I think it's more than fair to say the 2018 Formula One season is upon us. Testing is only a week away and cars are being revealed left, right and centre. This time of year is always interesting. The anticipation of testing and the first race of the season to the eagerness to see new and old liveries on cars alike. As of the time this post is being written, not every 2018 car has been revealed but in my opinion they're looking good, bar one thing. The not-so-anticipated halo. (Cue Beyonce's hit Halo.) If you've been living under a rock for the past few years you might be thinking "what is the halo?" Well, it's a structure made from titanium that sits over the cockpit in order to protect the driver from flying debris such as tyres and car parts. It is mandatory on all cars this season.
So far, the reception of the halo has been somewhat negative and unfortunately, I am with the majority on their negative views. I find it difficult to get my head around the fact that this is a safety feature and I know with all of the tests the halo has been through, if it wasn't safe, the FIA wouldn't have gone down this route. I'm going to talk to you on why I don't really like the halo and I think these are points you can agree with me on.
1. It's Ugly
The creation of the halo was to ensure extra safety to drivers while keeping the sport as it's recognizable open-cockpit status. But in order to increase safety it looks as if the beauty of these cars has been sacrificed. Something fans, such as myself, are not happy with.
2. Visibilty
I can't get my head around the visibility. The halo is connected to the chassis by a pylon which is placed right in the drivers line of vision. Numerous tests have proven that the majority of drivers are not fazed by this but I like a clear view when driving and that pylon is an obstruction. Also, wouldn't the halo be a problem at tracks such as Spa that have elevation? Apparently not.
3. Exit Time
As you may or may not know, to drive a Formula One car you need to be able to jump out in a certain time frame. Thanks to small cockpits and having to remove the head rest, exit times are already a challenge to achieve. And, if I remember correctly, drivers had problems with achieving these exit times when the halo was first introduced. Practice and evolution of the halo have reportedly improved these times. I still see it as a problem.
4. Upside Down Car
As we see from time to time, accidents can cause a car to somersault and land upside down. For example, let us look at Fernando Alonso's accident in Australia 2016. After a collision with then Sauber driver Esteban Gutierrez, Alonso's car was flung in the air landing on an angle, pretty much upside down. We saw Alonso scramble from the car with only minor injuries but what if the halo was there? You would need to be extremely small to slip through that gap. The FIA have a solution to this. According to ESPN the safety car will carry tools that will cut through metal in order to extract the driver from the car more easily. It just means a longer wait time for the pilot.
5. Debris
The halo does not provide full protection. Although it stops debris hitting the driver head on, there is still enough space for small objects to get through and hit a drivers helmet. And at fast speeds, it can still cause damage. Remember Felipe Massa in Hungary 2009? I suppose though with a halo damage that bad would most likely by avoided.
So there we are. Five reasons why the halo sucks. But, maybe we shouldn't look at it that way. The halo is here as a safety precaution. It might be ugly but we've seen uglier. Drivers say it doesn't hinder their vision. Exit time isn't a big problem like first thought. The safety car will carry tools. And, finally, it will protect the driver in some shape or form. I know F1 is a dangerous sport and drivers are risking their lives for our entertainment every weekend. It doesn't hurt for us to give the halo a chance. It's something we need to get used to. The FIA have no plans to remove it so until they are proved wrong we need to just ignore it and enjoy the racing as we always have.
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