MOMENT F1’S HALO SAVED DRIVER’S LIFE
SHoCKING video footage emerged yesterday that proved Charles Leclerc’s life was almost certainly saved by Formula one’s new halo safety device.
Images were captured from a camera on Leclerc’s Sauber showing Fernando Alonso’s McLaren flying through the air and hitting the 20-year- old’s halo during the first lap of the Belgian Grand Prix.
The footage showed Alonso’s front right wheel buckling on the titanium structure, which absorbed the full force of the hit and broke the McLaren’s suspension rather than hitting Leclerc directly on the head as it would have done without the cockpit protection.
The rookie walked away without even a bruise.
Instead, Leclerc’s car bore the scars of the impact. Charlie Whiting, the FIA’s race director, said: ‘There were significant tyre marks on both the chassis and the halo. It looked like a fairly hefty whack.
‘It doesn’t take much imagination to realise the tyre marks could have been on Charles’s head. If the halo had not been there, it would have been a miracle if they weren’t.’
The FIA will now look into the incident further and have asked Sauber to supply them with more information about the state of Leclerc’s halo. The device was introduced at the start of this season despite opposition from traditionalists who thought the three-pronged contraption an ugly addition that compromised the purity of open-cockpit racing.
Even Leclerc, from Monaco, was no fan. However, after walking away from the accident, he said: ‘I did not want the halo originally, but I have to say I am pleased it was over my head on Sunday.’
Nico Rosberg, the 2016 world champion, was emphatic in his assessment, saying: ‘We can end the halo discussion now. It will save lives.’
Like Leclerc, Alonso was helpless to avoid the accident, having been rammed from behind by Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg, who misjudged his braking in the 100mph dash to the first corner. All three drivers were uninjured.
The stewards imposed a 10-place grid penalty on Hulkenberg for his recklessness, which will be served at Monza this weekend, where Lewis Hamilton will try to extend his 17-point lead over Sebastian Vettel, who won the Belgian race.
However, Leclerc said: ‘It was just a pure mistake.’