Hey guys,
So it's been a little while since the F1 world went bloody berserk over this issue,so i waited for all of that to die down,especially the Flip Flop memes (can't deny they're pretty accurate).
So,for those of you who may be new to Formula 1 or are unfamiliar with the Halo device,it is essentially a head protection device that is placed in front of the drivers head to protect,and i use the word protect loosely,from small to medium size debris. I'll post a photo below.
So it's been a little while since the F1 world went bloody berserk over this issue,so i waited for all of that to die down,especially the Flip Flop memes (can't deny they're pretty accurate).
So,for those of you who may be new to Formula 1 or are unfamiliar with the Halo device,it is essentially a head protection device that is placed in front of the drivers head to protect,and i use the word protect loosely,from small to medium size debris. I'll post a photo below.
Testing of the Halo began back in 2016,but because of how......stupid-for want of a better term-it looked,F1 fans never really thought it would ever really make it into the sport,and the FIA would move on with pursuing a different solution,namely the Aeroscreen.
After a few test runs,the FIA released a statement saying that the Halo was being withdrawn. Testing of the Aeroscreen began,but thanks to Sebastian Vettel,that was withdrawn due to it making him disorientated.
Therefore,the FIA were without a safety feature to pursue and out of seemingly nowhere,the Halo was brought back and forced through the Safety Board and is now being implemented for the 2018 season.
So that's a brief summary of how the Halo came to be. Now let's get into the nitty-gritty. My feelings on it.
The most obvious problem i have with it is this. Formula 1 in it's essence is an open cockpit sport. It's been like this since it first began back in 1950. It's what gives the sport its excitement,it's danger factor etc. By adding the Halo,in reality,you're changing the essence of what Formula 1 really is. An open wheel,open cockpit sport. Now don't get me wrong,i'm all for safety. These drivers shouldn't have to worry about potentially losing their lives every time they step into the car. At one point,especially in the formative years of F1,death was simply a part of a grand prix weekend.They just moved on and kept racing,in honour of the driver(s) who lost their lives doing what they loved. Nowadays,things have changed. Even at the incredible speeds these drivers race at,no-one would even fathom a driver losing his/her life.
You see,this whole open cockpit debacle came about after the death of Jules Bianchi,who crashed into a teleporter that was on track attempting to move the car of Sutil off the side of the track. This was a freak accident,put down to a number of factors,Rain,Jules perhaps driving too quickly under yellow flags,the teleporter being where it was etc. But the main argument was that Jules could have survived if he had some sort of head protection i.e the Halo. But the fact of the matter is,we don't know. I honestly think it would be unlikely for him to survive even with the halo. The impact was so large,it could have made it worse honestly. As i said though,we don't know if it would have saved him or not.
Could it have saved Massa? Probably not because the piece of spring would have came through the gap in the side of the Halo. Would it have saved Senna? Perhaps,Perhaps not.
All in all,in my opinion,the Halo is a rushed attempt at a safety solution to a problem that,in reality,doesn't really exist. A piece of carbon fibre with clear gaps in the side can't be called head protection. For me,it's either closed cockpit,or no cockpit. Take that as you will.
The Halo will also be in F2 next year,which also begs the question of,why didn't they test it in lower categories first? It seems unorganised,untested and rushed. That's my feelings on the Halo
What are your thoughts on it? Do let me know!
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