The introduction of the Halo in 2018 has unquestionably led to several drivers being saved from serious injury – or worse. Here are eight such examples. The 10th anniversary of Jules Bianchi’s ultimately fatal accident at Suzuka this week also marks a decade since the FIA stepped up its efforts to hasten the introduction of a cockpit protection system.
The Halo was the device settled on by the governing body, and was made mandatory in 2018. But the cockpit protection system initially was seen as a step in the wrong direction for F1, with fans decrying the sleek lines of a Formula 1 with a rather cobbled-together solution to enhance the safety for the drivers. Certainly, it can be said the initial offerings were rather inelegant but, with the Halo becoming a mandatory part of the car’s designs, they have become much sleeker and are now part of an individual car’s lines and, as such, have become almost invisible.
But cosmetic concerns were really the only criticism which could be levelled at the Halo, given that it had negligible impact on the driver’s vision (the same couldn’t be said for the Aeroscreen, which IndyCar plumped for, as Sebastian Vettel tested it on his Ferrari in 2016 and found it gave him headaches due to reflections and blurriness). The purpose of the Halo was to give drivers a far better opportunity to survive accidents without threat to their heads and, in this regard, the Halo quickly proved its worth – to the point where detractors were quick.