Closed cocpit F1 car good idea or not?

[Nitrodaze]

I think my real concern is that the halo could afflict fatal damage to the driver if it fails during an accident resulting in a roll over or violent flip.

[Jag_Warrior]

I personally think they should get rid of those tiny mirrors and stick some rear facing cameras on the car. And display the info from the cameras in a screen in the cockpit. it may also be a projected image to panels on either side of the steering wheels. The driver would benefit from a better rear view than from those tiny mirrors.

Maybe a little off topic, but I agree. I also think this would be one of the more important (and effective) safety additions. As technologically advanced as F1 cars are now, I can't understand why the cars still use mirrors that aren't any better than what's on a cheap road car. If the drivers could better see what's around them, I think this would greatly add to accident prevention.

[Nitrodaze]

This is what the Mercedes Halo driver protection system looks like

[steveaki13]

Wow that's a weird design.

Not sure what to make of that

[Big Ben]

I think Mercedes just want another wing-thing. I don't know if that thing is much help against debris and a tire coming at the right angle might still cause injuries if that picture is realistic. i think it also makes getting out of an upside down car pretty impossible. I have my doubts about its effectiveness. One thing sure though, it's butt ugly and that's one thing they are consistent about. I didn't like when they made those rear wings so small and the front one so wide that they looked like snowplows. Then the big penises came, the porno version. After that those little ones, the flashing pervert kind. And finally now they are going to put this crap on top of them.

[Nitrodaze]

I think Mercedes just want another wing-thing. I don't know if that thing is much help against debris and a tire coming at the right angle might still cause injuries if that picture is realistic. i think it also makes getting out of an upside down car pretty impossible. I have my doubts about its effectiveness. One thing sure though, it's butt ugly and that's one thing they are consistent about. I didn't like when they made those rear wings so small and the front one so wide that they looked like snowplows. Then the big penises came, the porno version. After that those little ones, the flashing pervert kind. And finally now they are going to put this crap on top of them.

This post really cracked me up :-)

[denkimi]

The main issue with any hoop, halo, cage or bubble is the drivers ability to get out of the car if it ends up with the wheels at the top, I would guess the halo has been tested upside down, but it still looks like it would hinder the driver

I think my real concern is that the halo could afflict fatal damage to the driver if it fails during an accident resulting in a roll over or violent flip.

they have been using closed cars in so many other racing series, so it is already proven that none of these issues are real problems.

[Nitrodaze]

FERRARI's HALO



driver view through the halo:-



Visibility on the horizontal plane does not seem too bad. This is the most used plane of observation during serious racing anyway. The Vertical view seem to be nonexistent. I wonder how the information boards they hang out on the pit straight is going to work. At speed the chances of missing it is alot higher with the halo installed. Maybe information would now be wirelessly transmitted to the car and displayed in an led screen on the dash or steering wheel.

Compared to the Mercedes Halo, the front part of the Ferrari halo dips downwards.This reduces the forward visibility compared to the Mercedes halo. This has the advantage of being a better deflector of projectiles heading towards the driver. Also the forward strut of the halo on the mercedes has a smaller diameter compared to that of the Ferrari which is considerably thicker, hence reduces forward visibility more. That said, the Ferrari strut looks tougher but does not mean it is stronger.

[CNR]

I do not think this would be that safe a bit flying off a car could still cause the same thing that happened to massa in 2009

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/123121
Force India driver Hulkenberg voiced strong objections to the prototype halo device trialled by Ferrari on Thursday and Friday in pre-season F1 testing.

Hulkenberg claimed it "looks horrible", and called on the FIA not to implement it, believing it "sends out the wrong message".

[Stan Reid]

they have been using closed cars in so many other racing series, so it is already proven that none of these issues are real problems.

Yes, at least one closed cockpit car has even run in the Indy 500.