why consumer cars have crumple zones for safety yet racing cars have roll cages

Question

It’s always struck me as odd that crumple zones help absorb impacts which makes cars safer. Yet race cars have roll cages which make them safer.

In: 187

Answer 1

Race cars have hard roll cages because they are more likely to flip and roll and since there they are travelling at such high speeds and (usually) have less car around them than a street car they need a stronger support cage around the driver. Race cars are so aerodynamically tuned to have air flow over the car in a certain direction that if that air direction changes suddenly then it can actually generate lift and send the car flying through the air. Additionally because the cars are travelling so fast that if they slid of the track and catch the grass or sand around a track the sudden deceleration can also send the car flipping through the air. The faster the speeds the longer it takes for that energy to disperse so again you need a stronger more structurally sound frame to protect the driver.