When Formula 1 cars are going full throttle on the track, a stone suddenly thrown, a wheel thrown from an accident car or anything can cost the lives of the pilots. That’s why, with the rule that came into force in 2018, the ‘Halo’ has been mandatory in F1 cars. Let’s take a look at why Halo was introduced and how it made an impact.
Formula 1 races have always existed from past to present. action and excitement has passed. Formula 1 vehicles, which have been constantly changing from the past to the present, can reach speeds of more than 300 kilometers per hour.
The pilots of these terrifying vehicles have to focus fully on their work, because the slightest mistake can cost their lives. To ensure full security Although the rules are tightened, unfortunately, the rules are sometimes written in blood in Formula 1 as in aviation.
In the opening lap of the 2022 F1 British Grand Prix, Guanyu Zhou was saved thanks to Halo.
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Let’s take a look at what exactly is Halo that saved Zhou.
including the pilots “Life Cell” The so-called environment has undergone many changes, with dozens of pilots lost over the years. The reason for this was, of course, to ensure the safety of the pilot in emergency situations, but the life cell is not enough to save lives in some cases. Although the body of the pilots is preserved their heads were always bare and was protected only by a helmet against a major impact.
One of the areas where the living cell is not enough is objects from outside hitting pilots in the head. Although Formula 1 pilots had a helmet on their heads, this helmet was very insufficient for effective and large impacts. After this event became increasingly deadly, the ‘Halo’ structure came into play.
In 2009, a Formula 2 pilot named Henry Surtees hit his head with a wheel thrown from the crashed vehicle, and the pilot went straight off the track and crashed. had died. In 2015, Justin Wilson, who was racing in IndyCar, died when a piece of the car crashed in front of him hit his head. An object on Felipe Massa’s head nearly killed him in 2009, but the pilot continued his racing career after that accident.
After these events mercedes, It was the first company to try to find a solution to this issue, and then the FIA started to work. Eventually, Ferrari and Mercedes completed their own design and tested this build on the track in early 2016, and it was rumored that by 2018 Halo will be mandatory on all F1 cars.
How solid is the Halo?
Although Halo received complaints from all of the pilots when it was first tried, it was useful to bring it to life. some recent events We can see it more clearly. Although it was said at first that it blocked the road a little and spoiled the aerodynamic structure, when the 2018 Belgian Grand Prix was brought to the fore, it is very clear what a disaster would have happened had it not been for Halo.
Let’s take a closer look at the situation:
In the first corner just after the start of the Belgian Grand Prix, Hulkenberg makes rear-end contact with Fernando Alonso, and Alonso’s car flies over Charles Leclerc’s car. While the front tire of the flying vehicle will come to the head of the pilot with the progress of Charles Leclerc, the pilot Thanks to Halo He continues to race today as the driver of Ferrari.
A very similar event took place in Formula 2 races in the same year, and the pilot survived with the help of Halo. And most recently, at the opening lap of the 2022 F1 British Grand Prix, Guanyu Zhou’s life was spared.
This structure, made of titanium, Although it only weighs 7 kilograms, it can withstand a weight of 12,000 kilograms.