Breaking news
Formula 1
Mercedes-designed breathing aids approved for use in the UK
A breathing aid that has received design input from Mercedes’ Formula 1 engineers has received approval for use in the NHS to aid COVID-19 patients in the UK.
Luke Smith
Edited: Mar 30, 2020, 3:46 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
As the impact of the coronavirus pandemic continues to be felt around the world, F1 teams have committed to lending their engineering capabilities to support health services through the ‘Project Pitlane’ scheme.
In conjunction with mechanical engineers at University College London, Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrain - the F1 team’s engine division - helped reverse engineer a breathing device.
The Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) breathing aid is designed to keep COVID-19 patients out of intensive care, and has already been used extensively in Italy and China.
According to UCL, 50% of patients in Italy who were given CPAP avoided the need for invasive mechanical ventilation.
With the UK facing a CPAP shortage, engineers worked around the clock at UCL’s campus on the project, and managed to achieve the first device production less than 100 hours from the first meeting on Wednesday March 18.
The device has now received approval from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.
One hundred devices will be used at University College Hospital for clinical trials before rapid roll-out to hospitals across the country.
“The Formula 1 community has shown an impressive response to the call for support, coming together in the ‘Project Pitlane’ collective to support the national need at this time across a number of different projects,” said Mercedes HPP chief Andy Cowell.
“We have been proud to put our resources at the service of UCL to deliver the CPAP project to the highest standards and in the fastest possible timeframe.”
Professor Tim Baker of UCL Mechanical Engineering added: “Given the urgent need, we are thankful that we were able to reduce a process that could take years down to a matter of days.
“From being given the brief, we worked all hours of the day, disassembling and analysing an off-patent device. Using computer simulations, we improved the device further to create a state-of-the-art version suited to mass production.
“We were privileged to be able to call on the capability of Formula 1 – a collaboration made possible by the close links between UCL Mechanical Engineering and HPP.”
The British government has placed an order for 10,000 ventilators with a consortium that includes the seven UK-based F1 teams, as well as engineering giants Airbus, BAE Systems and Ford.
Government officials predicted they needed 30,000 ventilators, but currently only has 8,000 in use, with a further 8,000 on order from international suppliers.
Consortium chief Dick Elsy said: “This consortium brings together some of the most innovative companies in the world. I am confident this consortium has the skills and tools to make a difference and save lives.”
6
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article How to choose your best F1 image when you have taken millions
Next article Marko wanted to create 'Corona camp' to infect Red Bull drivers
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Luke Smith
1998 Belgian GP: When the Schumachers went to war
Formula 1
Formula 1 Jul 22, 2025
1998 Belgian GP: When the Schumachers went to war
The race that transformed perceptions of Red Bull
Formula 1
Formula 1 Apr 19, 2023
The race that transformed perceptions of Red Bull
Hamilton in the process of selecting Brad Pitt’s co-star for F1 movie
Formula 1
Formula 1 Feb 18, 2023
Hamilton in the process of selecting Brad Pitt’s co-star for F1 movie
More from
Mercedes
‘Lewis suspected a conspiracy’ – Nico Rosberg explains how Lewis Hamilton F1 rivalry went awry at Mercedes
Formula 1
Formula 1 19 h
‘Lewis suspected a conspiracy’ – Nico Rosberg explains how Lewis Hamilton F1 rivalry went awry at Mercedes
Kimi Antonelli meets Italian president Sergio Mattarella
Formula 1
Formula 1 1 d
Kimi Antonelli meets Italian president Sergio Mattarella
Latest news
You Ask The Questions: Jack Miller
MotoGP
Qatar GP
You Ask The Questions: Jack Miller
Why the anticlimactic WEC title showdown was the worst-case scenario
WEC
WEC WEC
Monza
1 h
Why the anticlimactic WEC title showdown was the worst-case scenario
How Istanbul is revamping its F1 circuit to clinch long-term future
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Turkish GP
2 h
How Istanbul is revamping its F1 circuit to clinch long-term future
The ten closest finishes from the 2026 NASCAR season
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup 19 h
The ten closest finishes from the 2026 NASCAR season
Feature
Discover prime content
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Formula 1
By Kevin Turner
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe