Breaking news
Formula 1 Italian GP
Monza targeted for Shield head protection test
McLaren hopes there will be a version of the Shield cockpit protection device ready for Formula 1 teams to test for the Italian Grand Prix in September.
Lawrence Barretto
Edited: May 4, 2017, 12:01 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
The Halo device had been the subject of much debate during 2016, amid expectations it would be introduced in 2018.
But the shield has now been established as the preferred option after the concept was shown to drivers at the Chinese GP.
All the teams tested the Halo at some point last season, with the device first appearing on a car as early as March when Kimi Raikkonen ran it during pre-season testing.
The shield is still largely an outline concept that hasn’t been tested extensively but McLaren racing director Eric Boullier is hopeful there will be a device ready by Monza in September.
“We just got the drawings a couple of days ago from the FIA,” said Boullier during the Russian Grand Prix weekend.
“We are pushing for Monza at least to have something to test on the car so we will have something to test before Singapore. So we’ll try our best to be ready in Monza.”
Renault driver Jolyon Palmer has said F1 drivers remain split between backing either the halo or shield device or preferring no head protection at all.
McLaren's Fernando Alonso believes some form of head protection will be supported so feels it is the job of the FIA and teams, rather than drivers, to achieve a solution.
“For us and all the drivers I guess and the GPDA, we will always confirm that we are happy to have extra head protection,” said Alonso.
“So it’s due to the FIA and to the teams to accomplish this.
“We don’t have much information about this new device. We only saw the drawings and things so we need to be sure it’s safe enough or is, in most of the cases, as good as the Halo.
“It’s not up to us to choose the device that will go into the cars.
“What is for sure that we support extra head protection as maximum as this protection can be.”
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 Viber
Previous article Vandoorne column: Russia finish a small boost for McLaren
Next article F1 was held back by Ecclestone, says Carey
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Lawrence Barretto
Sirotkin, Stroll to have two race engineers each
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sirotkin, Stroll to have two race engineers each
Hamilton "sacrifice" saved Mercedes an hour of testing
Formula 1
Formula 1
Hamilton "sacrifice" saved Mercedes an hour of testing
Kubica regrets being "too honest" about driving limitations
Formula 1
Formula 1
Kubica regrets being "too honest" about driving limitations
More from
McLaren
The six drivers doing double duty in Portimao GTWCE and Barcelona WEC this weekend
WEC
WEC
Barcelona
22 h
The six drivers doing double duty in Portimao GTWCE and Barcelona WEC this weekend
Why McLaren cannot fix its F1 car handling until 2027
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
Why McLaren cannot fix its F1 car handling until 2027
Latest news
Cadillac signs Ricky Taylor, Antonio Felix da Costa in refreshed 2027 WEC line-up
WEC
WEC WEC
Barcelona
38 min
Cadillac signs Ricky Taylor, Antonio Felix da Costa in refreshed 2027 WEC line-up
Christian Horner takes cheeky swipe at Guenther Steiner: 'He never achieved an F1 podium'
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Singapore GP
1 h
Christian Horner takes cheeky swipe at Guenther Steiner: 'He never achieved an F1 podium'
Franco Morbidelli on securing most coveted WSBK ride: 'Clearly Ducati has some trust in me'
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Japanese GP
2 h
Franco Morbidelli on securing most coveted WSBK ride: 'Clearly Ducati has some trust in me'
Feature
Discover prime content
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:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe