Mercedes F1 team makes 100 breathing aids in less than 100 hours

MANILA: The F1 season may be on hiatus at the moment, but the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team is running a race against time to save lives — and they’re currently in pole position.

After an initial meeting with medical experts from the University College London Hospital (UCLH), engineers at Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains have been able to manufacture a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) breathing aid in less than 100 hours.

They used an existing device, pulled it apart, analyzed each component, and put it through several computer simulations in order to come up with a design that can be mass produced in the shortest amount of time.

This machine will be able to assist Covid-19 patients get oxygen by pushing it at a continuous rate into the mouth and nose so that their lungs, whose air sacs have collapsed due to the virus, don’t have to labor too much.

One-hundred units have now been rolled out for delivery to UCLH for clinical trials with the aim of mass producing 1,000 of these per day.

"The Formula One 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. 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," said Andy Cowell, managing director of Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains.

In related news, seven other Formula 1 teams have organized “Project Pitlane,” which will “pool the resources and capabilities of its member teams to greatest effect, focusing on the core skills of the F1 industry: rapid design, prototype manufacture, test and skilled assembly."

Photos from https://www.mercedesamgf1.com