HANS inventor Robert Hubbard dies

Robert Hubbard, the inventor of one of the most important motorsport safety inventions of all time, the HANS Device, has passed away.

As the company HANS Performance Products reports today, Dr. Ing. Robert Hubbard died yesterday in his family circle.

"Doc Bob" Hubbard's invention of the HANS system is considered the greatest improvement in racing safety in the last 20 years and has prevented numerous serious or fatal injuries.

Dr. Robert Hubbard, a professor of biomechanics and materials research, retired since 2006, invented this revolutionary security system in the mid-1980s with his brother-in-law, IMSA pilot Jim Downing.

HANS stands for "head and neck support", ie head and neck support and has always protected drivers from serious head and neck injuries.

Background of the development was the fatal accident of Downing's friend and colleague Patrick Jacquemert during test drives with a Renault 5 Turbo at the Mid-Ohio Raceway. Since 2003, the wearing of a HANS is prescribed in Formula 1.