In 2016, Formula One got a first glimpse into what a closed cockpit car may look like as teams tested the ‘Halo’.
The cockpit protection was set to be part of the overhaul of technical regulations coming for 2017, however, later it was decided that any introduction would wait until 2018 at the earliest.
The design of the Halo, akin to a chicken wishbone or a flip-flop, is aimed at deflecting large objects away from the driver’s head while trying to maintain some aspect of an open cockpit.
Opinions have been mixed but have changed over the course of the season as the governing body, the FIA, have presented situations to the drivers where the cockpit protection would be beneficial.
One such driver who’s view has changed is Lewis Hamilton. The three-time world champion was a staunch critic when the concept was first proposed but now, after testing the Halo during the year, the Mercedes driver has indicated he would be happy to race with the device.
Fans continue to be strongly against the idea mainly on aesthetic grounds but there is also concerns over the length of time it would take a driver to escape the car in case of an emergency.
During the season there were two incidents that some pointed at as examples of when the Halo could be a hindrance:
Fernando Alonso’s high-speed crash in Australia, which saw the wreckage of his McLaren on its side against the barrier and Kevin Magnussen’s Renault in Malaysia, which continually caught fire in the pitlane during practice.
After it was confirmed Halo would not be introduced next year, a concerted effort was made to ensure all teams and drivers ran with the device at least once in a practice session to give greater feedback.
While visibility seemed to be less of an issue than anticipated, even the thin central pillar wasn’t an issue as it wasn’t in the peripheral vision of the drivers, development on maximising the strength of the device appears the next stage as well as efforts to try and improve the aesthetics, especially as the sport has moved to make the cars look more aggressive.
Halo wasn’t the only cockpit protection solution tested during the year. In Russia, Red Bull showed off their ‘Aeroscreen’ which followed a more conventional idea of what a futuristic F1 could look like with a raised windshield surrounding the cockpit.
Certainly, it was better looking than the Halo and appeared to cover more scenarios but concerns over the ease of exit seemed greater as did the potential for an impact that would still see an object strike the helmet. That is why the Halo has continually been seen as the preferred solution.
My opinion on cockpit protection has always been that the FIA should not introduce something which will effectively change the DNA of F1 until it is a 100% solution that covers all potential situations and has minimal impact on the driving.
Is that the Halo? For me, not yet, but it will be interesting to see how development continues in 2017 and, with the FIA keen to be seen taking action, whether a major moment in the history of motorsport is announced for March 2018.
