FIA outlines plan for next version of the halo
- Published on 16 Feb 2018 09:21
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- By: Fergal Walsh
The FIA has set out to improve the halo's aesthetics for its next version by reducing the thickness of the titanium and integrating it more delicately into the car. The controversial cockpit protection device will be used in Formula 1 this year, with Haas and Williams already showcasing it on their 2018 challengers.
The device has been bashed due to its unappealing visuals, but the FIA decided to make halo mandatory for the 2018 season after testing various other options. With teams only allowed to add fairings for aerodynamic purposes, FIA safety delegate Laurent Mekies has laid out plans for the halo 2.0.
"We have two main objectives," he told RACER. "One is the central strut, to see if we can have a reduction in thickness for visibility purposes. And secondly a better integration in the car, i.e. better aesthetics ultimately. So that's what we would like to see in stage two."
As well as F1 running the halo, it will be also used in Formula 2, while Formula E will introduce it in its fifth season which kicks off in December. Meikes says that only now after its initial implementation can the FIA focus on making changes to it.
"So the reality is that the last few months we have been trying to switch from a decision-making point to making it happen. So we had to get halo standards published, get halo suppliers certified, get halo suppliers to deliver certified parts, which in the end was an added complexity because not only did we do it for F1 but we did it for F1, F2 and Formula E pretty much in the same timeline.
"Now we are a few months later and the situation is quite good. Halo has been delivered, we have three suppliers now homologated, so we are now going to be able to put a bit more emphasis on the research on stage two."
Fergal Walsh
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Replies (9)
Login to replyreg
Posts: 162
I am surprised that the FIA aren't insisting on...
Safety boots
High visibility jackets
Life-jackets
Ejector seat & parachute
etc etc ..............
xoya
Posts: 583
I really have no problem with how the halo looks. It looks ok from some angles, from some other angles, not much.
However, looking at that picture, if a wheel came flying right from the top of driver's head, there would be no protection.
It's a slim chance that that would happen but if I look at Henry Surtees's accident, it seems to me like that particular one would not have been prevented.
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
It would have to literally come straight ftom the skies for the halo to not protect them, an unlikeöy scenario, and only a full cockpit would ward off such dangers anyway.
Pauli
Posts: 140
Wheel coming straight from up id very unlikely event when you consider how fast F1 cars move on track. Basically wheel must have speed downwards over ~30% from car's speed and also manage to hit small area that is drivers head.
It is far more likely scenario that a vertically nearly stationary wheel manages to hit fast moving car.
kngrthr
Posts: 203
to be honest, when i saw the first photos of the Hass, i didn't even notice it.
but i like the ejector seat and parachute idea Reg. but then the helicopters will need rubber rotors...
Numnum
Posts: 4,863
Well, they only examined 15 actual accidents and told us that in 13 cases it would have helped decrease injuries sustained.
They never told us which accidents they examined. Lol
I think I can come up, with a bit of effort, with 13 accidents where it wouldn’t do jack sh*t.
Complete bollocks.
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
... Except not. The halo wasnt meant as a protection against all dangers, just a means to protect against stuff like debris and impacts. Its very obvious that it wont help in all incidents, but it isnt meant to.
f1dave
Posts: 782
But will the reduced thickness still support a London bus?
Freguz
Posts: 160
A windscreen looks better, and also protects from small debris, which the halo does not.