2018 has brought many changes to Formula One, and chief amongst them is the halo. Fewer things have sparked as much controversy as the titanium safety device. It may be able to withstand the weight of a bus, but it isn’t too pleasing to the eye.
With that said, the device is here to stay and can only look better as time goes on. While we’ve taken a look behind the wheel of a 2018 car once before, this offers a fresh look around the streets of Monaco. The renowned street circuit suffers no mistakes and demands perfection around every corner.
What happens then when the halo makes way into the equation?
Luckily, Toro Rosso driver Pierre Gasly is here to give an idea. Right away, it’s a struggle trying to focus beyond the device itself. It is without a doubt a distraction; one an F1 driver will have trained past. It becomes all the more obvious when the many bumps along the way factor in.
Another thing worth pointing out is the crystal-clear reflection in the side-view mirrors. With Monaco’s tight and twisting turns — many of which are blind — you’ll need the added visibility. The rear wing is more or less invisible, thanks to its low profile. One of the more troubling things is forward visibility.
On the approach to Turn 5, Gasly spends the rest of the lap behind a Williams. It’s here where the central beam becomes especially noticeable. While this appears to have been a recon lap, you can’t help but to ask how — how does one gauge an overtaking opportunity behind the device? At race speeds, that simple question becomes a formulaic equation; one we dare not try and solve.
Despite the controversy, the halo has become more interesting as the season goes on. The design is already seeing improvements by way of mounted mirrors. Two races in particular are of interest to us with the halo: Spa-Francorchamps and Marina Bay. The former largely due to Eau Rouge, and the latter because of the nighttime setting.
Fans of the sport will soon experience the halo for themselves when F1 2018 releases in August.
See more articles on F1 2018 Season and Monaco Grand Prix.
