Formula1 is often about setting a car up to suit the needs of the driver, but there can be no part more intimately linked to the driver than the seat. Literally moulded to their shape, the modern seat is a far more complex piece of engineering than the foam moulded seat used in the old days.
A feature of every F1 car since 1996, the cockpit headrest padding has evolved to become a critical safety feature. Introduced as part of the response to the incidents of 1994 and in particular the Wendlinger Monaco accident, the regulations are now very specific in regards to the shape and material of the padding. Although outwards these are simple pads, their design is tightly governed by the regulation the final detail is balanced between the drivers and the aerodynamicists.