The Benetton B186 Formula 1 car of 1986 featured an active suspension system that could adjust stiffness 50 times per second, but the system’s hydraulic accumulators were positioned so close to the driver’s seat that they occasionally leaked high-pressure fluid that would spray onto the driver’s legs during cornering, causing painful chemical burns from the hydraulic fluid additives—a problem so severe that mechanics eventually wrapped the accumulators in leather padding, transforming safety equipment into a makeshift heat shield solution that never fully resolved the issue.
Car Fact #107 — October 1, 2026
