The Halo: A Logical Continuation of Security Efforts

Auto racing is dangerous. This aspect is fully part of the game and plays a major role, that of heroes. The danger has brought about the best moments of our beloved sport, Formula 1. Drivers with heart turn races and championships around. But there you have it, with danger comes accidents, comes deaths—too many deaths. Forty-four to be precise.

A little step back into the past is necessary in order to gain perspective on the situation caused by the arrival of the Halo in 2018.

Created in 1950, the Formula 1 World Championship featured single-seater cars weighing just over 600 kg with less than 400 horsepower and devoid of any safety features. Designed with extreme rigidity, the cars appeared intact after accidents, but the same could not be said for the drivers.

Like the shock of Jules Bianchi in 2014, the extreme decelerations linked to accidents caused terrible concussions and brain disorders for drivers, despite the absence of visible damage to the driver and his car.

The early 1960s saw the first pressures from drivers advocating for improved safety.

It is thus that, as early as 1961, many measures were decreed. Although evident today, it was in 1961 that a seat belt anchoring system appeared, coupled with the mandatory wearing of helmets and suits. The single-seater fuel tanks and the openings and breathers had to be surrounded by fireproof lining.

That same year saw the introduction of flags as well as FIA security controls, which were previously managed by local authorities.

At the end of the 1960s, the roll bar was mandated. This device must be located 5 cm above the driver’s helmet and is intended to protect the head in case of overturning or overlapping.

From our point of view, it can be considered the ancestor of the Halo. In addition to this system, the first requirements appear concerning the evacuation of drivers from their cockpit. Seat harnesses, flame-resistant clothing, and shatterproof glasses/visors become recommended.

The 1970s symbolize the pinnacle of Formula 1 with cars and races that would become legendary. Legends such as Jackie Stewart, James Hunt, Mario Andretti, and of course Niki Lauda all raced during these years in single-seaters that became incredibly fast and dangerous. A major battle was waged by Jackie Stewart during the decade to improve safety around races that were continuously marred by tragedies.

From 1970 onwards, a series of standards were implemented, such as the introduction of 3m grass strips along the track, double safety barriers along the pits, as well as the distancing of spectators who now must be more than 3 meters from the barriers.

In 1971, the evacuation of drivers from their cockpit must be completed in less than 5 seconds. Harnesses become mandatory. The following year, the rear red light appears, and the harness and externally operated fire extinguisher become mandatory. The year 1974 marks the introduction of sand traps, previously nonexistent, and the following year, helmet inspections become the responsibility of the FIA to implement common and effective measures.

Obvious for any regular driver, no race car driver today could do without them, and yet, rearview mirrors only appeared in 1975.

Despite these different measures, the epic races of the time spare very few drivers, and their single-seaters are very prone to fires, as non-executive president of Mercedes AMG Niki Lauda can confirm.

The facilities of the time are outdated by single-seaters that have become much faster and more combative than before. There were 10 deaths over 10 years between 1970 and 1980.

Without bringing real innovations in terms of security, the following decade nevertheless saw a decrease in the number of fatal accidents, with only 4 recorded deaths.

From the early 90s, new requirements emerged such as frontal and side crash tests, as well as a major modification for the single-seaters of the time. The fuel tanks, which until then were placed laterally around the driver’s head, now had to be located between the cockpit and the engine.

As early as the end of the decade, the seat became integrated with the driver, and the wheels of Formula 1 cars were connected to the chassis by cables to prevent the frequent ejection of wheels at high speed into the audience and competitors. Steering columns became collapsible, and driver protection foam was introduced.

The early 2000s saw the emergence of a now indispensable device in motorsport, which sparked considerable debate at the time.

The HANS, for Head And Neck Support, is attached to the helmet and is designed to protect the cervical vertebrae of drivers in case of impact. The device helps prevent what is commonly known as whiplash.

This system is rejected by many drivers who feel restricted in their movements.

Finally imposed in 2003 by the FIA, many protests emerged in the paddock but it gained acceptance as the Grand Prix progressed, noting that it brought a real safety benefit to the drivers.

This is how no fatal accident has been recorded since Ayrton Senna’s accident at the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994.

This glorious truce lasted 20 years. Until October 5, 2014, in Suzuka, where, under dantesque conditions, Jules Bianchi saw his Marussia crash into a trackside recovery vehicle. The impact was violent for his brain. The extreme deceleration experienced is estimated at 254 G and would be fatal to the young Frenchman who passed away 9 months later.

The FIA, newly presided over by Jean Todt since 2011, had already taken the reins on improving safety due to various accidents, all related to the driver’s head.

This was the case in 2009 for the late Henry Surtees, whose head was struck by a tire from a competing car during a Formula 2 race. A few days later, Felipe Massa was hit in the head by a spring ejected at full speed from Rubens Barrichello’s Brawn GP. He suffered a severe head injury after the impact that shattered his visor during the Hungarian GP qualifying session.

The accident of the Spanish driver Maria De Villota, who lost an eye and then her life a few months later due to her injuries, when her car collided with a team truck parked at the edge, is also attributable to a lack of protection around the head.

The fatal accident of Jules Bianchi in October 2014 unfortunately confirmed the increased frequency of head-related impacts on drivers, and the Federation decided to act quickly.

From the following year and as a direct consequence, the FIA introduced a system that continues to be criticized, the Virtual Safety Car (VSC), which requires drivers to adhere to a certain speed on a portion of the track.

The year 2015 saw another young Indy Car driver, Justin Wilson, succumb to head injuries following the impact of a small flying carbon debris on his helmet.

As early as the following year, the side protections for drivers are raised on Formula 1 cars. An accident analysis system is also integrated into the electronics of the cars.

It is in the continuity of the dramas and various measures that the leading minds of the FIA decide to introduce a real head protection device on single-seaters.

If different elements have been considered and tested, such as the Aeroscreen and the Shield, it is ultimately the Halo that will be selected by the FIA. This comes after an in-depth study that, on 17 serious accidents, reveals that the Halo would have had a beneficial effect on 15 of them, two neutral effects, and no negative effect.

The decision made, the implementation process begins.