Breaking news

Formula 1

FIA ready to push design limits as Halo returns

The FIA says it could reduce the thickness of the Halo device in order to see "how much we can push it" before it is introduced in Formula 1 next year.

Adam Cooper

Adam Cooper

Edited: Aug 2, 2017, 11:25 AM

Copy link

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on WhatsApp

Share on Linkedin

Share on Pinterest

Share on Viber

Add as a preferred source

George Russell, Mercedes F1 W08 with halo

Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari SF16-H with the Halo cockpit cover

 Laurent Mekies, F1 Deputy Race Director, FIA, Charlie Whiting, FIA Race Director and Matteo Bonciani, Head of FIA Communications and Media Delegate, host a press conference about the introduction of the halo

TV screen in the Press Conference for the Halo device

Daniil Kvyat, Scuderia Toro Rosso STR11 with a Halo cockpit cover

Marcus Ericsson, Sauber C35 with a Halo cockpit cover

The ruling body is currently testing a revised version of the Halo with a narrower central pillar, with the aim of improving forward vision.

The device was fitted to the Mercedes W08 of test driver George Russell on Wednesday in Hungary, as it returned to the track for the first time since last year.

The likelihood is that the FIA will ask teams to try it on track later in the season.

"The central strut is currently 20mm," said FIA safety director Laurent Mekies. "We feel that we have scope to reduce that thickness for the benefit of the drivers' forward vision.

"So we will be testing before next year, going as low as 16mm, and see how much we can push it."

Teams are keen to gain more experience with it as they study the impact on aerodynamics, and especially the flow into the airbox.

Next year they will be allowed to add their own fairings, both to optimise aero, and to improve the overall looks of the Halo.

The FIA has given permission for teams to conduct further track tests before the end of the season, including on race weekends.

"We've told some teams that have asked that they can use them during P1 and P2," said race director Charlie Whiting. "And during in-season tests.

"Not tyre tests, but for example the two-day test here – we said they could use them at this test, the test after Abu Dhabi, and in free practice sessions on the first day at any event, as most of them did last year."

 

 

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?

Take our 5 minute survey.

- The Motorsport.com Team

Read and post comments

Read also :

Share Or Save This Story

Copy link

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on WhatsApp

Share on Linkedin

Share on Pinterest

Share on Viber

Previous article Gallery: Key F1 tech shots from the Hungaroring test

Next article Hungary F1 test: Vettel leads second morning, Kubica seventh

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

View More & Comment

More from

Adam Cooper



RB: Tsunoda “mentally on a different level” in 2024

Formula 1

Formula 1

Japanese GP

RB: Tsunoda “mentally on a different level” in 2024



Andretti planning F2 and F3 entries to promote US talent to F1 team

Formula 1

Formula 1

Andretti planning F2 and F3 entries to promote US talent to F1 team



Andretti F1 team formally opens new Silverstone facility

Formula 1

Formula 1

Andretti F1 team formally opens new Silverstone facility

Latest news



MotoGP to stage demo at F1 United States Grand Prix

MotoGP

MGP MotoGP 50 min

MotoGP to stage demo at F1 United States Grand Prix



Why Toyota’s 2026 WEC triumphs have put it into the all-time greatest endurance racing team debate

WEC

Barcelona

Why Toyota’s 2026 WEC triumphs have put it into the all-time greatest endurance racing team debate



WRC star Thierry Neuville makes successful historic circuit racing debut

WRC

WRC WRC 2 h

WRC star Thierry Neuville makes successful historic circuit racing debut



Christian Horner: Kimi Antonelli has 'earned' the right to be Mercedes' number one

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1

Singapore GP

3 h

Christian Horner: Kimi Antonelli has 'earned' the right to be Mercedes' number one

Feature

Discover prime content



Why Oscar Piastri has struggled to show his best with this year's McLaren MCL40

Formula 1

By Jake Boxall-Legge

Why Oscar Piastri has struggled to show his best with this year's McLaren MCL40



How levelling the playing field isn’t antithetical to the principles of F1

Formula 1

By Pat Symonds

How levelling the playing field isn’t antithetical to the principles of F1



Lights, Camara, action: How Haas picked F1's latest rookie for 2027

Formula 1

Singapore GP

By Jake Boxall-Legge

Lights, Camara, action: How Haas picked F1's latest rookie for 2027



Employing team orders can simply be a matter of common sense

Formula 1

By Kevin Turner

Employing team orders can simply be a matter of common sense

Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.

From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.

You have 2 options:

Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here

Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page

Manage Alerts

Subscribe