All hail the once-controversial halo
Verstappen was blamed by the Monza stewards for dramatic crash
I feel very fortunate today. Thank God for the halo which saved me, and saved my neck. I feel incredibly blessed that someone was watching over me today.” Lewis Hamilton » Mercedes driver
The sight of the hefty back tyre of Max Verstappen’s Red Bull Formula One car crashing down towards the helmet of Lewis Hamilton at the Italian Grand Prix made for sickening viewing.
The seven-time world champion was beached in his Mercedes, but ultimately saved by his halo, a cockpit head protection system introduced in March 2018. “Honestly, I feel very fortunate,” said Hamilton. “Thank God for the halo, that ultimately, I think, saved me, and saved my neck.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been hit on the head by a car before and it’s quite a shock for me, because I don’t know if you’ve seen the image but my head really is quite far forward. “And I’ve been racing a long, long time, so I’m so, so grateful that I’m still here.” Verstappen was blamed by the Monza stewards for the dramatic airborne crash with Hamilton. The Red Bull driver, who leads Hamilton by five points in the Formula One standings but must now serve a three-place grid penalty at the Russian Grand Prix in a fortnight’s time, had tried to muscle past Hamilton who had just rejoined the track after a pit stop on lap 26.