This week the FIA announced the introduction of the ‘Halo’ for next season. The next Formula 1 cars will be forced to carry this new safety device. Apparently we will have to get used to this new protection system, a vertical bar in front of the pilot with two horizontal handles surrounding the cabin.
Its function is clear, protecting the pilot’s head from impact against cars, objects or the environment. The FIA has tested several options like the ‘Aeroscreen’ but it did not give the good results that were expected.
The FIA has assured that the Halo is the best option from all that have been considered. They assured that it does not influence the pilot when leaving the car, nor does it affect the extraction of the pilot in case of an accident. In addition they reaffirm that it does not affect the visibility.
The teams have done several tests with Halo, which we’ve seen during free practice in several Grands Prix. The opinions in the paddock are very different, there are people who favor this but there are also great figures of Formula 1 who have not hesitated to express their opinion against the Halo such as Niki Lauda.
We understand that safety should come first. High speeds make Formula 1 a dangerous sport. The Halo supports up to 15 times the mass of the car, so in an impact it reduces the risk percentage. But what about small parts?
This week the Hungarian Grand Prix will be celebrated, and reminded us that eight years ago Felipe Massa had a spectacular accident in the classification of this Grand Prix. A spring of the shock absorber of the Brawn of Barrichello crashed against his helmet, leaving unconscious to the pilot who was hit against the protections of the Hungaroring circuit. Could the Halo have avoided this accident? It seems impossible that he could have avoided it.
For now we will have to wait until next year to see if there are more advantages than the disadvantages. At the moment the Halo has only been tested in practice sessions, never in race or in classification. We will have to see how visibility affects when the time comes for action.
One thing is clear, aesthetically it shatters the image of cars but one should never put the safety or life of a person to aesthetics. Now, maybe you can consider other options that have a smaller impact on the image of cars and content to everyone’s tastes.