[Tech Issue] Closed cockpits- Closer to reality then we might think?

[AdrianM]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

That's because the FIA committed themselves, which is what IndyCar hasn't done.

Like I said they had to as there was a working solution by that point. IndyCar didn't and still don't have a solution.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by AdrianM

Like I said they had to as there was a working solution by that point. IndyCar didn't and still don't have a solution.

IndyCar are also working on a solution but what they are doing is evaluating the windshield before they make a decision to commit. The next test will be at a street circuit but that won't happen until the season starts, so the test will be either at the season opener at St. Pete or the third round at Long Beach.

[Adam43]

Two approaches. One was push forward with a solution to a deadline. The other will keep going until they have something more relevant to themselves, but will take longer.

Hopefully someone will post another photo or video of the halo and we can start this all over again!

[Adam43]

It looks like the drivers have more important things on their mind
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/13...o-introduction

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Adam43

It looks like the drivers have more important things on their mind
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/13...o-introduction

It's the drivers who have to race with the Halo, so if they are happy with it who can argue against that?

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

It's the drivers who have to race with the Halo, so if they are happy with it who can argue against that?

See above.

[BSchneiderFan]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

It's the drivers who have to race with the Halo, so if they are happy with it who can argue against that?

Sadly - because I think it looks hideous - this is the only sane response.

[bella]

i love how they're always like, look at the crappy little rear wings, we got over that didn't we? NO WE DIDN'T! they looked awful and the cheers when they went back to proper wings were almost deafening!

it's interesting to note that the drivers daring to express a negative opinion about the halo are outside of f1.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by bella

i love how they're always like, look at the crappy little rear wings, we got over that didn't we? NO WE DIDN'T! they looked awful and the cheers when they went back to proper wings were almost deafening!

it's interesting to note that the drivers daring to express a negative opinion about the halo are outside of f1.

I really don't think there is a visibility problem when driving, they are looking well ahead of the car. If you put a pole 2 ft in front of you and look at something 500 meters away you will not notice the close object.

Also it was Fred's head that was wedged against a concrete barrier in Melbourne, so I guess he would appreciate why the HALO is on the car!

[F1Guy]

Originally Posted by wnut

Also it was Fred's head that was wedged against a concrete barrier in Melbourne, so I guess he would appreciate why the HALO is on the car!

If the Halo was on the car then, I don't think ALO would have got out by himself, or got out of the car as quick as he did. Have a look at the position he is in (his legs in particular) when trying to get out. The Halo would have made extraction much more difficult as there would have been less space between the car and barrier. Hate to say this but what if the car had burst into flames and the Halo impeded his chances of extracting himself from the car in that situation? The Halo is a stupid idea period!

[F1Guy]

Originally Posted by bella

it's interesting to note that the drivers daring to express a negative opinion about the halo are outside of f1.

What's more interesting is how the current drivers who did express a negative opinion on the Halo at it's first introduction, have now gone all "quiet" on the issue. They now seem to be claiming it is the best "safety" device to be introduced lately. Doesn't look good but "safe".

Strange how quickly their opinion changed.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by F1Guy

If the Halo was on the car then, I don't think ALO would have got out by himself, or got out of the car as quick as he did. Have a look at the position he is in (his legs in particular) when trying to get out. The Halo would have made extraction much more difficult as there would have been less space between the car and barrier. Hate to say this but what if the car had burst into flames and the Halo impeded his chances of extracting himself from the car in that situation? The Halo is a stupid idea period!

I do get your point here but realistically anything that's going to protect the drivers heads is going to have to be a similar size/height as the horrible halo. So, an aeroscreen would have been just as much trouble to Alonso in this situation. As for a full canopy, that may have not even been able to come off at all until the car was righted.

[F1Guy]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

I do get your point here but realistically anything that's going to protect the drivers heads is going to have to be a similar size/height as the horrible halo. So, an aeroscreen would have been just as much trouble to Alonso in this situation.

Fully agree GT. The Halo, Aeroscreen or Sheild would have made it difficult in that situation. I'm against any sort of "FiA protection device" on the cars.

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

As for a full canopy, that may have not even been able to come off at all until the car was righted.

Another reason to leave F1 as an open wheel / open cockpit racing series. Too much cotton balls in pitlane at the moment.

[Kempi]

what if the car had burst into flame

Serious question: when was the last time we saw a car in flames.

And compared to that how many times did we have cars/large parts of it (tires) come close to a driver‘s head?

[Sodemo]

Could there be any complications when running Halo in the wet? I am not personally expecting anything, but the last thing a driver wants is a new unexpected stream of water eminating from the Halo. I presume they would have tested that.

[S griffin]

There are gonna be flaws to this halo. I still feel more research needed to go in to the shield, rather than just a quick run by Vettel at Silverstone.

[Akrapovic]

LMP drivers can extract themselves fine with a full roof. Just saying.

[Adam43]

I’m amazed that this hasn’t been considered before now.

[Akrapovic]

Despite being a forum full of smart people, we seem to go in odd circles with how you couldn't extract a driver if they had a roof, and how would they possibly cope with water on a windscreen. It's almost like when people enter this thread, they completely forget that they have seen other forms of motorsport, and may have even driven a road car with solutions to these problems.

This thread gets the prize for the oddest serious thread in any forum I've been on.

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

This thread gets the prize for the oddest serious thread in any forum I've been on.

This thread goes in circles. At times I feel like Bill Murray in the movie Groundhog Day. I think it has its own tropes at this point. The Alonso crash photo (how many times has it been posted?), the “racing is dangerous we don’t need safety” advocates, “what if a car is on fire” argument, etc.

I don’t want to rehash previous discussions as all of this has been discussed ad nauseam but my quick comments are...

All of those are perfectly good points to discuss, but remember no single solution will work best in all potential scenarios. Also no single safety item exists in a vacuum. They are part of a larger safety solution (course design, emergency personnel, etc.). It’s about getting the right balance among a multitude of factors such as cost, effectiveness, aesthetics, impact upon the quality of racing, etc.

Richard

[Michael S]

I trust that someone has checked that the start lights will still be visible from all the grid slots at all the tracks, if not then we may get some very dangerous starts

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Michael S

I trust that someone has checked that the start lights will still be visible from all the grid slots at all the tracks, if not then we may get some very dangerous starts

Seems OK. https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/13...lity-with-halo

However, this article does uncover a potential major flaw. These drivers will not know it is raining. What a disastrous own goal by the FIA here. It’s a joke. I would be surprised if Australia is cancelled.

[chillibowl]

i like that.

if the driver cant directly tell if weather conditions are changing and thus has to rely more on their ability to feel the car/track with their 'hands and arse' then thats a positive in my books. drivers who are better able to feel changing grip levels will benefit more.

from this point of view, a safety improvement is increasing the driving challenge.

[bella]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

if the driver cant directly tell if weather conditions are changing and thus has to rely more on their ability to feel the car/track with their 'hands and arse' then thats a positive in my books. drivers who are better able to feel changing grip levels will benefit more.

from this point of view, a safety improvement is increasing the driving challenge.

that's a really cool side effect... it has the potential to sort the men from the boys a bit as well, those who have a real feel for the car versus those who... don't.

[Richard C]

What I find interesting about all of the conversation and commentary (including from drivers) about how they are able to effectively ignore and look beyond the Halo, etc. These are also arguments in support of canopy or windscreens as well (from the perspective that many feel the F1 drivers can't handle any visual obstructions). Issues that closed cockpit drivers have been dealing with for many decades. Yet somehow this is magic with the Halo.

Richard