F1's Halo Can Take "Roughly The Weight Of A London Double Decker Bus"

Mercedes F1's technical chief James Allison gives an overview of F1's controversial new 'Halo' device

Whether or not you like the way F1’s new ‘Halo’ safety device looks (and we’re guessing most of you are in the ‘not’ camp), there’s no denying it’s an impressive piece of kit.

In this video James Allison - Mercedes F1’s Technical Director - explains what the Halo does, and there’s one particularly interesting takeaway: the titanium device can apparently withstand “roughly the weight of a London double decker bus” sitting on top. If he’s talking about one of the new Routemasters, that’s over 12 tonnes.

That’s because it’s not just about deflecting stray objects that might otherwise strike the driver - Halo also needs to stand up to high-speed, ‘cockpit-first’ accidents like the shocker Fernando Alonso somehow walked away from at the 2016 Australian Grand Prix.

The teams also need to think carefully about how they can mitigate the adverse aero effects of the device’s less than ideal shape. The regulations will allow for small aero parts to be attached to the Halo, to stop turbulent air being ingested by the engine and to avoid it upsetting the rear wing.

Allison also makes the point that nothing remains the same in F1 for long, so who knows, within a few seasons the Halo might be a little easier on the eye…