How halo saved Leclerc
The halo cockpit-safety device divided opinion when it was introduced in Formula 1 and F2 at the beginning of the 2018 season, but a new report has concluded that it played a vital role in protecting Charles Leclerc when his car was struck by Fernando Alonso’s Mclaren on the opening lap of the Belgian Grand Prix.
So polarising is the device that while it seemed clear and obvious that the halo had fulfilled its brief in the shunt – triggered by Nico Hülkenberg braking too late and pitching Alonso into the air – alternative views have persisted. Advocates on both sides of the debate cited slow-motion replays of the accident in support of their differing narratives: sceptics argued that while Alonso’s right front wheel did indeed strike the halo, as evidenced by missing paint on the side of it, had the protection system not been there then he would simply have flown past Leclerc anyway.
Not so, says the FIA – whose Global Institute has
concluded that the halo not only did everything expected as Alonso’s wheel hit it with a force of 58kn, but also that it helped deflect his car away from an impact with Leclerc’s visor. The consequences of such contact are impossible to predict accurately.
“From the available data and video footage, we are confident that the wheel would not have hit Leclerc’s helmet,” said FIA safety director Adam Baker. “But, as Alonso’s car continued to yaw relative to Leclerc’s, we believe that Alonso’s front wing endplate would have just contacted Leclerc’s visor. It is difficult to predict the severity of the contact with any precision though.”
The escape for Leclerc comes after the FIA concluded that F2 racer Tadasuke Makino was saved from serious injury or worse in a crash in the Spanish GP support race back in May.
Nirei Fukuzumi’s car was launched over the top of his rival, and his left rear tyre made contact with the right-side bodywork of Makino’s car – and then, more importantly, the right-side upper surface of the halo. Post-accident analysis concluded that the trajectory of Fukuzumi’s wheel would have led it to strike Makino’s helmet if the halo had not been there.
The official report into that Barcelona crash concluded: “The halo likely prevented contact between the tyre and the driver’s head. Without the halo there would have been potential for a very serious head or neck injury.”
While cognitive dissonance dictates that the most extreme critics of the halo will remain unsatisfied, these two incidents have provided vital data which can be employed to refine the device and add detail to the roadmap for future developments. The next step is to integrate a high speed camera into the halo itself from the start of next season. This will help deliver clearer images from inside the cockpit for post-crash analysis.
The halo is here to stay. And although questions remain over how it could be made more aesthetically agreeable, the FIA is also factoring that into its thinking. When the new generation of cars arrives in 2021 it will be better integrated into the overall design concept.
Baker added: “The next generation of halo will be part of the F1 regulation update planned for 2021.
“Importantly the halo is a key element of the car concept from the beginning, enabling a true structural integration and a shape which blends visually into the profile of the car.”
“THE HALO NOT ONLY DID EVERYTHING EXPECTED AS ALONSO’S WHEEL HIT IT WITH A FORCE OF 58KN, BUT IT ALSO HELPED DEFLECT HIS CAR AWAY FROM AN IMPACT WITH LECLERC’S VISOR