r/F1Technical • u/denbommer • 8d ago

General HALO or Aeroscreen for F1

What’s your preference?

The HALO, which has already proven its reliability and remains the closest to an open cockpit design. It also allows for the most airflow, aiding in driver cooling. However, a downside is that small debris can still pass through and potentially hit the driver (as in Massa’s incident).

Or the Aeroscreen, which likely offers more aerodynamic advantages and also protects the driver from small debris. The downside is that it’s more enclosed, resulting in reduced cooling (although IndyCar has worked on improving this). Personally, I feel it also makes the driver less visible.

244 votes, 1d ago
203 HALO
41 Aeroscreen
0 Upvotes

25% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

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2

u/kossttta 8d ago

Regardless of safety, which I am not qualified to talk about, I'll always prefer the least invasive option. Right now that's the halo, but I still hope it can be made lighter and thinner in the future. These days, watching single seaters, cars are so big and the driver is so (for the lack of a better word) hidden behind a huge helmet, small visor, huge removable headrest, etc., that it's easy to forget there's a person in there. Of course, safety comes first, so I am more than OK with the Halo, but Aeroscreen looks like... way too much.

2

u/cafk Renowned Engineers 8d ago

The aero screen was developed as part of FIA Halo rfp.
https://www.fia.com/news/f1-red-bull-tests-aeroscreen-head-protection-system-sochi-autodrom
Ferrari developed the cockpit shield: https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/comments/zjt60f/in_2017_before_the_halo_was_created_the_fia/
And Mercedes the finally adopted Halo:
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/formula-1-driver-cockpit-protection-what-are-the-alternatives-to-halo/3221016/

FIA chose Halo, if you're willing to go through the 30 minute presentation: https://youtu.be/AYkGjUHstKY

2

u/magus-21 8d ago

The new Aeroscreen looks pretty cool. I think it's what I would prefer, but the look of the Halo has grown on me and I like that it's unique.