12 Times F1’s Halo Saved Drivers’ Lives

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Editorial credit: Ivan Garcia / Shutterstock.com

One of the most controversial introductions in Formula 1 in recent years has been the halo, which has divided both fans and drivers, generating a wide variety of opinions before and after its implementation.

Since its introduction in 2018, and despite the large number of criticisms it received, the halo has proven to be of great effectiveness, saving the lives of some drivers a few times, making many of its haters change their minds, as driver safety comes before any aesthetic element.

Accidents like Charles Leclerc\’s at the 2018 Belgian GP or Romain Grosjean\’s at the 2020 Bahrain GP left everyone\’s hair standing on end, making everyone realize how effective the halo is in this type of situation. So, let\’s look at the halo and when it has saved drivers\’ lives.

The Introduction Of The Halo In F1 And Its Controversy

Following the death of French driver Jules Bianchi in 2015 due to head injuries sustained during the 2014 Japanese GP, talk began in Formula 1 of a hypothetical \”closed – cockpit\” that would protect drivers\’ heads at all times.

From that point on, the FIA began testing different measures for this between 2016 and 2017, testing the \”halo,\” which consists of a bar that surrounds the driver\’s head and is connected by three points to the vehicle\’s chassis, and the \”aeroscreen,\” which is like the halo structure but with an added screen.

Finally, the FIA opted for the halo, which would be introduced in Formula 1, Formula 2, Formula 3, and Formula E from the 2018 season onwards. The halo would weigh 7 kilograms, and according to simulations made by the FIA, it theoretically increased the driver\’s chances of survival in case of accidents by 17%.

The halo generated a lot of controversy among fans and drivers, as many were in favor and many were against it. The haters, among them many drivers and ex-drivers, said that this way, the essence of the open cockpit racing cars was lost, reduced visibility, and was quite ugly. In contrast, others praised it, as it would be an extra safety element, like seat belts when they were introduced.

However, despite this initial division, the halo has proven to be effective on many occasions, saving the lives of a few drivers who have suffered rather spectacular accidents, thus generating more and more popularity and less and less criticism. Many drivers and important figures have publicly shown their regret for criticizing the halo initially, thus supporting it in this way.

That said, let\’s look at the occasions when the halo has saved drivers\’ lives.

12 Times F1\’s Halo Saved Drivers\’ Lives

1. Tadasuke Makino & Nirei Fukuzumi, 2018 Spanish GP – F2

The first time we saw the halo in action was during the 2018 Formula 2 Spanish GP, just a few months after it was introduced in Formula 1, Formula 2, Formula 3, and Formula E.

Japanese compatriots Tadasuke Makino and Nirei Fukuzumi, driving for Russian Time and BTW Arden, respectively, were battling on lap 5. Fukuzumi attempted the inside pass at Turn 4 and made contact with his compatriot.

Fukuzumi\’s car went into Makino\’s car, and his wheel went over Makino\’s halo, probably saving his life, as, without it, he would have had a direct impact on his head. After the race, Fukuzumi commented:

\”I understand how the halo works now. I don\’t know what happened. It was a big surprise, but I think the tire would have hit my helmet without the halo.\”

This accident was a significant turning point for the halo, as it made everyone realize its importance and necessity, as safety is more important than looks. The halo had already saved a life in just a couple of months.

2. Charles Leclerc & Fernando Alonso, 2018 Belgian GP – F1

In Formula 1, the first significant halo performance occurred at the 2018 Belgian GP, when there was a massive crash in the first corner of the opening lap between Fernando Alonso\’s McLaren and the Sauber of rookie Charles Leclerc.

Nico Hülkenberg, driving for Renault then, braked too late at the first corner, locking his front wheels and impacting the rear of Fernando Alonso\’s McLaren. The Spaniard\’s car was launched into the air, running over Charles Leclerc\’s Sauber before landing on the ground.

After this chilling accident, in which all three drivers were unharmed, Alonso, Leclerc, and Hülkenberg were out of the race, with visible damage to their cars. Leclerc\’s halo had visible tire marks, which would have impacted Leclerc\’s head had it not been for it and had dire consequences for the young Monegasque.

This accident was reminiscent of the one that occurred at the first corner of the 2012 Belgian GP, in which Romain Grosjean\’s Lotus ran over Fernando Alonso\’s Ferrari, just a few centimeters from his helmet. Many, including Leclerc himself, praised the halo after this accident:

\”I have never been a fan of the halo […], but I have to say that I was thrilled to have it over my head today. I felt the impact, and looking at the image of my car; it is quite spectacular.\”

Even Toto Wolff, one of the biggest haters of the halo during its early days, commented:

\”That gave all the justification […] I\’m not a fan of the halo; I think the aesthetics are terrible […] but having saved Charles from harm and injury makes it all worth it.\”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuRRLkc4qUo

3. Alex Peroni, 2019 Italian GP – F3

One of the most chilling accidents in recent years occurred in Formula 3 during the 2019 Italian GP. Australian Alex Peroni was running sixth on lap 19 when he ran wide at Parabolica and hit a broken sausage curb which launched him into the air and then into the catch fence.

The car flew a few meters, flipping several times in the air, and landed upside down against the track barriers. The car was wrecked, and the walls badly damaged, but the Australian miraculously walked away, despite being knocked out and suffering a broken vertebra. Following this, Peroni commented:

\”The first thing that went through my mind when I watched the replay was that the halo saved my life […] I landed directly on my head, and even though the halo was there, my helmet still hit the barrier. Without the halo, who knows what would have happened.\”

This accident demonstrated how safe today\’s race cars are and put the spotlight on the sausage curbs, which are very aggressive and often placed in the wrong places, causing accidents like Peroni\’s.

4. Marcus Ericsson, 2018 Italian GP – F1

Sweden\’s Marcus Ericsson staged one of the most spectacular accidents in recent years during the second practice session of the 2018 Italian GP. The Swede was on the main straight, at over 350 kilometers per hour, when his DRS failed as he locked up under braking.

After braking and with the DRS open, the Swede lost control of the car, which went straight into the barriers. At such high speed, the suspension broke, causing the tires to dangle, which eventually went under the vehicle and catapulted it into the air.

Ericsson\’s Alfa Romeo flipped several times at high speed, destroying the car. Miraculously, the Swede walked away uninjured.

The halo did not act directly on this occasion, but it is of great use in this type of accident, as tires or barriers could impact the driver\’s helmet, which is scary to think about.

\”I am all fine,\” Ericsson said later. \”It was a big one. The safety of the cars is incredible. Hopefully, tomorrow we should be back fighting, and I look forward to that.\”

5. Nico Hülkenberg, 2018 Abu Dhabi GP – F1

The 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was interrupted by Nico Hülkenberg\’s accident on the opening lap. The German attempted the overtake Romain Grosjean on the inside of Turn 6, and both drivers entered Turn 7 parallel, albeit this time with the Frenchman on the inside.

Neither yielded, and they made contact, sending Hülkenberg\’s car rolling over the barriers as the halo passed over the ground. The German\’s car was suspended upside down and caught fire. Hülkenberg, concerned about this, commented over the radio, \”I\’m hanging here like a cow. Get me out of this car.\”

Fortunately, the stewards did not take long to arrive, getting the German out in no time, who did not suffer any injuries. Although the halo saved him, the German commented that it may have played a role in his inability to get out of the car: \”I don\’t know if the halo blocked me. I was sitting tight and waiting.\”

Later, the race stewards announced that what happened between Hülkenberg and Grosjean was a racing incident, and therefore, there were no penalties for either driver.

6. Romain Grosjean, 2020 Bahrain GP – F1

Romain Grosjean suffered during the 2020 Bahrain GP, probably the most famous motorsport accident in recent times, as it was in the news worldwide.

The Frenchman started at the back of the grid and, after exiting Turn 3, made an abrupt change of direction, crossing the line of Russian Daniil Kvyat\’s AlphaTauri. Grosjean\’s right rear wheel brushed Kvyat\’s left front wheel, and the Frenchman spun into the barriers at almost 200 kilometers per hour.

The impact against the barriers, of about 67 Gs, i.e., a force equivalent to 67 times his body weight, caused a giant fireball, and Grosjean\’s car split in 2 after penetrating the barrier. The Frenchman was trapped inside the cockpit for 27 seconds while his car burned but miraculously got out while the stewards tried to extinguish the fire.

This spectacular accident was the focus of all the news worldwide for the next few days, while the Frenchman suffered only minor burns to the back of his hands and a sprained left ankle and was released from the hospital shortly afterward.

The halo protected Grosjean\’s head on impact with the barriers as he penetrated them. Once again, the need for the halo in F1 was demonstrated. Grosjean\’s teammate, Kevin Magnussen, commented:

\”To see him survive that is frankly a miracle […] So happy that the halo was introduced, that we have this thing on the car, because without that surely it would have been very different\”.

Meanwhile, Grosjean himself said: \”I wasn\’t for the Halo some years ago, but I think it\’s the greatest thing that we brought to Formula 1, and without it, I wouldn\’t be able to speak to you today.\”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YMjw2sjXqU

7. Lance Stroll, 2020 Bahrain GP – F1

The 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix was one of the most eventful races in recent times. After Romain Grosjean\’s chilling crash and a long wait for the barriers to be fixed, the race resumed, but in less than a lap, it was stopped again.

After the restart of the race, Russian Daniil Kvyat tried to overtake Canadian Lance Stroll on the inside of turn eight but collided with the Racing Point\’s right wheel, flipping his car onto its roll hoop.

Stroll\’s car slid face down on the ground for several seconds before coming to a stop. Afterward, the Canadian radioed that he was fine and was helped out of the car by the stewards.

After lifting the car and putting it on correctly, the halo showed significant damage, as it was the part of the car that had been most in contact with the ground. The 2020 Bahrain GP was a double test for this safety feature in two different situations, but it proved effective for both.

8. Luca Ghiotto & Jack Aitken, 2020 Russian GP – F2

The terrifying crash during the 2020 Russian GP sprint race between Italy\’s Luca Ghiotto and Britain\’s Jack Aitken triggered a red flag and highlighted the need for the halo once again.

Ghiotto and Aitken were in an intense fight for the fourth position early on lap 7. The Italian took place in turn 2, and Aitken tried to give him back the situation by changing lanes. They went side by side through the long left-hand turn three and came into contact with each other.

The two cars went straight into the barriers at high speed, penetrating them and heavily damaging them, with Ghiotto\’s car catching fire. The cars pierced the obstacles and got caught in the middle of them, so the drivers had difficulty getting out of their vehicles, although they got out on their own.

Once again, the halo and foam barriers did their job, showing how safe today\’s cars and race tracks are.

9. Sarah Moore & Beitske Visser, 2021 Belgian GP – W Series

In the W Series, the all-female motorsport championship that had its first season in 2019, we have also seen some hair-raising crashes, such as the one that happened during the qualifying session of the 2019 Belgian Grand Prix.

Six drivers – Fabienne Wohlwend, Beitske Visser, Sarah Moore, Abbie Eaton, Ayla Agren, and Belen Garcia – were involved in an accident at Eau Rouge when they lost control of their cars independently, as it was starting to rain, and the track was becoming more slippery.

Moore was the first to lose control of her car, crashing into the barriers. The rest of the drivers lost control at the same point, following her line and crashing into her car one after the other, forming a carnage of cars flying over each other.

Abbie Eaton\’s car flew over Moore\’s car, and her left front wheel landed on her halo, which deflected it. At the same time, Beitske Visser\’s car also flew off, spinning several times until it ended upside down, protected by the safety device.

All were taken to the hospital after the accident, although miraculously, none were injured. That day, the halo saved two lives. The accident was reminiscent of the one that took the life of Anthoine Hubert 2 years earlier at the same spot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vorcRMDy1ws

10. Lewis Hamilton & Max Verstappen, 2021 Italian GP – F1

The 2021 season was one of the most intense since the start of the hybrid era in Formula 1, with Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen fighting for the title until the last lap of the final round. The Briton and the Dutchman had many clashes throughout the season, starring in controversies and accidents.

One occurred during the Italian GP when they were fighting for the seventh position on lap 26. Hamilton was coming out of the pit after changing tires and ran into Verstappen, with both drivers entering Turn 1 parallel.

Neither driver yielded, coming into contact at Turn 2. Max Verstappen\’s Red Bull went over Hamilton\’s Mercedes and landed on the Briton\’s halo. Hamilton got stuck in the gravel while Verstappen was on top of the Briton\’s car, and both retired from the race.

There is no doubt that the halo protected Hamilton that day, as, without it, Verstappen\’s wheel would have impacted directly against his helmet, which could have had terrible consequences.

11. Roy Nissany & Dennis Hauger, 2022 British GP – F2

Roy Nissay, the Formula 2 driver, known for his relentless and aggressive driving style, avoided being decapitated in the F2 feature race at Silverstone thanks to the halo. The Israeli was in the tenth position on the first lap when he went wide at turn 15.

Upon rejoining the track, Nissany made contact with Formula 3 champion Dennis Hauger, who was sent off the way with his right front tire detached from the rim.

With no control over his car, the Norwegian went straight across the grass without being able to brake, stepped on a sausage curb, went airborne, and returned to the track through the chicane, impacting the side and halo of Nissany\’s car.

For a few minutes, replay images were not shown on television until it was confirmed that the Israeli driver was okay. Had it not been for the halo, Dennis Hauger\’s Red Bull would have hit Nissany\’s head-on, which would have had dire consequences.

12. Zhou Guanyu, 2022 British GP – F1

Zhou Guanyu, the Chinese Alfa Romeo driver, staged one of the biggest scares of the 2022 season at the British GP. The driver qualified in a tremendous ninth position but was involved in a chilling multi-car crash in the first corner that left him out of the race.

Before reaching the first corner, George Russell\’s Mercedes moved over and came into contact first with Pierre Gasly\’s AlphaTauri and then with Zhou.

The Chinese driver\’s car went sideways and then overturned, crawling down the track upside down as sparks flew until it came into contact with the gravel, which catapulted the car into the air, flipping over the barriers several times until it was trapped between the catch fence and the tire barrier.

Zhou stayed for a few agonizing minutes inside the car until the stewards were able to get him out, and he was taken to the hospital as a precaution, although the Chinese driver was in good condition. Speaking about the accident, Zhou admitted that he was terrified while trapped in the car, as he feared it would catch fire.

\”I don\’t know how I survived,\” Zhou said. \”But then, looking back, obviously, I saw the halo saved me. […] Once I stopped, I didn\’t know where I was because I was upside down, and the next thing I felt was some leaking. […] I was unsure if it was from my body or the car, so I just tried to switch the engine off. I knew it would be difficult to get out if a fire started.\”

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Editorial credit: Ev. Safronov / Shutterstock.com

Conclusion

With the passing of the decades and the constant safety measures introduced by the FIA, Formula 1 has become a relatively safe sport.

The halo, seat belts, today\’s helmets, and the way the chassis are made, among other things, make it possible for drivers to walk away from accidents as chilling as the ones we have seen today.

References

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