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
As if it wasn’t already hard enough to see out of an F1 car.
Never cared about F1
Why dont they black out his visor when they’re at it blocking his vision..
I think it looks cool
rather have enclosed cockpits than women’s underwear to keep drivers awake
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