Here's Your First Proper Look At Red Bull's Canopy Concept
We’ve seen Ferrari drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel test out the new halo ‘thong’ on track, and now it’s time for Red Bull’s concept to make its debut. Unlike the halo, Red Bull’s ‘aeroscreen’ wraps around the cockpit, with two pillars on either side. Not only is this design regarded by many to be better looking that the halo, but it also provides additional protection.
Because the screen resembles a fighter jet canopy, the driver is protected from head-on strikes; think Felipe Massa’s accident at the 2009 Hungarian GP. And unlike the halo, the aeroscreen features an open top, giving the driver an escape route in the event of a rollover. Something that has been a major worry after Fernando Alonso’s shunt at this year’s opening round in Australia.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner clearly favours his team’s solution: “I think the canopy offers a bit more protection because it does have a windscreen. We believe there’s better visibility and it’s a more elegant solution to the brief, rather than the boomerang thing that is the halo.”
Unsurprisingly, not everyone agrees, with fans favourite Lewis Hamilton telling Autosport:
“If they’re going to do this, close the cockpit like a fighter jet. Don’t half-arse it. Go one way or the other. That screen looks so bad. It looks like a bloody riot shield. You’ve got this cool, elegant futuristic Formula 1 car, and you’ve got a riot shield sitting on top of it. And the other one [halo], the carbon fibre structure was obviously good but Fernando [Alonso] wouldn’t have been able to get out of the car potentially in his crash in Melbourne.”
F1’s governing body has said that it ‘intends to introduce cockpit protection for 2017’ in a bid to improve driver safety following the deaths of Jules Bianchi and Indycar Driver Justin Wilson last year. And as it stands, it looks like the halo is the ‘preferred’ option of the FIA.
So the question is, which do you prefer? Do you think the ‘halo’ is better, or do you want to see Red Bull’s concept hit the grid? Take our poll below!
Comments
I prefer the looks of the riot shield but I think it should a drivers choice there the ones who drive the cars so it’s there safety not the FIA
But then if the individual drivers/teams make the decision on this option for safety then why not all? There would be teams removing safety features for a faster car and there would be drivers willing to drive that way. And that becomes a problem. It’s makes sense that the FIA makes all the decisions for safety requirements for all cars from a more natural and less biased standpoint.
WHY CANT THEY JUST FACE IT THAT THERE IS ALWASE GOING TO BE A FACTOR - THE FACTOR THAT MAKES THE SPORT INTERESTING: DANGER
IM YELLING BECAUSE IM MAD
I think Red Bull’s approach is much better, the driver is still protected from impacts and the visibility is not compromised.
Having said that, I belive F1 cars shouldn’t have any form of closed or semi-closed cockpit. F1 is incredibly safe now. What happened to Bianchi wasn’t a cars design fault, it was a error from the GP organization and/or race director.
What about what happened to Justin Wilson? It wasn’t any organization and/or race director’s fault.
Might as well do something like this
Not gonna lie,that looks awesome.
How’d you get out in an emergency though.
Thats Pretty dope
now add HUD onto it and😍😍
I read it as “it boosts like a bloody riot shield” lol
Red bull
“It looks like a bloody riot shield.” Says the guy running a women’s underwear XD
I’m not a fan, but if it saves even one life, it’s totally worth it.
I think this is the best option. it provides better protection, better visibility, and i think it can look better if F1 changes the regulations for the front of the car a bit. I think round the top of the nose a bit and start sloping it earlier so that the shield looks more integrated into the shape of the car. Somewhere between this and the 70 and 80’s cockpits would be perfect.