Hola Halo.

Melbourne. (C)

    Not very aesthetically pleasing is it? An ugly appendage deemed contrary to the very essence of open cockpit, single seater racecars? Yes, we're talking about the new for 2018 Formula One Front Cockpit Protection or "Halo" as it's colloquially known.  
    F1's governing body wanted to introduce some form of cockpit protection in time for the 2017 season, but due to lack of time in testing various options, postponed to this season. The teams were commissioned to present their best solutions. Small windscreens, aeroscreens and the like were tested. But after a failure to Red Bull's aeroscreen and time ticking away, the halo was decided upon. A circular steel and titanium piece of fairing if you will, encompassing the cockpit supported by a central pillar and at the cockpit sides. Whilst driver's vision, aero wake into the engine airbox above the driver, and debris deflecting into the crowd were considerations to the various options presented, the halo was decided upon. 
    Designed to deflect large objects such as errant wheels and withstand weight equivalent to a double-decker bus. What, however, of smaller objects? Could more testing have been done to find an even better solution? A halo certainly wouldn't have prevented Felipe Massa copping a life threatening Honda spring in the face at Hungary in 2009. 
    There are those such as 3-time champ Niki Lauda who suggest the halo goes against the grain of what formula racing is, and that it detracts from the driver's achievements against extreme danger. On the flipside, there are those like 2-time champ and McLaren ace Fernando Alonso, who suggest that if the halo improves driver safety, then it doesn't matter what it looks like. Surely, an option that increases driver's safety needs to be exploited and exhausted? Doesn't technology serve to improve? Aren't romantic notions of yesteryear's racing antiquated? Whichever way you feel, the teams are free to develop the halo. We've already seen various adaptations in testing. We will get used to it.
    The other main change you may have noticed for this year's racing is Pirelli's introduction of seven dry tyre compounds with them being a step softer than last year. Exciting indeed. Expect lap times to tumble.
    This week's Australian Formula One Grand Prix sees Melbourne's stunning Albert Park opening yet another F1 campaign. Weather at this stage looks typically Melbourne with qualifying Saturday and raceday Sunday looking iffy. Make sure you check out the F1 cars through the fast kink at Turn 5 where the walls are close, or the fast chicane at Turns 11 and 12 which a gripped up F1 car negotiates at over 200km/h, or the Turn 14 sweeper where they use all the track and then some. We'll leave the predictions to your good selves as the level of uncertainty is always high after winter testing leading into the start of a season.
    Final boarding call for flights to Melbourne. See you at Albert Park.... 
     
     

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