering column to protect the driver in frontal impacts.

Hans Herrmann at the 1959 German GP at AVUS suffered brake failure, flipping his car. Miraculously, he escaped with only minor scratches, though many of his contemporaries were less fortunate.

At the 1959 German Grand Prix at AVUS near Berlin, Herrmann experienced the worst possible scenario for a driver: brake failure. The circuit featured only two corners connected by two long straights. Approaching one of these hairpins, his car began to flip. Miraculously, Herrmann was thrown clear, landing unharmed.

The Sigma GP, presented by Pininfarina as a neutral study offered to all teams, attracted considerable attention. However, the adoption of safety-oriented regulations took many years. This remains a relevant topic today, with Ferrari making significant contributions to the field. If Enzo Ferrari were still with us, thanks to this far-sighted work, his gioie terribili would surely be far less terrible.

The Sigma GP was presented as a neutral study by Pininfarina, though it featured Ferrari mechanics. Its goal was to enhance safety, even if the process took many years.