Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe
Autosport Plus

How F1-inspired safety tech is filtering down to the grassroots

Lightweight bladder technologies developed by ATL have dominated F1 since 1988, but it's an altogether different crowd that the company wants to convert

Engineering

Our experts' guide on how you can become a better racing driver

With the hectic launch season over and done with and the new Formula 1 season now well under way, suppliers up and down the country are breathing deep sighs of relief. At the Aero Tec Laboratories (ATL) warehouse in Bletchley, it is almost palpable.

Founded in 1970 by American hobby racer Peter Regna, ATL supplies every team on the grid with safety fuel cells, which makes the run from October to April its busiest period of the year. With each hand-made bladder taking up to 150 man hours to assemble, and some F1 teams going through dozens of iterations before settling on a final design - which could well change again during the season - it's a long and arduous process.

Previous article Obituary: F2 and touring car ace Hubert Hahne - 1935-2019
Next article Jacques Villeneuve to race in Scandinavian Porsche Carrera Cup

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe