F1’s Halo Cockpit Protector Just Debuted At Winter Testing
Following a recent meeting of the Strategy Group and F1 Commission, the FIA said it “intends” to bring in cockpit protection to Formula 1 for the 2017 season. A number of designs have been tested, but we’ve not seen any out on track. Until now.
Kimi Raikkonen surprised many by emerging from his Ferrari garage on day three of the second winter F1 test in Spain with a ‘halo’ cockpit protector on his new SF16-H.
Cockpit safety has been a talking point in F1 for some time now. It’s no new subject matter, but research was accelerated and plans to bring something in were brought forward after the tragic deaths of F1 driver Jules Bianchi (from injuries sustained in a terrible Japanese GP crash in 2014) and IndyCar racer Justin Wilson last year.
The ‘halo’ design concept is the preferred option by many - including the FIA - at the moment. Raikkonen completed one installation lap with the bizarre-looking device before returning to the pits.
The protector features three pillars, one in front of the driver and two to the side which wrap around the helmet and cockpit area. It’s certainly a weird looking piece of kit, but is the visual aesthetic of the device more important than driver safety? I’m not so sure.
Raikkonen completed his lap with the ‘halo’ prototype on the penultimate day of the second and final winter test, ahead of the 2016 season opener in Australia on 20 March.
What do you think of the cockpit protection device? Let us know below!
Comments
They finally did something :-) I always wondered how just a helmet could protect the driver at 300+, now they built a cage, i dig it
Looks like it limits forward visibilty alot?
I like the fact that they try to do something but this Halo thing is a bad idea. I think that cockpit protector in F1 shouldnt in any case block the view from drivers perspective.
Yeah I don’t think putting a huge bar in front of the driver’s view is going to do a whole lot of good for safety.
We already have a huge bar in front of us, aka our nose. And it’s probably more important to be able to see on the sides than straight. But I say since Masa’s incident that they should put fully closed cockpits on F1s, this halo thing is only safe if the debris hit the bars, which aren’t that big…
Kimi said visibility wasn’t affected
I am intrigued to see how this will perform when they put it through a crash like jules bianchi’s im not sure it will provide the protection they hope. i cant see it preventing debris hiting the helmet such as suspension or bits of tyres, they to me look like they will just go straight through the gaps. Its nice to see they are trying to make cars safer but they seem to forget you cant make any form of motorsport full proof safe.
People will say now that this blocks the view of the driver but it is just a small part which only blocks a bit of the track in front of you. You can still see all you need to see, especially the corners.
That’s precisely my main concern
Strange design. It’s a wonder he can see where he is going! Also, there is still a chance of being hit (e.g. by a flying wheel) on top of the head in between the two rear bars. Surely some kind of cage that goes over the head and is not attached to the car directly in the drivers’ eye line would be more effective.
Why not this :(
Apparently there were concerns over debris hitting it and launching into the spectators
Only if drivers dress like this:
It is also supposed to allow for a quicker exit in case of a crash or fire.
If it’s full closed cockpit with glasses and all they have to find a way to get out car quickly if the car is on fire. I can see why they design it like that.
Are any of the F1 drivers actually scared of dying on the track?