Wolff slams introduction of the halo

Mercedes have launched the car which they hope will carry Lewis Hamilton to a fourth Formula One drivers’ title in five seasons, and fifth overall, but team principal Toto Wolff is far from being a fan of its most prominent new feature: the “halo” driver-protection device.

Speaking at the Silverstone launch of the W09, Wolff said he would “take it off with a chainsaw” given half a chance.

The halo – a wishbone-shaped carbon-fibre cage around the rim of the cockpit – has been designed to protect drivers from flying debris and will feature on all 2018 cars. But it has garnered a mixed reaction.

Hamilton himself has been hugely critical in the past, describing it as the worst modification in the history of Formula One.

“I’m not impressed with the whole thing and if you give me a chainsaw I would take it off,” Wolff said yesterday. The Austrian also pointed out the repercussions of such a device on the rest of the car. “It’s a massive weight on the top of the car,” he said. “You screw up the centre of gravity massively and, as much as it is impressive to look at the statistic that you could put a bus on top, this is a Formula One car.”

Hamilton, meanwhile, said he expected to extend his Mercedes contract, which is entering its final year, before the season starts in Australia on March 25.

“We’ve been talking for a while, but I don’t like to do it over the phone and I wasn’t back here until February,” Hamilton said.

“I have spoken with Toto, and we spoke about how we are committed to each other. I know there’s no one else better and Toto knows there’s no one else better than me. It is just the details, so hopefully it’s done before the start of the season.”