Although many measures have been taken to improve the safety of runners, there is always a certain degree of danger in the sport.
However, one particular innovation from the 2018 season saved many lives – the introduction of Halo above the cockpit of all F1 cars.
This is primarily done to avoid head-on collisions or debris hitting the rider directly. When he was first introduced to the sport, a lot of criticism followed.
Many have mentioned that it’s obstructing the driver’s view, its “terrible aesthetics”, etc.
It was also said that Halo would add a lot of weight to the machines as it had to be durable.
However, this only adds 7kg to the rest of the car as titanium is used to make the $17,000 rescue structure. It can support more than 15 times the weight of an F1.
Either way, the FIA has mandated its use on all F1 cars. And now it is used in all FIA open-wheel races.
Halo has saved countless lives in F1 since its introduction and has proven to be one of the safest additions to a car.
Cases where the “halo” saved the lives of Formula 1 drivers:
Charles Leclerc – Belgian Grand Prix 2018
The year the Halo was introduced, it came to light during a race at Spa-Francorchamps after Charles Leclerc had an accident on the first corner of the first lap of the Belgian Grand Prix. It was his first season.
Nico Hulkenberg at the back of the grid got off to a bad start, blocking his Renault and crashing directly into the rear of Fernando Alonso’s McLaren.
This sent the latter flying towards Leclerc’s car, which was already protected by the Halo system.
The titanium structure was badly scratched, showing how deadly the accident could have been.
Romain Grosjean – Bahrain Grand Prix 2020
Romain Grosjean’s crash on the opening lap of the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix is arguably one of the worst the rider has been involved with in recent memory.
As infamous and deplorable as the accident was, it proved how safe the sport had become at the time.
After the start of the race, Grosjean caught up with Daniil Kvyat on the exit of Turn 3 and crashed straight into the barrier, splitting it. At the same time, Grosjean’s car turned into a ball of fire.
About 20 seconds later, he was seen jumping out of the car. Grosjean only received burns to his hands, despite his car flying over the barrier and splitting in two.
“A few years ago I wasn’t behind Halo, but I think it’s the best thing we’ve brought to F1 and without it I couldn’t talk to you,” Grosjean said.
A similar infamous incident occurred at the 1974 United States Grand Prix when Helmut Koinigg crashed through a similar barrier and was beheaded.
Halo saved Grosjean’s life. His car was recently exhibited at the F1 show in Spain, which is a testament to the level of safety in the sport.
Further changes to the car design and fuel tank location were made in 2022 to prevent the car from turning into a fireball.
Lewis Hamilton – 2021 Italian Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton is arguably the most successful Formula 1 driver in the history of the sport. However, his life was also saved by Halo during the 2021 Monza Grand Prix.
On lap 26, Hamilton left the pits, overtaking Max Verstappen on the exit. In turns 1 and 2, both drivers struggled to stay ahead.
There was almost no room for Verstappen when they came through the chicane, and as a result his Red Bull jumped over the pavement and flew past Hamilton’s Mercedes.
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff later mentioned that Hamilton’s helmet had tire marks, proving that without Halo the seven-time world champion would have lost his life.
Zhou Guangyu – 2022 British Grand Prix
Zhou Guanyou’s crash at the start of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone silenced all the fans.
Immediately after the start, Pierre Gasly tried to get around two riders at once – Guanyu on his left, George Russell on his right.
When the Frenchman tried to pass between the two riders after a good start, it was obvious he was about to get stuck. As a result, Russell hit Gasly with his rear wheel in the front right, then crashed directly into Guanyu Zhou, flipping his car and spinning it, throwing it into the fence.
What’s even more unfortunate is that Guanyu’s Alfa Romeo’s roll bar broke, but his head was well protected by Halo as he was safely removed from the car without a scratch. .
These incidents prove that adding Halo to F1 is indeed one of the best decisions made by the FIA. He saved many lives not only in F1 but also in other series.
Vyacheslav Gorbachev, Athletistic
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Source: Sport
I am Christopher Clyde, an experienced journalist and content writer with a passion for sports. I have been writing about Formula 1 news for the past five years and am currently employed as an author at athletistic.com, one of the top sports websites in the US.
