Hamilton expects closed cockpits in the future of Formula 1

For several years now the FIA ​​has been trying to improve the safety of Formula 1 cars, protecting the last part of the driver which, to date, is exposed to dangers, namely the head.

Precisely during this season, two different solutions were tested on the track that would help protect the helmet: theHalo and the Aeroscreen. The first was tested by Ferrari and Red Bull, while the second only by the Austrian team. At the moment the one that would seem to give the best results would be the Halo, due to its simplicity, while the aeroscreen project would have been abandoned by Red Bull due to the high cost of its development, not to mention that the latter would have a big impact on the cooling of the car.

Among the drivers who have raised the most criticism about closed cockpits due to their unsightly appearance is Lewis Hamilton who now, however, seems willing to accept these solutions if they become part of the 2017 regulations. The Mercedes driver seems to have changed his mind after a safety meeting in which the possible implementation of Halo on cars starting from next season was addressed, with the advantages it would bring: “I paid a lot of attention during the briefing we gave regarding Halo and I take the issue of safety very seriously” – he said Lewis during the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend -. “What is most interesting is that although it is not particularly beautiful and is not part of the spirit of racing, thanks to this tool the chances of saving a driver's life in an accident that happened in the past would have increased by 17%.”

If starting from next season the Halo system were to be part of the regulations, it would not be a problem for the 3-time world champion: “If it's in the rules, it's in the rules. As I said, you can't ignore the fact that it could save some of our lives in an accident," Hamilton concluded.

Gianluca D'Alessandro