Having a closed cockpit defeats the idea of Formula 1 in the first place, for open-top racing is the nature of motorsport’s highest echelon. From 2018, however, driver safety will be improved with the Halo protection system.
Love it or hate it, governing body FIA took the decision. All cars on the grid will be fitted with the Halo system, with the Federation International de l'Automobile saying that the Y-shaped bar is “designed to reduce the risk of injury from debris or other objects striking a driver’s head.”
Tested by the teams during practice sessions in 2016, the Halo system has proven its worth to the detriment of the Shield frontal protection system Sebastian Vettel trialled at Silverstone 2017. In the German driver’s view, the open canopy made him feel dizzy after completing a single installation lap. That, and the lack of a canopy wiper, spelled the end of the Shield.
“Having developed and evaluated a large number of devices over the past five years, it had become clear that the Halo presents the best overall safety performance,” is the full statement released by the Federation International de l'Automobile. The decision comes almost two years after the last fatality in Formula 1. Jules Bianchi is the driver we lost then. Before him, Ayrton Senna was the last fatality in Formula 1, back in 1994.
At the Formula 1 Strategy Group meeting where the FIA went forward with Halo for 2018, the higher-ups also discussed 2021 power unit technicalities. The talks opened the door to Cosworth, which is planning on rejoining the sport as an engine supplier. Cost control is another topic the FIA discussed, coming to the conclusion that Formula 1 must remain sustainable in the coming years for both big and small teams.
Last, but certainly not least, “a number of sporting measures aimed at improving the show were also debated and specific studies will be carried out to assess these.” More overtakes would be nice, if I may say so.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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