The introduction of the halo in 2018 was not met with enthusiasm by fans, teams or drivers. The aesthetics were questionable, and the device contributed to the cars reaching a total weight of 733kg. A significant part of that increase in mass was due to the sizeable chassis structures required to handle the test loads that were necessary if the halo was to function correctly in a severe accident.
I dedicated one of these columns in 2017 to the launch of the halo, arguing that we should be seeking to roll it out in the junior formulae rather than questioning its introduction. I made this point as I truly believed it was going to save lives.
