Introduced in 2018, the halo is one of the most essential devices in driver safety today in Formula One. As the Technical Director of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, James Allison has gone on record saying that the halo is “ quite bad aerodynamically,” and I couldn’t have agreed more. Still, at the same time, he has mentioned that the Halo is a first-generation device that is essential to driver safety in the cockpit.
The Halo
The Halo is made up of aerospace industry-grade five titanium and weighs up to 7kg, and it can withstand the weight of a London double-decker bus that is 12 tonnes. Combining all of the above factors, it is quite clear that the Halo is the strongest part of a Formula One car.
A visual representation of the load, the halo is to withstand
The halo was seen in action in its debut season in the 2018 Belgian Grand Prix, wherein we witnessed the Mclaren of Fernando Alonso and the Sauber of Charles Leclerc crashed into the first corner.
The Mclaren crashing into the Sauber in the 2018 Belgian Grand Prix
The Mclaren on top of the Sauber
This is what happened to the halo of the Sauber after the crash, and it only goes on to show the safety the halo provides to the driver’s head while they are in the cockpit.
The halo of the Sauber of Charles Leclerc after the crash
The halo alongside other driver safety devices like the helmet, the HANS device, the headrest, and the cockpit size have been only improving over the last few years, showing the dedication of Formula One and the FIA to make this sport as safe as possible.
This is the end of part one, and I hope you liked reading this. I will see you soon!
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