Strategy Group to discuss Halo

Formula 1’s Strategy Group will hold crunch talks next week regarding the Halo and whether or not it should be introduced in 2017.

Following the deaths of Jules Bianchi in F1 and Justin Wilson in IndyCars, Formula 1 decided to look into cockpit protection.

That resulted in Ferrari’s Halo, a ring that surrounds the driver’s head, while Red Bull trialed the Aeroscreen.

The latter, though, lost out to Halo with the FIA preferring that design.

However, whether the sport goes ahead with it will be decided next week when F1’s Strategy Group meets.

In the meantime the FIA gave the drivers a full presentation on Halo at the Hungaroring on Friday.

Speaking about it, Carlos Sainz told Motorsport.com: “I think after the slide they showed us today and the images, they are quite shocking.

“You can see what it does and how many lives it could have saved.

“The drivers, even if we hate it and we know it’s not the DNA of our sport, when you look at it it actually makes sense.

“I don’t like it, but it’s something that even if you don’t like it, it’s like when your dad tells you you are wrong. You know he’s right, but you don’t want to admit it.”

He added: “I think it’s very clear it saves lives, I’m 100 percent sure. Aesthetically no one likes it, so we need to balance how much is worth it to save a life per five or 10 years against how bad the repercussion against Formula 1 is.

“I think the voting will start soon and everybody will put their hands up in favour or against, but the FIA will do all they can to provide with an item that actually works pretty well in many situations.”