Formula 1 Drivers Can Look Forward to Halo Cockpits in 2017 Racing Season
Formula 1 drivers will have an additional level of protection for the 2017 racing season.
The motor-racing governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), announced Wednesday that the F1 Commission officially approved a new cockpit protection on the 2017 race cars.
Although teams and officials are working together on a design, for now, the FIA says the “Halo” concept pictured above is currently the preferred option. However, transparent cockpit protection is currently being considered as well.
This move comes just a month after F1 drivers called for the implementation of such a cockpit protector with the hopes it would “prevent the lethal threat posed by flying debris,” according to Reuters.
F1 driver Jules Bianchi died last July nine months after he suffered severe brain injuries when his car hit a tractor at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix. And, of course, famously Ayrton Senna was killed at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix when the right front wheel and suspension of his car hit his helmet after colliding with a concrete wall.